Chicago Laminate Counters

When making improvements to your home, weighing the many options you?ll have plays a big role in how much your project will cost and how good the results will look and function. If you talk to any respectable contractor in Chicago, laminate counters are not likely to be at the top of their list when it comes to durability. However, with a project as costly and involved as a kitchen remodel, laminate counters might be just the right fit for your budget and may also leave you enough money to afford some other interesting items that you would otherwise have to go without. It is important to consider that, though they are in some ways out-performed by other materials, there are still some striking benefits to installing laminate counters. Chicago homeowners looking for a cost-effective counter that will look good without breaking the bank should definitely consider laminate as a possibility.

Chicago Laminate Countertops vs. Natural Stone Counters
When placed side by side with far more expensive materials like marble, granite, or quartz, Windy City residents might be surprised at how many benefits laminate counters actually offer. Though they certainly won?t last as long as natural stone, laminate counters are actually a bit more low-maintenance. All natural stone is porous to some degree; this means that it can be permanently stained by pooled liquid that is allowed to seep beneath the surface. To guard against this, you?ll have to make sure your stone counters are properly sealed and resealed when necessary (in many cases, this might have to be done annually). Laminate is certainly vulnerable to stains, but is far cheaper to repair or replace if a stain does occur; additionally, you won?t have to worry about sealing your laminate counters.

Drawbacks of Laminate Counters in Chicago
Most homeowners will find that laminate counters, though not as durable as other options, will hold up well enough as long they aren?t abused. However, for all those aspiring chefs in and around Chicago, laminate countertops are probably not the best choice. They are quite susceptible to both burns and cuts; under normal circumstances it is pretty easy to avoid any serious damage to a laminate counter as long as you?re careful, but if you are remodeling specifically to accommodate a good amount of cooking and food preparation, you may want to go with a tougher material.

When choosing a laminate counter, it is also important to remember that varying grades of laminate will give you very different grades of performance. A shiny, glossy laminate finish is far more likely to show cuts and burns than a flat finish. Newer forms of laminate are quite a bit more durable than many of their predecessors; they are not, however, nearly as durable as stone or solid surface.

Prices of Chicago Laminate Counters
As cost is the most common reason for choosing laminate counters, Chicago homeowners considering this material will be happy to know that the savings in choosing laminate are far from negligible. According to our figures (drawn from every job we process nationwide), the average cost of installing a laminate counter is about $1,300, while solid surface runs about $4,300 and stone costs about $4,750. The prices we?ve seen for Windy City stone counters max out at $9,000, which is obviously well above the national average. Solid surface counter prices in the Chicago area seem to be pretty consistent with prices across the country, with our most expensive job coming in at about $5,000. Chicago laminate countertops are also pretty much on par with the national average (the most costly laminate counter installation we?ve processed in the Chicago area was $1,400) making laminate by far the least expensive counter option in the area.