One of the questions we get asked a lot when we visit customers what are the best worktops and what are the best ones for me. In this post we look at the pros and cons of laminate worktops and what they have to offer.

The biggest pro for laminate worktops has to be the cost.  Laminate worktops are reasonably in expensive and are the least expensive of all the worktop types.
Secondly they come in a wide range of  colours and textures some even mimic the more expensive worktops such as  Granite or wood. 
Thirdly they are easy to clean and reasonably hygienic some even have built in bacterial protection .
Fourthly they can be cut easily and a keen DIY person could install them with jointing bars.

The cons of laminate worktops are they can wear and look tatty quickly if not looked after properly. It is also not possible to repair laminate worktops.
Secondly if not fitted properly you can get water ingress which can cause the laminate surface to come away from the chipboard base. 
Thirdly when installing them you will always see a joint where the worktops change direction. We would always recommend in a situation where the worktops need to be jointed this is done by a professional. In order to achieve a good joint this is done with routers, jigs and years of experience.

A few things to keep in mind when choosing a laminate worktop are make sure they have a drip seal just under the front edge. This means the water will not run past this point and into your units. Some really cheap ones of bad quality you might see for sale in the big main stream DIY stores don't have these.  Also gloss worktops can look fantastic but show scratches more so than a more textured top. 

There are many factors to take into account when choosing worktops and what is best for you. On the whole laminate is a good choice. The wide range of colours and textures will cater for all tastes and will go with any style kitchen. They also cater for all budgets even those on the tightest but can still give your kitchen and great finished results.