because people aren't mass produced, neither are our kitchens
Our Buyers Guide to Laminate Benchtops
Laminate Benchtops can be finished in a variety of Edge Profiles.
The range of Kitchen Benchtop Laminates available today provide a huge selection of vibrant Colours, stunning Patterns, realistic Woodgrains and Stone look finishes, as well as flash Metallic finishes. For a long time now, High Pressure Laminate HPL sheet for Benchtop surfaces has been a well proven material for use in Adelaide Kitchens which is Hygienic and Moisture Resistant, while being reasonably heat resistant, reasonably hard wearing, laminate benchtops are decorative and affordable.
The Crystal and Textured surface finishes of laminate tend to be slightly more durable than the Satin finishes while all finishes are reasonably easy to clean. Gloss Laminate finishes are also available, which as a general rule for benchtops we personally feel are best kept to the low wear areas of the home; in areas like the bathroom and Laundry. There is however a “Diamond Gloss” Laminate range available by Laminex which they say has been developed for Kitchen Benchtops and these are made in a limited range of colours and are slightly more resistant to abrasion than the old Gloss Laminates, though these can still be scratched and scuffed.
There is a design trend with today's Benchtops that has come back to using square edges, though here you will get a visible joint line where the top laminate meets the edge laminate. This joint edgeling is less obvious though if you use dark laminate colours, patterns or woodgrain prints. Laminate Benchtops can also be finished with roll-formed (Post-Formed) edges that can be done in a variety of profiles. Depending on the brand of Laminate; these profiles may includes a very tight top and bottom 3mm radius, or a Tight Form 5mm Radius. These can also be formed with 10mm or larger radius’ including Full Bullnose Edges or Shark-nose edges if you prefer.
As a general rule Laminate Benchtops are laid up on a 32mm thick board and for a thicker squarer look there is also now a 39mm thick sheet substrate being made for Benchtops. In addition to these, we are also able to make your Benchtops up to any custom thickness you may require. We only use Moisture Resistant board for our Laminate Benchtops and for added moisture protection we use a board that has a Melamine coating to the underside of the top as well.
At Compass Kitchens we source laminate from only the best manufacturers, so to provide you with Laminate Benchtops that offer a long service life. You can see links to our various Laminate suppliers’ at the bottom of our Materials Page where you can link to view their Colour Ranges. Most HPL Laminate Manufacturers provide a 7 year Warranty for their products and as a general rule, we find that with general use one should reasonably expect at least 10 years service from High-Pressure Laminate Benchtop before they start to wear through the clear thin protective Melamine Resin overlay that covers the photographic image below it. By wiping down your Laminate Benchtops and avoiding water being left to pool around the sink, kettle and cooktop; this will help prevent any water damage and further prolong the lifespan of this type of Benchtop material.
When selecting a Décor Laminate; Plain Dark Colours can tend to show up scratches and scuffs because these turn the affected Melamine white. If you want a dark top, you may try avoiding a plain solid colour and instead try using one of the dark stone patterns from the wide variety available where these are less likely to show up any scratches that can occur over time. Be mindful of the pattern you choose, some modern patterns can date quite quickly; whereas natural themes have a more timely appeal.
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Compass Kitchens
Specializing in Kitchen Renovations here in South Australia we service all suburbs ranging from the Inner Adelaide districts and radiating out to the Eastern, Western and Southern suburbs and those extending throughout the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula including Goolwa to Victor Harbor to Normanville & Yankalilla.
Come home to a beautiful functional new kitchen renovation by Compass Kitchens.
Trading Hours :
Monday - Friday : 08h00 - 17h30
Saturday: 08h00 - 12h00, Sunday off work
