Poll - if using laminate for work surfaces: imitation wood or just a plain colour?

[jamaisjedors]

We were going to use slate but the budget is getting ridiculous so we are going to go back to laminate I think, the cost of the kitchen was getting scary!

Do we go for "high-end" laminate in a wood effect (we have reclaimed terracotta tiles on the floor so the kitchen will be quite rustic looking)?

Or not pretend to be anything and go for a plain grey or white colour?

Whaddya think? Thanks

We're going for natural wood - not hugely expensive. Can email you the place if you like.

I'd get a colour rather than "wood look" laminate - what's the point if it's not wood?!

Thank you - that's kind - but we are in France.

We are worried about the upkeep for wood - we use the sink a ridiculous amount and even our laminate has lifted up and got wrecked.

Which is why I was considering slate. But it's just too expensive.

There are lots of threads on here about people hating their wood worktops (but equally people who love them if you are prepared to be careful with them). DH is a bit of a fusspot and would always be shouting at someone to wipe up straight away if we had real wood I think!

We're like you - real wood would be way too high maintenance. We are going for a square edged oak effect laminate (from Howdens), with cream cabinets. I can tell the difference, but it's not enough of a difference to make it worth the hassle or cost to go for real wood. Besides which, once it's covered with all our crap homely touches, you won't be able to see that much of it anyway!

What about a marble/terrazzo effect laminate? I prefer that over plastic wood as it can look slightly more convincing and hides dirt better than plain sheet colours

Yes, I had a look at the laminates today in the DIY shop (our kitchen will be from Ikea but apparantly their laminates are a bit rubbish? is that right?).

I saw a really good light oak effect laminate (and a really rubbish one) and then some stone/slate effect ones.

I'm not that keen on the marble imitation ones but then I don't like real marble either.

I looked at the glossy ones but they were covered in fingerprints and scratches so I ruled them out.

We have a terracotta floor, the units will be white, so I'm not sure what colour to go for...

www.bushboard.co.uk/gallery/odyssey/
Other options here

IMO a true wooden worktop is ideal for a showroom, but not for an actual kitchen that contains taps, kettles, bottles and knives.

Despite being too inexpensive to be truly fashionable, laminate is very practical in real life.

We have the ikea laminate - stone effect - and have been very happy with it. We also have some wood worktop to keep the rustic theme - so laminate round the sink and wood in areas where it doesn't get too much use.

TBH I've not seen anything in France that is as good as the ikea laminates.

thanks Frenchfancy - that's useful. I will look again at them when we go to order the kitchen - IKEA is 1h away and Leroy Merlin (DIY) is 5mins away so I haven't been back to look at their worktops.

Do any of you have an upstand in laminate too or just tiles?

The problem with laminate upstands is that they are made of chipboard with a plastic surface, so if water ever gets into the joint (it will, near the sink) the chipboard will become wet, swell up, and turn to useless weetabix.

There are various ways to protect the edge, and some of them work, for a while.

Yes, we want to avoid that because our sink area has turned into a mess (laminate).

We are getting a full-depth sink so there will be nowhere for the water to infiltrate behind the sink.

I think we will get tiles behind it.

I quitre agree, I'm going for an Astracast Bistro next time. Bit expensive though

Which one are you having?

Yes, I looked at that one quite seriously, but we have v. hard water and also our kitchen is quite traditional looking (terracotta tiles on the floor) so we are going to get the single bowl Ikea domsjo (www.ikea.com/ca/en/images/products/domsjo-sink-bowl-with-strainer-water-trap__73319_PE189949_S4.jpg )

I also looked at: www.aprilskitchen.co.uk/ovw_main.asp?xREC=3329&NewId=1&PTYP=Sink

and a couple of others from that site (Franke/V&B).

But they are double the price and I would have to go to the UK to get them!