Can I compare a formica countertop to a granite countertop? These are the questions I always get asked. Well, can you compare wood to stone? No, You can not! The same goes for countertops. A Formica countertop is made of particleboard as the core of the countertop and Formica-laminated to the surface of the particleboard. The Formica material itself also comes in a roll and can be used to stick onto the counter under the wall unit as a backsplash. You can also make your own laminate kitchen worktop by cutting a piece of chipboard, preferably 32mm thick, into the shape you want and then gluing the Formica onto the chipboard. One of the best glues to use would be contact glue or my favorite Gemkem. A Formica countertop isn’t as durable as a granite countertop, but it is durable. If you take care of your countertop, you will get a lot of use out of it.
How are countertops cared for? Unlike granite, where you can cut and place hot pots, you can’t do the same with Formica countertops. Although a Formica countertop is scratch and heat resistant, it is not scratch and heat resistant. This means you can’t cut into a Formica countertop or set a hot pot on it, but you can drag a pot across the countertop without scratching it, as well as place pots and pans at cooler temperatures without burning the Formica. So if you’re asking if a granite countertop is stronger than a Formica countertop, you’ve got your answer, but remember, granite costs about 5 times as much as Formica. And that’s the cheapest granite I’m talking about. Plus, you can cut your countertop to your size, you don’t need special machines or templates like you would with granite. This makes the formica countertop installation process much easier.
Installing a Formica countertop is very easy. So easy that installers sometimes rush the job and make mistakes. Don’t make this mistake. “Measure twice, cut once” is the number one rule when installing a countertop, especially when taking complex measurements like sink and countertop cutouts. Remember, it is much easier to prevent an error than to correct it… that is if it can be corrected. Formica countertops aren’t waterproof either, so when you’ve finished the sink and cooktop cutouts, seal the inside of the cutouts with sea silicone. The kind you use to build fish tanks. This will prevent water from forming in the chipboard and we all know what happens when water touches the chipboard. Let’s just say “it’s like mixing water with Weatbix”.
A Formica countertop is also easier to handle and lighter to work on. If you’ve ever walked up three flights of stairs with a granite slab, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
