How to replace kitchen benchtop with drop-in sink?

[LorenClayton]

Hello

My existing benchtop surface is old particleboard with laminate surface I think. House is late 1980s which I bought last year. I asked a benchtop company for options to replace with laminate but they said I can't have laminate as it wouldn't be flush with the drop-sink (rim of 4.5 cm) and that it would look awful anyway. Their only option was stone, and said this would be around $5,000.

I've sanded & painted over the benchtop with Dulux renovation paint but it still looks bad. I'd appreciate any suggestions for replacement. I'd welcome all advice, especially from someone who has done something similar. Thanks.kitchen bench measurements

[AlanM52]

Hi @LorenClayton,

Google AI reports this.

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Does Bunnings do Laminex?

We have a strong portfolio of brands including Formica, essastone and Trade Essentials, as well as Laminex, which is Australasia's leading brand for decorative surfaces.

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Are Laminex benchtops good?

The Durability
Laminex HPL is famous for its longevity as a benchtop material. It's resistant to impacts, scratches and stains, as well as UV light, so doesn't fade in normal interior conditions.
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Cheers

[JacobZ]

Hi @LorenClayton,

While applying a new laminate coating is possible, the company you spoke with is likely correct that it would sit higher than the sink. In your case, you appear to have a sink that does not sit inside a cutout, but rather between two benches, so the sink doesn't really sit on top of the benchtops. With a normal sink where there is a cutout in the benchtop, you could potentially lift the sink, attach the new laminate and then reinstall the sink so that it sits on top of the new laminate, but in your case, like they said, there would be a difference in height.

You might like to have a look at the discussion Kitchen benchtop refresh where my colleague @MitchellMc discusses a similar situation.

His thinking, which is similar to my own, is that -

"There will be a substantial amount of work involved with relaminating a benchtop. I would consider it more time consuming to apply a new laminate surface than to replace the benchtop entirely. If you're looking to cut costs, it could be an option, but as mentioned above, laminate benchtops are relatively inexpensive these days."

I honestly think your best option would be to replace the benchtop entirely. There are some great options from our supplier Kaboodle for laminate and timber kitchen benchtops.

If you speak with the Special Orders team at your local store, they can also assist with ordering made-to-measure benchtops and organising installation. Check out Custom Benchtop Installation for further details.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob