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Wait…WHAT? Three Kitchen Building Facts that Might Blow Your Mind

by on Jan 31, 2012

Okay. My ongoing investigations for my future kitchen re-model has uncovered some surprising facts that kind of blow my mind. First is the assumption–on my part and probably on others–that natural stone tile is the most durable. According to my tile guy, that’s totally untrue. Porcelain is much denser and, thus, more durable.

Another what…WHAT? moment was reading that laminate (specifically Wilsonart and Formica brand) countertops are as scratch resistant as granite and as heat resistant as quartz countertops. Also–get this–they’re as ‘seamless’ as  granite and quartz too. They can be ‘seamless’ these days because manufacturers are making it in gigantic 5′ x 12′ sheets. For most kitchens, that 12′ means no seams, including those obvious mitered corners. AND, as far as stain resistance, laminate is equal to quartz. 

Here’s a comparison chart I snagged off Lowes:

created at: 01/31/2012

Now, what about that “no integrated sink in a laminate countertop” deal? That’s a myth now too. Check out this Karan under-mounted stainless steal sink installed in Formica‘s Calacatta Marble from their 180fx series:

A dishwash liquid is on the sink top.

To see more pics of under-mounted sinks in laminate, click here. There’s also a really cool video of a pro completing the entire install process.

Personally, having worked with porcelain tile for years, I believe my tile guy about its durability. However, the laminate info is going to take some time to digest. Perhaps more research is in order. 

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1 Comments

  1. “Now, what about that “no integrated sink in a laminate countertop” deal? That’s a myth now too.”

    Undermounted and integrated are not the same thing. Integrated means it’s a seamless continuation of the same material from countertop to sink. I have never seen that done in laminate, but it’s fairly common in composites. None of the pictures you link (as far as I can tell) show integrated sinks in laminate.