Kitchen benchtop refresh

[LouiseS]

Hi, I would like to refresh my old laminate kitchen countertop but don't really want to paint or replace it. Is it possible to re-laminate it?

Thanks in advance, Louise

[MitchellMc]

Hi @LouiseS,

You can apply laminate over an existing product with the correct prep work. The prep generally revolves around abraiding the surface, keying it, so the new glue has something to bite into. We deal with Formica laminate flooring, and as an extension, we might be able to source you Laminex from them. However, I'd be keen to know the reasoning behind not wanting to replace the benchtop, as there are some budget-friendly options out there to choose from. With our assistance, the bulk of the installation could even be a D.I.Y. project. What concerns me with the Laminex option is how well you'll achieve transitions from the top to the edges. Anything but an incredibly straight cut to the Laminex will be impossible to create a neat corner joint with.

Perhaps if you'd like to post some pictures of your current benchtop, our members might have some other great ideas.

Mitchell

[LouiseS]

Hi, gotcha thanks @MitchellMc. I would prefer a new benchtop but mainly just worried about the expense of having someone come out and fi it. I’m trying to do as much as possible myself but removing the old benchtop is way beyond my skillset. 

When you say with your assistance what did you mean. 

[MitchellMc]

Our community can assist you with advice, inspiration and motivation during the removal and installation of your new benchtop @LouiseS.

It's certainly understandable if the price of installation is a barrier. What's the actual issue with the benchtop at the moment? Is it just a not so appealing colour, or is there damage to it? I have seen some thrifty D.I.Y.ers use self adhesive film to cover unsightly laminate. One particular project used the Boyle 45cm x 1.5m White Marble Self Adhesive Film, and it looked pretty convincing.

Mitchell

[gary_sin]

Hello Mitchell,

i would like to know more about re-laminating kitchen bench, in our case its too much work to replace the becncktop - hence the cost.

do you have any DIY videos etc.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @gary_sin. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about relaminating a benchtop.

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any D.I.Y. videos or articles on applying Laminex, but I'm sure you would come across plenty with a Google search.

There will be a substantial amount of work involved with relaminating a benchtop. I would consider it more time consuming to apply a new laminate surface than to replace the benchtop entirely. If you're looking to cut costs, it could be an option, but as mentioned above, laminate benchtops are relatively inexpensive these days.

Mitchell