Laminate worktops

[Nando]

Hi ,
Anyone got any suggestions of the best place to get Kitchen Laminate worktops - i've been on the 3 main maker's websites but you can't get them direct it seems .
I'm assuming to avoid the usual outlets ....?

[StyXSIS]

You can get them from the usual big sheds but dont let them pick out the work tops you do it yourself be fussy ask to see them and check if there laying on a flat surface the length of the piece when you get to them and then check to see if the're straight not bowed and flat along the edges. Also dont get ones from the top of a pile or at the bottom the're the ones more prone to moisture dents and scratches.

[Nando]

Hi ,
Thanks for your reply and good advice i'll keep that in mind .

[Blue Mermaid]

My parents had some Duropal worktops fitted today and they look great! Really good quality. They went for Desert Sand with their new oak kitchen. Lots of places sell them online (and you can get samples) but we got them from a local shop who then recommended a fitter.

[Nando]

Hi ,

Thanks for that - yes i've seen Duropal ads along with Bushboard & Axiom . Also just found a make called Artis which look great but probably too pricey .
I think we looking for something dark grey/black possibly slate/stone effect but have read bad reports of the gloss tops even though they look great ( shows marks etc ) so will probably steer clear and keep to a chrystal finish .

[Blue Mermaid]

You don't live anywhere near Herts do you? The worktops my parents just had taken off are brand new from Wickes (High Definition, Bahia Granite. Which has a dark grey/black background with a light fleck in it). They have a really big kitchen, so there's loads of it. Absolutely nothing wrong with it apart from a couple of bad joins made by unskilled workmen (which could be cut off). They had to take them off because their walls aren't square (long story) and the builders had to bring the new cupboards forward in order to make them straight, which left us with a gap at the back between the worktop and the wall. The guys here gave us some great advice and said if we bought a breakfast bar, it would be deeper and cover the gap. So, that's what my parents did and it's worked a treat. They couldn't get a breakfast bar in 3 m in the Bahia Granite, so had to go for completely different worktops all over.

I know it's a long shot and you probably wouldn't want them anyway but thought I'd mention it, as it's such a dreadful waste of money, as they will just be discarded. My dad would be overjoyed to sell them (not full price of course), as he's had to fork out so much money for the whole kitchen fiasco.

[Blue Mermaid]

My parents too were warned against the gloss ones. Heard they scratch really easily. They nearly went for Earthstone solid worktops but then heard the same about them.

The Bahia Granite has a shine to it but not glossy and the Duropal Desert Sand is semi matt. Looks really good with the oak I think. The Bahia Granite looked good too but made the room look a bit dark. I think we went for it, as we got so used to seeing black/dark worktops everywhere, so light ones didn't seem to look right! Now we've seen how much the light ones lift the room though, I don't think we'd go for dark ones again.

Actually, when I was helping my parents choose the kitchen, I fell in love with the black quartz ones. So sparkly! I'd be forever wowing at those! Probably just a woman thing!

[Nando]

Hi ,
Thanks for the great offer and thought - much appreciated but we're nowhere near unfortunately .
However you mention Wickes tops - how do you find them for quality & value etc ?
I've been on their website and they do look interesting .

[Blue Mermaid]

You're welcome.

The Wickes High Definition did seem good quality. Supposed to last longer than other laminates. Can't say for sure, as they were only on for a few weeks and hardly used even then, as the kitchen still isn't finished! They did have a nice sheen too, without being glossy. Only trouble with the Wickes ones, is they didn't have a big selection but if you saw one you liked, I'd say go for it. As long as you have someone skilled to fit them (if you can't do them yourself that is). We won't be making that mistake again! Builders who make a drain, aren't necessarily good at fitting kitchens and especially not worktops! All the pics of the bad job they did are on this forum. We had a professional fit the Duropal ones today.

[Blue Mermaid]

PS The High Definition Wickes ones cost my parents about £450 and they do have a really big kitchen as I said, so they were good value. The Duropal ones were about £100 more but because they were deeper, they would cost more. Probably about the same price wise then.

[Blue Mermaid]

PPS If you're buying a whole new kitchen, I wouldn't recommend the Wickes design service. Although, I read great reviews online, we had a really bad experience. So many mistakes made by the designer. So, not only did we choose badly with the builders but Wickes let us down too. Wouldn't touch them with a barge pole again! Would be fine if you were just buying some worktops from them though. The kitchen seems good quality too. Just let down by their measuring and mistakes.

[Nando]

Ok thanks for your advice .
No just looking to give an existing kitchen a bit of a tweak here and there so not a complete redesign - i read your thread about your experience and it must have been a nightmare for you . Sounds like the end result turned out ok though but that said - no i don't think i'd be going in for the Wickes design dept - though as somebody said , there's good & bad anywhere !
I see somebody mentioned Benchmarx ....might give them a look but i didn't know they were the same lot as Wickes - learn something new everyday - what a great site this is LOL!

[Blue Mermaid]

You're welcome Nando.

This certainly is a great site! I've learned a lot, which will be a great help in the future when I have a kitchen of my own fitted.

I hope you'll be really pleased with your new worktops, wherever you buy them from in the end.