IKEA’s pre-cut laminate countertops will make your kitchen lovely for less

Design using IKEA pre-cut laminate countertops without sacrificing style.

Most homeowners go a little weak-kneed when they see a quartz countertop. And granite? Perfection.Then they see the price, and that feeling becomes something more like a heart attack.

With IKEA’s laminate countertops, you get the look of quartz and granite (stone) for a fraction of the cost, or you can choose a look that’s impossible to achieve with stone—also for a fraction of the cost. With the right product and design (and maybe even the right sale), you’ll get the kitchen you want while saving about 90% of the amount you’d spend on other countertops.

Why has “laminate” become a bad word?

Let’s be clear: laminate is not a synonym for poor quality.

In fact, laminate countertops (or Formica, as they’re often known) are better quality than they were twenty years ago. Considering we’ve encountered a few 50-year-old laminate countertops that are holding up very well, that’s high praise.

“We prefer designing with laminate countertops because it saves the customer money, looks amazing, and requires almost no maintenance. Once the countertop is installed, clean with a cloth and mild detergent. It’s stain-resistant and non-porous.” –Daniel, IKD designer

It also helps that IKEA stands by their product with a 25-year warranty.

How much cheaper are we talking?

IKEA sells both quartz countertops and laminate, so we don’t have to go far to compare prices:

• For a 74” L x 25”D EKBACKEN pre-cut laminate countertop with a white marble effect, the cost is $99.
  
• For a KASKER custom quartz countertop with the same measurements, the cost is $89 per square foot (or around $1,100 total).
  

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We’ve said it ourselves: You get what you pay for, and that sentiment hasn’t changed. When you choose laminate, you get an easy-to-clean, easy-to-install material with dozens of attractive design options.

When you choose quartz or granite, you get an easy-to-clean material with dozens of attractive design options—though you’ll need to hire a separate fabricator who knows how to properly template, cut, and install the material.

The payoff of being able to say, “But this is real!” (because that is the only payoff) just isn’t worth it.

Tell me more about the design options

When it comes to IKEA’s pre-cut laminate countertop options, your choices are EKBACKEN, SALJAN, LILLTRASK, and KARLBY. Most are available as standard island widths (42” D) for between $129 and $399 – or as standard countertops.

These products come in two lengths: 74” and 98”. EKBACKEN is available in ten styles (wood grain, concrete, marble, limestone, and more). SALJAN has six styles (including black marble, white stone, and oak). LILLTRASK is available in white laminate, and KARLBY is IKEA’s leading butcher block laminate.

IKEA has designed multiple laminate options to look like something else, such as marble, concrete, and wood grain. However, it’s important to note that laminate isn’t just good for imitation. EKBACKEN’s dark gray laminate and gray laminate with white edging are beautiful design options all by themselves. LILLTRASK’s clean, white laminate countertops look great in an all-white kitchen—or to add contrast to a darker design.

These standard countertops cost between $59 (LILLTRASK) and $299 (KARLBY).

“The one design drawback with laminate countertops is that it’s tough to cut corners—and I mean that literally! We have tried to design for L and U-shaped kitchens in the past, but it’s very difficult to cut and join them properly at an angle. One of the appealing parts of the laminate countertops is that they’re DIY-friendly. They even come with laminate edging in case you need to cut them to size, and you or a cabinet installer could easily put them into place without requiring another subcontractor. I had one homeowner insist on using laminate for this kind of project. Sure enough, his contractor cut the edges wrong. The solution we went with was to place quartz in the section with the corner and choose a matching laminate top for the island.” –Daniel, IKD designer

Laminate countertops are ideal for islands, straight run/galley kitchens, and any homeowner willing to use two types of material. With the right design, this can look seamless. If your counters require cuts, our designs include templates showing exactly where those cuts should be made and the number of pieces you or your contractor should buy.

Backsplashes

“I recommend finishing the look with LYSEKIL wall panels between the countertop and wall cabinets. Some customers want us to design a matching LYSEKIL backsplash, while others prefer to choose tile that adds contrast.” –Daniel, IKD designer

There are only six options for LYSEKIL wall panels, so if you’re set on matching, that limits your countertop options. Personally, though, we love the look of the brushed copper option with most of IKEA’s laminate countertops. All LYSEKIL’s 48” x 19” panels are $68 each.

A note on custom IKEA islands:

If you’re looking to add or rebuild an island, we achieve this by joining (back-to-back) 24” and 12” deep (reduced depth) base cabinets. This combination makes the island 36” deep, which is the ideal size for a standard 42” deep laminate island top.

What are the drawbacks of laminate countertops?

As we mentioned, corners can be difficult to maneuver. If corners are necessary, we encourage homeowners to plan on using stone there and possibly making it the “wet area” with the sink and dishwasher. We can also butt up two laminate countertops together (perpendicularly), but you will have a seam that requires some extra care.

Laminate also makes mounting farmhouse sinks more complex. IKEA’s pre-cut laminate countertops aren’t waterproof all the way through, and that makes any undermount sink difficult to use. However, if you ensure the undermount sink is framed only by factory-sealed edges, you can get around this problem. This may mean purchasing an additional countertop, but it’s worth it to avoid water damage.

The LANGUDDEN single or double stainless-steel sink is an excellent over-mount option for laminate counters.

Key Takeaway

In most cases, it doesn’t make sense to use stone countertops when IKEA has such versatile, affordable, and stylish laminate options.
Laminate is not a bad word! It’s a smart, budget-friendly choice for anyone who doesn’t need to cut corners or brag about how they spent 10x more on a countertop than their neighbor.