Ingenious technology permits laminate countertop surface areas to imitate the look of natural wood, stone, elements of nature, texiles, and more. From muted tones, to bold and wacky designs, you make certain to find your ideal pattern.
In the past, laminate countertops only came with flat edges and exposed "brown lines." Not anymore! Now you can give your laminate tops an upscale feel and look with specialized edges. 3 Edging Options for Laminate Counters When you purchase laminate counter tops, you have three edging options: Timeless flat edge.
The exception to this is strong core laminate that has color throughout, like COLORCORE2 by Formica Group. You'll still have the flat edge, but no brown line. Post-formed with specialty edge. These are the drop-in-place laminate counter tops offered at a lot of home enhancement centers. More In-Depth -formed counter top is produced as a single piece with no joints or corners, and often includes a backsplash and a specialized edge instead of a flat edge.
You can acquire a different branded edging product like Perfect, Edge that adheres to the side of your laminate counter tops. Edging products allow you to upgrade from flat edges to a variety of other edge profiles and they hide the brown lines. Edging treatments are simple for DIY'ers to install.
The laminate is then glued to particle board to develop a counter top. The brown line you see on laminate countertops is the brown paper layer.
Standard Size Granite and other natural countertops are typically more expensive than Formica. The basic depth for a Formica countertop is 25 1/4 inches. These counter tops are created to fit standard cabinets, which are 24 1/4 inches deep. The 25 1/4 inch counter tops usually include a nosing on the outer edge that gives the counters a somewhat more decorative appeal.
Preparation Preparing to put in laminate countertops requires that you ensure that your walls are straight and your corners are square. The typical Formica counter is created so that you can slash off approximately 1/4 inch from the edges, if necessary, to accommodate any issues with the walls or corners.