Advice on Kithcen Benchtop Types - Value for Money

Greetings new friends,

Happy to be on your forum for the first time. Wife spends far too much time on them for kids stuff, so thought I would try this medium for advice.

Have all but squared away my DIY Kitchen Reno - Lamikits Flatpack carcass, vynil wrap doors, appliances, sinks and taps but not quite there on the benchtop.

Considering Square roll formed laminate and need people's experiences and relative cost per meter of:

Laminex Squareform
Alternate laminate brands square finished
Acrylic Stone Benchtops like:
Ceaserstone
Laminex Freeform
Askilan
Corian
Others as you may suggest

I have L shaped bench
3000mm x 710mm + 4000mm x 1000mm and 1200mm x 600

And located in Perth, Northern suburbs looking for good contractor


With Thanks....DC
:)

Hi Damon

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I have L shaped bench
3000mm x 710mm + 4000mm x 1000mm and 1200mm x 600

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That's a BIG bench top to handle!

FWIW I just did my own post-formed bench tops at Your Woodworks in Willetton. David the owner has set up this workshop specifically for the "end user" like me and possibly yourself.

Check it out here ...

http://www.yourwoodworks.com/

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And located in Perth, Northern suburbs

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So am I, in Carine :D

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looking for good contractor

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I gave up on those a loooooong time ago and have been doing most of my own work for years. I saved about $800 on my bench tops.

Just tell David the laminate you need and provide some reasonable drawing with dimensions and he will quote you on the materials - supplied at a VERY competitive price (trade price or thereabouts), including the 33mm benchtop material, he keeps that on hand.

Dave has a guy there who will show you how to use the machines and help you with them. You do ofcourse pay for the hire of the machines and any assistance given, however this is VERY cost effective and if you do take advantage of his workshop you will save yourself some money even when you pay the labour/hire charges.

The use of the equipment is charged out on a minutes time frame - it's very good.and fully itemised.

Good luck...

Thanks for that - remember seeing this workshop ages ago and a good reminder! :) Might leave the visible things like the postform to experts.

Damon,

Your title is "value for money", is that what you mean?

A post form laminate is probably realistically going to give you the best value for money, and it's relatively easy to replace when it does ding, chip, peel, fade and wear out.

All you need to do is price the various laminates and pick the cheapest if that's what you are chasing. (I'll bet the one you want isn't the cheapest! :rolleyes: )

Reconstituted stone materials depending on the brand will give a much nicer surface to work on, with Corian being right up at the top of the tree. Unfortunately in the case of Corian it's also terribly expensive now, and certainly couldn't be described as "value for money", unless it makes you feel really good to know you can afford it!

Beware of some of the cheaper "stone" type materials which are little more than a resin slurry and tend to break down under UV light (I don't know the brands, but if they are less expensive than a post-form top - beware!)

You haven't mentioned stone (granite etc). Not my favourite (despite living with granite at the moment), but if you think resale value is important and intend to sell prior to the kitchen needing replacement. Then Granite could well give you the best "value for money" of the lot in terms of adding to total resale value.

Finally, if you are going to do a quick flick of the place, on a number of occasions I've used a gloss granite-look laminate and a polished brass strip in each of the joins - looks remarkably like the real thing, but the gloss laminate isn't as durable, therefore fails in the "value for money" stakes.

Hope I haven't strayed too far from the original intent!

cheers,

P
:D

I'm biased because I chose Quantum Quartz (like ceasarstone). I think it is great! I think it cost about $400.00 / lineal metre (meaning 600 x 1000) which I have been lead to believe was a pretty good price. I have seen ceasarstone advertised for $450/lm.

If I work out by m2, our benchtops cost $3,300 and the total square metres for the kitchen was 4.86m2. This includes the cutout for the stove, and I have an undermount sink, so the inside of the stone needed to be polished, and the island bench was 1.2m x 3.0. So this works out at about $680.00 m2.

Something to consider is that I think most of the engineered stones only come in a maximum of 3m lengths. Corian I think can be custom made to the exact sizes you need.

If you choose laminate - one word of advice - don't get the plain finished, single coloured surface - it shows everything! Not just crumbs but every little smudge and smear! Either get a patterned (maybe granite look or something) finish and even better, get it with a 'hammered' finish.

In terms of Value for Money you can do a lot worse than laminated benchtops.

The differences in laminates can also be huge.

The Laminex Squareform range consists of some very attractive colour/pattern combinations that are particularly suited to the Squareform profile. Those aggregate patterns in particular are very chic.

I believe that some of the other suppliers of laminate suitable to "tightforming" provide a superior product to Laminex with regards to durability.
One really has to decide how important a given pattern is versus issues such as scratch resistance.
Have you looked at some of the colours from Crea (for example)? They have a range of semi gloss stone finishes that tight form and are very tough.

The postformer I use doesn't charge according to different laminates, Laminex or otherwise.
What you get it for is up to the relationship you can establish with a postformer, but single postformed edge laminated board 301mm - 601mm deep costs me about $100 per metre including G.S.T.
You have two more widths that will need to be priced out of board 611mm - 850mm and 851mm - 1050mm respectively.
Don't forget you will also need to price up laminated ends/ end rolls, joins and extra if you want both edges of the board rolled.

Respect, all.

Earl

I am biased being a former chef. Have you considered Stainless Steel? It is hard wearing takes a belting and you can scrub it clean easily without worrying about marking. It will mark up from having pots pans etc dropped on it but a bit of stainless steel wool will clean it up again.

Studley

G'day,
I am considering the reconstituted granite - 6.5mm thick resting on a MDF top. The edges are included to the thickness of the MDF. (32mm) I have been quoted about $650 per square metre. It may be an option.
Regards
Les

Thanks Everyone for your views.

Value for money - Yes laminates the cheapest - but don't mind spending some extra if I am going to get a spectacular result.

Today's informaton for everyone's interest from a referred contractor in Balcatta who only does benchtops. Bullnose laminate obvoiusly cheapest option - everyone does it, then squareform, however in Perth, only two suppliers do it. Laminex freeform - like other acrylic stone benchtops only done by a few and needs specialist tools and finishing.

Next, I called my contact at Laminex Direct. They can make benchtops to any shape or size or of Laminex or Formica material.

In Freeform, there are 6 of 20 colours they will make the top for and deliver it.

I am getting my Redikits carcasses from them direct also - super cheap because I have an ABN!

Thanks again everyone and keep those thoughts coming.....DC

Hi Again everyone,

Has anyone used Egger Laminates and their Postformed Square Benchtops? Comes in 600mm single square postform and 800mm double edge square postform on HMR board ready to cut to size??

Thanks also Sybarite for the suggesiton of Creastyle Laminates - I'll give them a call tomorrow. They also have a stone product called SmartStone.

Thanks...DC

This is going to sound like a really daft question, but I figure someone posting here will know the answer. What is the name of the type of tradesperson who installs laminate kitchen benchtops? Where do you find a listing of them? I dont know what to look up in the yellowpages. I have a benchtop I want to change but figure removing the oven from the cavity etc (or however you do it) will not be my thing to do so am going to get someone in but dont know whos services to call on for this. Most of the kitchen shops I have been to have been really snobby when I have said I am not ripping the whole thing apart and doing it from scratch and wont suggest any trades people etc

hi,
for help give this man an email [email protected] his name is james and he is a hire a hubby franchisee in sydney ,he is quite pleasent to deal with and i am sure that he can help you

just dropped him an email.
your tops.
thanks.

Laminex Squareform and Egger both have a 'squareform' top.

They are 38-39mm thick (5mm more than traditional) and that extra 5mm does make a huge difference to the kitchen 'look'.

The Squareform range was designed to compete with stone benchtops. I would say Laminex has the better range though (be it very limited).

Although the fabrication costs of Laminex Squareform is higher, it is still much cheaper than stone. If you like the contemporary look of stone and you are a bit skint then go for Laminex Squareform.

Thanks Reno...Looks like Squareform might be the best option at the moment - appears better in quality and finish than Egger, however have been quoted 60-80/m for Egger preformed benchtops.

Anyone have any idea what the cost per linear meter for Squareform is??

DC