Scoring a Kitchen Counter

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

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.

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

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.

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

in my new (25

method to score

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