3 Reasons to Laminate Your Countertops

Laminate countertops are among the most common kitchen elements because of their durability and affordability. The material is versatile and easy to install, which makes up for the fact that it's relatively susceptible to damage from burns and scrapes.

Countertops that are laminated are made by utilizing laminate or formed plastic on the counter surfaces that are visible to the eye. Aside from their beauty and versatility, laminates are also more affordable than other kinds of materials.

Advantage in Form

A laminate is made by installing a plastic sheet on top of a fiberboard base that has previously been formed. The form that is put into the base material is based according to the design of the countertop surface.

Laminates are used in providing an attractive exterior surface of the countertop. Because of this, a laminate can be adapted to a wide variety of different shapes.

Minimum Cost

A laminated countertop is one of the most inexpensive and affordable for a counter that you can find on the market. Because of its inherent design, all kinds of textures and colors for the surface can be made from it. Hence a laminated countertop tends to be more versatile when it comes to appearance.

Easy Maintenance

A laminated countertop is usually one of the easiest to clean of all kinds of countertops. Usually, all it takes is a soft abrasive and mild cleanser, and you will be able to remove all kinds of dirt and markups that adhere to the surface.

If there are tough stains that cannot be removed by a mild cleanser, you can clean them off with a combination of baking soda and the juice of a lemon. This method is better than using rough abrasives since it will not scratch the surface.

The few disadvantages of laminated countertops are also on other kinds of countertops. These cannot be avoided since countertops take their share of beating through everyday use.

Avoiding Scratches

Although popular and inexpensive, laminates do not have properties such as those of granite when it comes to scratches. Usually, when a granite top is scratched, you can take it out by buffing it. Cuts on a laminate on the other hand have the tendency to stay.

Avoid having such cuts and scratches on your laminated countertop by using cutting boards when using sharp tools. Generally, all direct contact with sharp surfaces should be avoided.

Avoiding Burns

Because laminates are made of plastic materials, they are very vulnerable to scorches and burns. Once it happens, it is almost impossible to take them off. Hence, always make use of hot pads and plates if you are working with something hot on the countertop.

Never put hot kitchen implements on top of a laminated countertop directly.

When installing laminates, bear in mind that the material will show seams easily, especially along the edges of the countertop. You can turn this to your advantage by ensuring the quality of the installation since the seams will look pretty on a well-laminated countertop.

However, if a sloppy job has been done, the seams will look evidently out of place.