Repair Options for Plastic Laminate Countertops

In the early years of my career in the countertop fabrication business, I sold a large number of plastic laminate countertops. When I went into business for myself 17 years ago, I started out specializing in repairing and modifying solid surface countertops. My thinking at that time was that the potential for repairing plastic laminate countertops was limited, and I wanted to focus totally on my new specialty. Eventually, though, I developed an interest in new business opportunities.

As the years went by, I gradually added more products to the range of countertops my company services. Our first expansion was to begin repairing quartz countertops. Then we added butcher block, granite, marble as well as many other natural stones, in addition to concrete and recycled glass countertops to our product mix.

Occasionally, we would be asked to repair a plastic laminate countertop, but in most cases, we declined. My perception was that the repair options were limited and the countertops themselves were relatively inexpensive. As a result, most customers would choose to live with minor damage, or they would complete a do-it-yourself repair, or replace the countertops with new ones. None of these options involved hiring a professional repair service.

I’m now in the process of re-evaluating that opinion. In a recession, it seems unwise to ignore any reasonable business opportunity, and consumers will often consider repairing a product they may have replaced when times were better. If you Google the phrase “recession shoe repair,” you will find dozens of articles about shoe repair shops all across the country that are swamped with business in the form of hundreds of pairs of old shoes stacked up waiting to be fixed. Shoe repair is a perfect example of a countercyclical business – one that improves when the overall economy is poor. Perhaps repairing plastic laminate countertops is a similar market niche.

Repair Options

Accordingly, here’s some information about a variety of products and services that allow plastic laminate countertops to be repaired and refinished.

Since 1956, Kampel Enterprises has been manufacturing its Seam-Fil product. This product is intended to fill seams, nicks and chips in plastic laminate surfaces. Available in one ounce squeeze tubes in 20 standard colors, the product can be blended by the user, or Kampel will custom mix the product for an exact color match to a specific laminate. After it cures, the result is a very durable repair. Visit KampelEnt.com for more information, or contact one of their 700 distributors, or order online at AmericanTechnologyInc.com.

Burns from hot pots are a common form of damage to plastic laminate countertops, and this type of damage is usually too extensive to be repaired inconspicuously. Vance Industries in another company that has been offering a repair solution for decades. The Vance Built-In Surface Saver is a tempered glass cutting board with a stainless steel frame. The product is designed to be permanently installed as an insert into the countertop, centered over the damaged area. The product is available in two sizes measuring either 12"x15" or 16"x20", and a variety of colors of both the glass cutting boards and the steel frames. Visit VanceInd.com for more information.

I’ve been frequently asked if it is practical to paint plastic laminate countertops in order to change the color or cover damaged areas. Over the years, I’ve seen some paint jobs that have held up poorly, and ended up looking worse than the original countertop. I’ve rarely seen a repainted countertop that looked really good. Consequently, I’ve tended to recommend against the idea of repainting countertops in the past.

I’m rethinking that opinion. Just because many people have failed to do a good job doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. The key to success is selecting the right products that will bond securely to the laminate, and result in an attractive, durable, sanitary surface.