Laminate Counter Tops

Laminate countertops are inexpensive and easy to clean.

Countertops made of laminate are usually the least expensive of countertop materials. Laminate, also known as Formica®, consists of a core consisting of particleboard, which is covered with a thin plastic veneer. There are two types of laminate: High Pressure and Post Formed. High pressure is more durable, stain resistant and easier to clean, but is not heat and scratch resistant. This is the laminate used for custom jobs, where more polished edges-wood, rounded, or beveled-can be crafted. While Off-the-shelf, or Post-formed counters, sport the standard self edge: a flat edge with a strip of laminate glued across its surface. Post-formed laminate is less expensive and durable and comes with an integrated backsplash and a rolled front edge. Post-formed laminate is usually not recommended for complicated spaces, as it is less yielding than custom or stock-shelf laminates and tends not to withstand the cutting and gluing associated with custom installations. They are most easily installed in a simple space (like a galley kitchen) in the shape in which they were sold. Another drawback of laminate is the black seams that emerge where the material has been cut. If there is a seam on the surface of the counter, you run the risk of water leaking into the seam and damaging the particleboard.