Scoring a Kitchen Counter

Hello All,

A friend said that I can tile over the "stock" kitchen counter in my new (25 y.o.) house. The current kitchen counter is the standard stuff, plastic laminate I believe. What would you all suggest is the best method to score the counter so that the adhesive has something to bind to.

Also, is this even a good idea in the first place?

Thanks,

EggRaid

Reply to
EggRaid
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The trick is to ensure the bond -- which means cleaning it with something like laquer thinner to get all the crap off and then roughing up the surface with a sander.

Given that the house is 25 years old, I'd go an extra step -- clean it, rough it up, then resurface with 1/4" or 1/2" plywood (rough side up) screwed and glued (PL 400 or Premium).

That will also raise the counter top (people are taller than 25 years ago, and give you a deeper edge for either tile or trim.

HTH

Ken

Reply to
bambam

You can use a belt sander on it to rough it up. After that add a layer of tile backer board either 1/4" or 1/2". Do not use plywood.

Reply to
PAUL100

I don't think it would be smart you will need backerboard to get a good surface for the tile so you could just screw the backerboard right thru the laminate but it will make things taller and limit your sink choices to a certain extent the sides will also have to match the current ones ?

I would tear it out and start fresh!

Wayne

Reply to
wayne

Thanks all, one thing to add. This is the stuff that is really smooth and slick, and is shaped in a way that toward the back by the wall, it "curves" up and stands about 4-5 inches higher than the flat countertop. If I put the backerboard down, there would be a gap between the top of the counter and the lifted portion in the back.

Reply to
EggRaid

Go to a real ceramic tile store. Get information about Schluter System's Ditra.

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The Journal of Light Construction had an article about exactly this several months ago:
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They have more information on tile counters:
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Keep the whole world singing. . . . DanG

in my new (25

method to score

Reply to
DanG

I was considering the same thing but now believe it's a bad idea. See e.g.

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Can't change the sink, etc., either.

Reply to
Michael S. Trachtenberg

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