If you poll a thousand women about what they would love most in their kitchen your average woman would say more counter space without any hesitation or blinking an eye. Counter space is prime real estate in your average kitchen as this is the area that most small appliances are stored as well as most of the work that is done in the kitchen for food prep and other important kitchen and family tasks is performed. I have yet to meet a woman who has looked at a kitchen and complained of too much countertop space. For this reason, learning to make laminate countertop is a great idea for a weekend project.
The good news when it comes time to make laminate countertop is that it is quite easy to purchase the materials you will need in order to make it. You can find sheets of laminate fairly easily. In addition to this good news is the fact that these sheets come in a huge array of colors, patterns, and designs.
Table With Shelf
You can find different types of surfaces from smooth to textured; you can find patterns that closely resemble metal, granite, marble, or even wood for your countertops. If you needed even more good news to consider, the price of laminate sheets is very moderate when compared to other materials that are used to create kitchen countertops.
Important Steps to Make Laminate Countertop
Of course before you begin making any sort of countertop you must first consider what will support the counter. Most people use cabinetry of some sort for this purpose though there have been those who have used open space beneath their countertops. It all eventually comes down to a matter of taste but if you are using open space beneath your countertops you will want to be absolutely certain that you can support the weight when you make laminate countertop.
The first thing you will need to do is decide whether you are going to cover your existing countertop, you are going to create additional countertops, or you are going to do both. I vote for both if there is the slightest possibility of enough room to create additional countertop space and can think of very few women who would be opposed to that notion. You will need substrate material that fits over the base upon which you will build your countertop.
Once you have the substrate material cut in the manner you wish you will need to attach it to the base of the cabinet or table (whatever structure you are building on) with screws. You will then need to cut the laminate countertop material in order to bond it to the substrate.
It is a good idea to cut the laminate a little larger than you think you will need. This gives you the opportunity to trim the strips with a router for a straighter edge before adding the next piece of laminate. In order to bond the laminate to the substrate you will need glue for the bonding process followed by contact cement.
Closing Thoughts
If you wish to make laminate countertop for your kitchen or bath you may find that you have saved a good deal of money in the process of learning a valuable new skill. It is a learning process so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to accomplish your goals and never be afraid to ask questions. Have fun throughout the process and hopefully you will have someone working with you in order to share the great fun a project like this can be while also providing a new look for your kitchen.
