Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Installing Laminate Covering

Hello fellow selfers. I was thinking about buying sheets of Laminate and installing on my kitchen counters. Trying also of course to do it as cheap and as little work as possible. I know normally you need to put Laminate on some type of particle board or plywood. But I do not want to make new counters. I would like to just apply a new laminate sheet to the old one. Is this possible with out it peeling off later? Do I need to scuff up the old stuff or do some sanding and repair first? Can I put like a sub floor type wood sheet on top of the old counter without building up so high that I need to adjust my plumbing under the sink? I would appreaciate any possitive feed back or proceedure you may have. Thanks again.

If you have counter tops that have the square edge and separate backsplash, you can install new laminate on the old with success. Clean, scuff sand with 220 grit paper to give a mechanical bite for the glue. Use contact cement, latex or other, and install just as you would otherwise. There will be minimal adjustment to the plumbing, well within the capacity of the slip joints to accommodate.

The existing laminate needs to be sound. If if is loose, it should be fastened securely to the substrate before installing the new laminate.

This is probably the wrong forum for this question. This job is a disaster looking for a place to roost. It will come to roost when it’s time to sell, if not sooner. The roost will amount to about $5000… minimum and could run tens of thousands of dollars. You are planning a project that will noticeably change the standard counter height. Has a better than even probability of de-lamination if attempted by someone without the proper installation knowledge and tools. There is no positive feedback that I can think of for this idea and most pros wouldn't attempt it. Sorry but that’s how I see it. The advice on how to perform the task is simply not correct and lack the devil in many details. Latex cement??? Sand with 220 grit???

Thanks. This is why I normally stay away from forums. People of little knowledge telling someone else they know not and should not for no particular reason. Costing tens of thousands? Where do you shop? Even if you hired an over priced pro you would'nt pay more than $3,000-$4,000! I just asked if it could be done because I have done some things that could'nt. Came out quite well as a matter of fact. Thanks for renewing my faith in internet chit chat. OOOOHHHHHHHHHH.

A bit heavy handed aren't you. I can tell that you disagree that laying another
layer of laminate over an existing one is a good idea.

I suspect that adding another layer of laminate would not change the height of
the countertops significantly. Perhaps less than 1/8 inch.

Coming in with all this portent of doom without any explanation certainly serves
to terrify the original poster unnecessarily. It mystifies me that you could
come up with such outlandish figures without substantiation.

There is no magic to applying laminate. This is a forum for do it yourselfers,
not professionals. He wants to know if he can do this, not whether or not a
professional would do it. I have done this before and it has not failed.

The manufacturers of contact cement make a latex product for applying laminate,
Quickbond, for example.

It may be that you have never done this before. If that is the case, I
understand your lack of confidence in trying new things and techniques.

I am asking the moderator to take your post off because it is inflammatory,
accusative, and without substantiation.

It's my business and has been for more than 30 years. I'm sorry you didn't like the answer. My main concern is protecting the investment in the home of mb576. This is a flooring site, would you like to pursue the issue in a site for cabinetmaking or kitchens where additional professional can participate?

Hello again. I would just like to thank chfite for his comments so that I can continue my project with confidence. Thats all I needed to know. Could it be done with some success. If I mess up then I'll just get the $400 in material to do it new. I also would like to thank chfite for understanding where I'm coming from as far as unnessasary and unwanted response's. I may be in the wrong forum for this but some catagories are a little general and it did mention Laminate. Maybe I will stick around here alittle more. I do like talking to others about my business of Handyman. Even if it's just to see that others are experiencing the same problems or enjoying the same projects. See you in the trenches!

Mark

I feel that azfreds comments were fine in my eyes. These forums are here for the discussion of diy projects. Allot of people don't realize that a quick fix is not always best for the situation. Doing things the right way is not always easy for a diy because of funds but taking the time to research the subject and fining the best solution to the problem seems to be the way to go. Keep asking questions and keep getting answers. trivial coments don't help people learn the right way to refinish a floor or put down sheet vinyl. Just my thoughts.

Philly

I have to agree Phil. On another note, several of us moderate other forums on the net and Fred is one of them. Sometimes there's alot to handle and all of this is done with our free time so a post in an inapporpriate category will not get the kind of anwser it deserves.

I for one have posted in computer forums and had the subject matter in the wrong place. Basically we all learn and my mistakes were from not taking enough time to find the actual area it belonged. Once I got it figured out I had the responses I was looking for.

Incidentally, Fred has been in the business for many years and I know after meeting with him personally he is sincere in the effort he puts forth. Perhaps he should have just stayed away from this discussion. It ain't up my alley either.

Stick around Mark...there's alot to learn from these guys:)