Countertop renewal

[Fueler]

The wife wants new countertops just because.
I have spent too much on this rehab as it is so I have been looking at various DIY methods to save me some grief and down time.

Laying down new laminate formica doesn't look too awfully hard but I am intrigued by the interesting combos using epoxy.

Like here https://www.stonecoatcountertops.com/free-training-how-to-videos

Have any of you folks done such a thing? Pros, cons, tips tricks?

Some will say leave it to a pro.
Just to be clear here. Bull. I am capable.

 

[djbmw]

I did our own granite countertops three years ago. I bought a large square slab (8x8 if i recall) and trailered it home. Once home i cut it to the correct sizes with a wet saw + diamond blade. For the sink cutout I used an angle grinder with diamond blade (i made all cuts wet - the angle grinder was protected in a breathable waterproof bag and the electrical plug went into a gfci.
Faucets were cut out with a diamond drill hole saw.
I then used a diamond profile bit on the angle grinder to profile all visible edges.

Lastly, i purchased a full set of diamond polishing pads to polish the granite.

We had quotes between $3,800 and $5000 for granite counters... Instead I was able to do it myself for under $500 and two days work.

 

[PhysicsDude]

I've been looking into doing granite or quartz DIY installation as well.

There's a few places here that sell 26"x110" slabs that I could easily cut/shape into what I want.

How hard was it to actually position the slab onto the countertop? I've read that a 26"x110" slab is like 300lbs? Is that accurate? Even with 3 or 4 strong guys that would be quite a chore.

 

[Justind97]

I did our own granite countertops three years ago. I bought a large square slab (8x8 if i recall) and trailered it home. Once home i cut it to the correct sizes with a wet saw + diamond blade. For the sink cutout I used an angle grinder with diamond blade (i made all cuts wet - the angle grinder was protected in a breathable waterproof bag and the electrical plug went into a gfci.
Faucets were cut out with a diamond drill hole saw.
I then used a diamond profile bit on the angle grinder to profile all visible edges.

Lastly, i purchased a full set of diamond polishing pads to polish the granite.

We had quotes between $3,800 and $5000 for granite counters... Instead I was able to do it myself for under $500 and two days work.

I’d be really interested to see the result and the tool setup you used for this! I’m in Ottawa as well and the boss and I have been looking at putting in a new kitchen

 

[mike93lx]

How hard was it to actually position the slab onto the countertop? I've read that a 26"x110" slab is like 300lbs? Is that accurate? Even with 3 or 4 strong guys that would be quite a chore.

maybe a little heavier for granite. at ~175lbs/cubic foot, the slab you noted (assuming 1.25" thick) is just over 2 cubic feet, so more likely around 350lbs

 

[mike93lx]

The wife wants new countertops just because.
I have spent too much on this rehab as it is so I have been looking at various DIY methods to save me some grief and down time.

Laying down new laminate formica doesn't look too awfully hard but I am intrigued by the interesting combos using epoxy.

Like here https://www.stonecoatcountertops.com/free-training-how-to-videos

Have any of you folks done such a thing? Pros, cons, tips tricks?

Some will say leave it to a pro.
Just to be clear here. Bull. I am capable.

good lord, that website it terrible.

Never seen it in person, but if your wife wants stone, I think she'd probably be disappointed.

looks like it would be a few hundred bucks to even get everything to practice and test it out. IMO, I'd just find a nice WilsonArt Laminate and use that instead, unless you really just want a project.

 

[theoldwizard1]

One of the major laminate manufacturers came out with a different "stone" looking laminate a few years ago. It is different because the repeat pattern is much farther apart so that you eye will not pick it up.

If the wife wants stone, then there is no substitute !

 

[couch67]

Concrete!

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[couch67]

... but then again this route will NOT save you grief and downtime !

 

[Fueler]

I helped the neighbor do one of those concrete tops. My Lord, that was a really filthy heavy job. We did it in his garage and then it took 8 of us to bring it into the house. It came out like yours but the consensus was Never again.

The laminate deal looks like less mess plus less worry about something settling on it during the drying process. Plus there are 2 cats in the house that probably could not resist checking it out.

So now we are looking at a laminate do over.

 

[xyster101]

I did concrete on a vanity. Looked great. Heck of a lot of polishing with an angle grinder.


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[ddawg16]

Laminate will always look like laminate.....

Kinda like vinyl on the side of your house. No matter how fancy it looks.....it's still vinyl and looks like vinyl......

 

[DGersic]

I’ve done a few laminate tops. It’s not hard. Get a trimming bit on a router and practice on some scrap.

One I had to do in place, getting the edges was kinda hard due to no clearance for the router. Had to cut and trim with Dremel and hand file and sandpaper.

The other I did as a standard countertop, then trimmed the vertical edges with stained wood to fancy it up.



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[like2wheel]

Solid surface not acceptable anymore?
Had a couple small projects with Corian in the past & found it pretty easy to work with.

 

[Chaz]

I was in the cabinet business for a LOT of years. You can give me laminate any day. Easy, cheap, durable and nice looking. If you want to change it out you don't have to visit your banker.. You owe it to yourself to visit a home center to see all the new textures and patterns.

 

[cowboy73]

I would go with a laminate top. Fairly cheap, easy to install. Kitchen décor is always changing. Supposedly stainless appliances are out, and white ones are in!!!! Anything you do will look dated in a few years anyway. Save the money and take the wife on a vacation.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Laminate is quick and easy. I just built these for a customers rental property. I built them right in the kitchen in a day.

 

[Fueler]

Wife picked out a WilsonArt laminate she liked. Now it's on me.

I have been looking at videos but have not seen a proper one on how to remove the original laminate.
Most seem like a half baked attempt to just make a video.

What procedures and tools do you Pros and advanced DIYers do to remove it.

 

[Falcon67]

Paid 25 sq/ft for granite installed 46 sq/ft. They were done in 4 hrs, including pulling out the old. Screw DIY IMHO.

 

[dfiler2]

There might be a few screws holding the existing ones on from underneath, but they usually come off pretty easy. Then you get to build the new ones.

 

[Fueler]

There might be a few screws holding the existing ones on from underneath, but they usually come off pretty easy. Then you get to build the new ones.

No no no, the question was how to remove the laminate itself.
Taking the countertop off is easy.
My 7 yr old granddaughter could do that and probably would if asked.

 

[PCustoms]

No no no, the question was how to remove the laminate itself.
Taking the countertop off is easy.
My 7 yr old granddaughter could do that and probably would if asked.

Stuff putty knife, maybe some acetone to soften the glue. Wear gloves, the laminate will break/tear into sharp secrions.

You'd be much further ahead to have the granddaughter take the countertop off while you glue a couple pieces of ply together for the new laminate.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I ran a formica shop for several years. depending on the top, if you have rounded edges and a rounded cove where the backsplash attaches to the deck, you will need to build a new top.

if all the edges are square, take the top outside, tale the backsplashes off, usually attached with drywall screws, lacquer thinner, and a lot of it will dissolve the glue. After letting the core dry overnight, cut the laminate about 1-2 inches oversize, apply contact cement to the plastic and the core, allow to dry.

Contact cement is very unforgiving if you place the plastic improperly. Lay the plastic on the coreboard, roll it out with a laminate roller or a floor roller. Once rolled, use a router with a bearing on the end of the bit to trim the excess plastic, File the edges smooth with a mill file. Re attach and reinstall.

Be sure there are no chips or debris in either surface when you glue them together, or it will look like a mountain under the laminate.

Good luck

 

[southalabama]

The problem with diy is down time.

The closest my parents ever came to a divorce in a 50 plus year marriage was during a kitchen remodel.

 

[djbmw]

I’d be really interested to see the result and the tool setup you used for this! I’m in Ottawa as well and the boss and I have been looking at putting in a new kitchen

Where abouts in Ottawa? Im in the west end (Kanata/Stittsville). Here's a few pictures of *some* of the process. Overall it was a weekend job that does require 2 people (I would assume each section was over 200 lbs for sure).

 

[Fueler]

I ran a formica shop for several years. depending on the top, if you have rounded edges and a rounded cove where the backsplash attaches to the deck, you will need to build a new top.

if all the edges are square, take the top outside, tale the backsplashes off, usually attached with drywall screws, lacquer thinner, and a lot of it will dissolve the glue. After letting the core dry overnight, cut the laminate about 1-2 inches oversize, apply contact cement to the plastic and the core, allow to dry.

Contact cement is very unforgiving if you place the plastic improperly. Lay the plastic on the coreboard, roll it out with a laminate roller or a floor roller. Once rolled, use a router with a bearing on the end of the bit to trim the excess plastic, File the edges smooth with a mill file. Re attach and reinstall.

Be sure there are no chips or debris in either surface when you glue them together, or it will look like a mountain under the laminate.

Good luck

Thanks,
What is the issue with curved surfaces? I figured they probably used heat carefully to shape the laminate. Something else?

Wife asked a good question.
Why remove the old laminate?
Why not sand and glue on new laminate over the old?

 

[mikeb27]

Look into Wilsonart Re-Cover. It's the same Wilsonart laminates with an adhesive backing that can go right over the existing laminate. We used it on a school renovation project, changed the look of the Library circulation desk.

https://www.wilsonart.com/specialty-laminate-surfaces

 

[FullRaceMerc]

Thanks,
What is the issue with curved surfaces? I figured they probably used heat carefully to shape the laminate. Something else?

Wife asked a good question.
Why remove the old laminate?
Why not sand and glue on new laminate over the old?

Yes, laminate is heated to bend. But it can be tricky to get it hot enough to bend without cracking, while not getting it so hot that it blisters or burns. Plus you need it heated evenly over the length of the bend. Hard to do without special equipment. Then it has to be pressed in place while it cools because it wants to spring back. It also only bends in one direction. And it can only be heated once as it tempers after the first heating & will crack on a second attempt.

But my experience is from working in a laminate shop almost 20 years ago, so if they make more forgiving stuff today I don't know about it.

 

[coljar]

I was talking to my sister the other day and telling her my wife would like to get started on redoing the kitchen. She said mid-century was coming back in style. I said that was great because then I wouldn't have to do anything.

Seriously, we would like to keep our cabinets and get them re-faced and new doors, because they are built like tanks, but we are having a hard time deciding on what to do with the countertops. I would like stainless countertops, but she thinks it would be too commercial looking.

 

[Kaizen]

another laminate will be your quickest solution. use the old as a template to cut the new. be aware she will want a new sink, faucet, etc so you will have to plumb as well. you also will most likely have to belt sand the back edge to get a nice fit.

I would not suggest trying that epoxy thing if she did not bring it up. While the product is not rocket science.....doing what he did takes a lot of repetition and experience. and there's no going back so it is what it is. .

I made concrete for my kitchen and put a build up here. Lots of work but way cheaper then solid surface or granite. again its an imperfect product

 

[CraigStu]

Gary Sullivan has a lot of good things to say about this product.
http://www.daichcoatings.com/daich-diy-homepage.html