For many people, the term “Formica” conjures up the image of orange countertops with avocado green cupboards, similar to The Brady Bunch house. While that was indeed the Formica of days past, today’s laminate countertops couldn’t be further from that reality.
The popularity of natural surfaces, such as granite, for countertops has pushed the manufacturers of synthetic countertops to expand their look and options and, as a result, consumers and designers today enjoy virtually endless possibilities.Top manufacturers of laminate countertops include Formica, Wilsonart and Pionite. All of these manufacturers offer a range of countertop designs from the most basic to elaborate custom molded edgings, backsplashes, colors and more. Many offer designs that mimic the look of marble and granite so well that it isn’t until you touch the actual surface that you realize it isn’t “real”.
Laminate materials and surfaces offer a great price-performance mix. Their extreme durability and affordable cost makes them a great alternative to granite or other natural stones. The ability to have countertops made to fit an exact shape and size, without unnecessary seams, is another plus to these surfaces. Add to all of that the wide range of color choices over any natural surface and it’s no wonder that laminate countertops are making a big comeback.
Whether you are doing a single home remodel or building out an entire development, the options available in non-natural countertop surfaces will open up a multitude of possibilities—and help keep your costs down. Individual homeowners can often end up making additional upgrades to their kitchens or bathrooms with the money they save in laminate surfaces compared to granite, marble or other materials. When remodeling, laminates offer greater opportunity to color match other elements in a home. This can be especially appealing to homeowners with older, historic homes or to those who are looking to turn a home purchase quickly and want to ensure quality and attractive design.
Some people who may want granite, marble, quartz or other natural stone but cannot afford it for the entire job may choose to mix and match the natural surface for a select portion, like an island, and then use laminate for the remainder. This can be a fun way to add a new design twist and look while maintaining a budget.
All in all, laminate countertops deliver a pack of benefits to today’s homeowner that most people would never have thought 40 years ago.
VT Industries offers high quality laminate countertops for kitchen, bathrooms, schools, hospitals and many other applications.
