How to Install Prefabricated Laminate Countertops

A prefabricated laminate countertop provides a sturdy work surface in your kitchen, bathroom or office. Laminate kitchen countertops are available in a number of colors and lengths, making them an inexpensive remodeling choice. If you can’t find a prefabricated laminate countertop in the exact length you need, you can cut the countertop to the length you need for your project. Different front-edge profiles give you more decorating options. Laminate countertop installation is a project most homeowners with basic carpentry skills can handle without trouble.

Tape measure
Laminate end caps
Carpenter’s level
Wood shims
Old sheet
Construction adhesive
I-bolts
Adjustable wrench
Pencil
Hand sander
#10 x 1 1/4-inch wood screws
Screwdriver
Iron
Silicone caulking
Caulk gun

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the length of the countertop you need. Add 3/4-inch for overhangs on the ends. Add 1 inch for openings designed for ranges and refrigerators. If necessary, you can trim this at a later time. Measure the width of the countertop, adding 3/4-inch for the front overhang as well. Measure the width in several places to allow for walls that may be uneven.
- 2
  Order extra laminate material for the end caps. Another option is to order pre-glued end cap kits that match the laminate material in your countertop.
- 3
  Set a carpenter’s level in various places along the top of the base cabinets. If the cabinets are not level, add wood shims to level them.
- 4
  Turn the countertop pieces over on top of a soft surface, such as an old sheet. Apply construction adhesive to both sides of the corner joint.
- 5
  Lay I-bolts in the pre-formed joinery slots on the underside of the countertop. Tighten the bolts with an adjustable wrench to bring both edges of the adjoining countertop together. Take care to align all edges as you tighten the bolts. Wipe any excess adhesive from the countertop's surface. If you aren’t joining two countertops at a right angle, skip this step.
- 6
  Set the prefabricated countertop in place on the cabinets. Examine how close the fit is along the back edge of the countertop material. Hold a pencil vertically along the edge of the backsplash. Trace along the edge to determine any areas you may need to remove by sanding. Use a hand sander to remove the excess edging, then refit the countertop on the wall.
- 7
  Pre-drill holes through the cabinet’s corner braces and 3/4-inch into the laminate material. Do not allow the drill bit to go all the way through the laminate material. Secure the countertop to the base cabinets with #10 x 1 1/4-inch wood screws.
- 8
  Apply the laminate end pieces according to manufacturer’s directions. Some brands are peel-and-stick, while others require a heated dry iron to activate the glue.
- 9
  Run a bead of silicone caulking between the countertop and the wall to keep moisture from penetrating into the joint.

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