My kitchen is a nightmare!!!

Hi, I am new to this site and to be honest new to major re-modeling jobs as well. I have recently bought a house that needed 'cosmetic' repairs. Well, needless to say it has needed much more than cosmetic work. I have replaced dry wall, re-wired lighting replaced rotten windows ect. Now my next project is the kitchen. Right now it is a gally style and I hate it. I want to remove the cabinets and counter top on the left side of the kitchen and swivel them to meet the right side. Making it L shaped. However the counter top is my problem. It is a horrible blue 'marble' laminate. I have heard of people removing the laminate and relaminating it themselves but I am a 1 woman operation here. I want it to look nice but it also has to be something I can do (I can not afford to hire someone to do them). How hard is it REALLY to relaminate a counter top? Would I be better off looking into tile? Time isn't an issue I can take my time doing it I just need something I can accomplish on my own without help without draining all my funds. Thanks in advance for your answers. Tammy :D

Reply to
Tammy T.
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you can buy nice formica pre made counter tops in both straight and L shape at home depot etc.

water has likely damaged your old countertop. nice to hear a women is a DIY person.

they have nice kraft made cabinets at lowes too, and pretty cheap.

Reply to
hallerb

Usually by the time laminated plastic becomes dated, the substrate itself isn't of much value anymore. If I were doing it myself, I'd look at tile atop a couple of layers of exterior or marine grade 3/4" plywood forming the substrate.

Something we did at work not long ago on a project was to use linoleum as a countertop. It's typically a flooring material, but the colours available are great (ie better than any sheet flooring I've ever seen.)

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(No, I'm not a sales rep, just really like the stuff, heh.)

Reply to
JeffArchT

Custom made laminate tops are quite reasonable, and something that a small shop can handle and give you a good job. Shop around. Call around. You may be surprised at what you can get for a reasonable price, and INSTALLED, too. Plus pick your pattern/color. If you want to DIY, you can probably save some on installation. It ain't simple, but it ain't rocket surgery, either.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Someone did that in the house I bought. It won't stand up to heat. If you're really good about never shoving a stewpot onto the counter, it might work, but if you forget, the pot will melt vinyl or linoleum and glue itself down.

Reply to
Goedjn

laminate will also discolor and burn.

i'd use granite tiles.

Reply to
Charles Spitzer

"Charles Spitzer" wrote

And I would NEVER use tiles on a countertop. If you drop something, there's more of a chance of the dropped item breaking, or a tile breaking. One broken tile is a royal PITA to replace and regrout and have it look nice and match.

Yes, tile is nice. Granite tiles are nice. I have granite countertops, but there are few seams.

It's all what YOU like. There are pros and cons to each and any countertop, be it Corian, granite, tile, Formica, WilsonArt, linoleum, slate, whatever.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

High-density Resin, like in your local chem-lab...

Reply to
Goedjn

It is not complicated, but the technique has to be followed carefully. Tile is not on my list of practical work surfaces, although I like the appearance.

Get a close idea of size and layout, any openings that need to be cut, and get a couple of estimates for laminate tops. Countertops are not hugely expensive for plywood and laminate. Miters are most difficult part, along with some sink openings. You can do it.

Reply to
Norminn

I remember some old lab tables with that stuff. Can that be done onsite by a DIY?

thanks, bill

Reply to
bill allemann

Kind of arguing both sides, aren't you? Granite is no less likely to break a dropped item and is even more of a PITA to fix if it gets chipped.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

I don't doubt you can do it, but it doesn't cost you anything to get a couple estimates from contractors. You may be surprised what you can get.

Reply to
ccs>ikyr

Usually by the time laminated plastic becomes dated, the substrate

plywood forming the substrate.

project was to use linoleum

material, but the colours

flooring I've ever seen.)

just really like the

The house isn't 'dated' the person who owned it before just had horrible taste. In addition to the wonderful blue 'marble' counter tops, the bottom cabinets are unfinished inside (no shelves...just a plywood bottom) and the carpeting in the house is a lovely dark green shag (I didn't think they made shag carpet anymore :D ) When the previous owner fell behind in her payments and the home was forclosed she went bolistic and took a sledge hammer or something like it and smashed in everything...windows, walls, the flooring in the bathrooms, the tubs, mirrors, the bathroom sinks...you name it. I have done the floor tiles on a table for on the deck (under an awning of course) and it turned out nicely. I made the table out of

3/4" plywood top, 4x4 posts for the legs cut down to size and made benches out of the 4x4's and then cut down 2x10's for the tops. Looks great I think. I think I am going to look into the cermaic tiles, I saw some wonderful colors at Home Depot and Lowe's. Another question....how can I attach the 2 countertops? could I use flat L brackets under neath? Thanks again!!! Tammy
Reply to
Tammy T.

If the cabinetry is secured to the floor, and the countertop is secured to the cabinetry, then teh connection between the two countertops (or the plywood forming them) shouldn't be too critical. If you could lap the joints between the two layers of plywood -- ie, on layer one, have a long piece on the left, and a short one on the right, and on layer two, have the short piece on the left, and the long one on the right, screwed down through one another to a secure piece of blocking in the cabinetry (a 2X4 would be great) in a couple of locations, it would be more than enough. It's hard to say for sure not knowing what exactly yo uhave to work with (what's there when you take the top off).

One note on the ceramics... Some ceramics are outrageously expensive, especially mosaics (less than 2" x 2") and smaller tiles on a square foot basis... if you see something you like, it's worth every penny... you'll be seeing a whole lot of these tiles in the coming years.

Reply to
JeffArchT

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