Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Jul 14, 2011 11:02 am I am a new member, I have been reading this forum and really appreciate the info I got. We are planning to renovate our kitchen and would appreciate advice pls. I wonder if anyone has used stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards pls ? I have had 2 cabinet makers advising me NOT to have laminate cupboards if I want to use stone benchtop. I have read the pros and cons of vinyl wrap and two pack. (interestingly the 1st cabinet maker insists that I use Vinyl Wrap while the 2nd one said he would not touch Vinyl, he would only advise two pack - this different views are making it harder for us to decide!) I am currently leaning towards laminate for the cabinets (sounds easier to maintain and durable). I'd really love to have stone benchtop though, but these 2 (experienced !) cabinet makers have told me stone benchtops just do NOT go with laminate cupboards/cabinets. Would appreciate advice/suggestion please. thankyou. Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 2Jul 14, 2011 11:16 am ...and that is entirely the opinion of the cabinet makers!! Perhaps they want you to spend more money? You do what YOU want! There is no reason why you cannot have stone bench tops with laminate cupboards! I have this in 3 bathrooms in my house and it looks fine! There are also many, many members here who have the same. I do have 2pac with Caesarstone in my kitchen, but I wanted it (and love it), but the standard kitchen for my build was laminate and stone. If you want laminate and stone there should be nothing stopping you from doing it! Your kitchen, you have to cook in it, not the cabinet makers! Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 3Jul 14, 2011 11:27 am thanks for the quick response ! The 1st cab maker said using stone over laminate is like putting Ford seats in a Rolls Royce ! Do laminate cupboards/cabinets make it look 'cheap' ? I am currently waiting for a quote from the 2nd cabinet maker. I'm slightly worried about maintaining two packs (it chips easily from what I have read in this forum?) cabinets. I might not choose vinyl. I guess ultimately the our decision (laminate or stone) may most likely be dictated by the costs (unfortunately). Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 4Jul 14, 2011 11:35 am We have stone benches in the kitchen, bathroom and ensuite, all with laminex cupboards. Check out the kitchen thread, and you'll find that the majority of kitchens have the same set up. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13838 Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 5Jul 14, 2011 11:55 am Sounds like they just want you to spend more money! It's all personal preference and/or fitting in with a budget. We have stone with laminate, I love the look of 2 pac, but didn't think it was practical for how clumsy/rough I am in the kitchen. I'm more than happy with the laminate and even if I won tatts tomorrow and built again, I'd still stick with laminate cupboards. I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 6Jul 14, 2011 11:57 am my parents have laminate cabinets with stone benchtop. it looks fabulous and is working fine Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 7Jul 14, 2011 11:59 am We have essastone benchtops with laminate in the kitchen and bathrooms - looks great and from what I've read laminate is the most hard wearing, easy to care for product to use in these situations. For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 8Jul 14, 2011 2:57 pm I have laminate with essa stone tops. Would have gone white two pac, but just couldn't afford it, so went a brown wood look laminate instead. I agree, I think they just want more money out of you. Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 11Jul 15, 2011 9:11 am No problem at all to use stone and laminate together. Myth - poly chips easily. Totally wrong. Poor quality poly chips easily! I would never use vacume form in a kitchen. You will always have problems with delamination around heat sorces like the oven, toaster and kettle. Cutting Edge Kitchens and Cabinet Making http://cuttingedgekitchens.net.au http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cutting-Edge-Kitchens/290484196676 Mobile : 0419 430 575 PH: 9452 4772 Fax :9452 4772 cuttingedgekitchens@outlook.com Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 13Jul 15, 2011 10:55 am We are having essa with polytec melamine in the house we are building. Our apartment has granite, but Im not sure what the cupboards are.... definately something cheap. It looks good. Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 14Jul 15, 2011 9:36 pm The guys who did our kitchen were great and recommended the following depending on how far you can stretch your budget: 1. Laminate cupboards with stone tops 2. Vinyl wrap with stone tops 3. 2pac with stone tops Their push was to do stone tops, and then choose the cupboard material from what money you have left in the budget for the kitchen. Made great sense and we respected them for that. Cheers Horaldo. Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 15Jul 15, 2011 11:13 pm <<<< agree with horaldo...spend your money on the stone.... the rest is just decore....oh and the sink.... and the tapware ..... damn this game is expensive lol Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 16Jul 18, 2011 1:27 pm i think laminate is totally fine with stone. another option is silk laminate, if you like the shiny, wont be as expensive as 2pac Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 17Jul 18, 2011 8:50 pm If your budget allows, go stone. What material you chose for the cabinets is irrelevant Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: Stone benchtop on laminate cabinets/cupboards ?? 18Jul 18, 2011 10:15 pm oh and I dooo speak from experience... read my post on the place we are renting..what I havnt mentioned is the kitchen benchtop. Its a cheap white laminate ..and its awful. its already stained and chipped and is impossible to clean. Hi Courtney The mitred edges are glued up with epoxy so those little holes and gaps are areas that weren't filled correctly. Silicone is the wrong product to fill them… 2 12912 You can really use anything you want the main consideration would be how it looks once painted/finished - or the look you want. Cabinetmakers use MDF because its cheap… 2 9948 Thanks mate. Yeah good points! Leaning towards Option 3 to get a bit extra space in the cabinets but not going too crazy high (and expensive). Would require a mini… 13 39468 |