Kitchen Bench Tops

[BigCal]

Hi guys/gals,

Looking at moving some of our kitchen around a little when I polish the pre existing floorboards... Was just searching the net looking for options in regards to bench tops, suprisingly little information out there...

Our existing bench top is in quite good condition, but is a bit ugly, its kinda blue/green and has a wood trim... Is a laminate of some sort, can see the seams - they appear to be pulling apart somewhat...

We are on a budget and would just like something tidy and good looking to finnish the kitchen off once a couple of cupboards etc have been moved... what are our options?

Cheers
Callum

[Sybarite]

If it is just a budget makeover I would recommend a new laminate top.

Some of the current laminates can be postformed with pencil edges - combine this with a slightly thicker top, say 38mmm and you can have a pretty hot looking new top at a reasonable price.

I have said it before, but in terms of value for money as well as durability you could do a lot worse than a good laminate.

Cheers,

[pawnhead]

Have you considered solid timber?
If you're handy, and buy unfinished blanks, you could assemble something for the same, or less than the cost of preformed laminex:
http://www.smartpackkit.com.au/Conte...-benchtops.seo
http://www.nullarbortimber.com.au/forms/benchtop.asp

Probably a lot dearer, but would look good:
http://www.australiantimberslabs.com...iness_id=44162

And this is similar to what I'll be doing. The price suits my budget well:
https://www.woodworkforums.com/showpo...8&postcount=24

[OBBob]

I looked at this a fair bit prior to doing my tops.

The timber slabs look good, you can find a number of them on E-Bay ... but they are very heavy and you somehow need to be sure they have been dried well enough. Not that expensive though.

I ended up with 40mm thick Jarrah tops made from 300mm wide sections joined by a frien who makes staircases. Cost me ~$750 but compared to the quotes around $5000 for stone I was happy. It suits my place better than stone and contrasts really well against the Karri floor.

You can find these big old timbers around at recyclers ... so maybe joing a few up is an option.

[BigCal]

Thanks guys, a timber top might be an option, i had a look at a couple of those links and dending on the timber it could be less than 1k for the new top which is not too bad I suppose... I'm not convinced about having a timber top and timber floors... OBBob do you have any pics I could see of your floor and bench top together?

cheers
Callum

[OBBob]

Actually I don't have any very good pictures of that ... isn't that always the case. Attached you can sort of get the idea but I don't think they are too helpful.

Timber and timber is not too much in my case, however it was not built as a modern extension. As you can see it has all been made to match the old house. Also note that these pics are a little old, the bench wasn't gloss coated then ... so now it's shiney like the floor .

I think the important thing is to have contrasting timbers though.

[BigCal]

Cheers OBBob it looks good, would love to see some other pics of it showing more bench top though... we're not really after a super modern look either, out place is a early 80's sort of a cottage so something that fits in with that would be fine...

The floor boards are cypress pine, and have tiles on them at the moment... does anyone have a suggestion for a timber that would be good contrast, at this point I don't intend on colouring the cypress in anyway, just a natural finnish...

Thanks again

[OBBob]

These guys have some pics of the species available. Good examples of recycled tops too.

http://www.shivermetimbers.com.au/species_A0.html

[pawnhead]

That looks really good OBBob. That's not too much timber at all, with the painted doors breaking it up.

I hate laminex, and I can't afford stone, so that's the look that I want to go for.

[Don777]

Hi Callum

another idea is kdhw flooring select grade ( works out about $60 per sq metre ) glued and clamp together finshed with half round jarrah edging

have done about 12 bench tops and a table this way and looks good
and cheap for a solid timber top

Cheers Don

[OBBob]

That looks really good OBBob. That's not too much timber at all, with the painted doors breaking it up.

I hate laminex, and I can't afford stone, so that's the look that I want to go for.

Thanks Pawnhead ... one day I might get the place finnished!!

The floor is feature grade Karri, with all the holes filled with epoxy ... worked out cheap and looks good. I prefer it to an select grade floor ... too perefct for old houses. I also think that the features really make the timber.

[BigCal]

Thanks for the info guys... keep it comming!! lol

I need to find some more pics of timber floor with timber bench to show the wife when she gets home later... I think our floor boards with a nice dark wood bench top would look quite good, and white cupboards...

[pawnhead]

another idea is kdhw flooring select grade ( works out about $60 per sq metre ) glued and clamp together finshed with half round jarrah edging

That sounds good. Did you use an MDF base, and what sort of glue?

[celeste]

Hi Bigcal

I have just come across a product called crea style it is a laminate product from the halifax group it is really really nice and it's cheaper than laminex etc. it comes in a rolled edge 33mm thick. It comes in lots and lots of colours - stone / block colours / wood looks. My cabinet maker was really impressed with wood look, to the point where he now has a bench of it in his show room.

I used it on my last reno, I used a stone look, I had a cabinet maker make it up all set for installing. It came with all the biscuits and clamps and took 1 after noon to attach.

This bench was 1.3 - 2.7 - 2.4mtrs = 6.4mtrs U shape it cost $790.00

See the attached photo