overlay worktop
Overlay Worktop for Kitchens: Advantages and Disadvantages
Many of us put a halt to our kitchen renovation requirements, because of financial limitations. But, who doesn’t want an up-to-date kitchen, a good-in-condition kitchen, right? We all do. It is not even an option, it is a necessity. So, it is during these situations, we think of questions like “Can I cover my old worktop?”, “ Is there a way to replace kitchen countertops within budget?”, “Can I get a new kitchen at a very restricted price?” All of these questions can be answered positively because that is one of the key characteristics of an overlay worktop. Provided your existing countertop base is even, strong and durable, worktop overlays can be installed on any kind of surface.
Process of Covering Kitchen Worktop
An overlay worktop is produced when concrete or another synthetic material, like granite, marble, wood, or laminate, is placed to or fitted over a current countertop material to provide a fresh covering of a level surface that conceals the old surface.
To give the area a distinctive appearance, the concrete overlay can be coloured to complement current kitchen or bathroom fittings or cabinets. As long as it is structurally proficient, you can even cover your current countertop with a different material.
The same material used to make conventional countertops is used to make countertop overlays, although they are thinner.
Countertop Overlay Manufacturing Process
Many businesses that offer worktop overlays claim their materials as granite or marble, although this only relates to the worktop’s appearance and not its actual composition. There will be a lot of options available for you to pick from. When granite, quartzite, or marble are extracted from the quarries, the leftover fine aggregates of stone are what remain in huge quantities, which are used to create an overlay worktop. Before being formed into slabs that are 8 mm thick, the powdered stone leftovers are blended with resins, epoxy, dyes, and other substances. They are then heated to form a surface that is incredibly durable and can be smoothed and carved into worktops. Some overlays can contain up to 93 percent natural stone aggregate.
There are worktop overlays that have veining, swirls, and specks in a non-repeating style to imitate authentic granite. The various types of kitchen counters can also benefit from coverings produced from recycled glass to offer a splash of colour.
The Thickness of Overlay Worktop
Thickness varies between manufacturers and suppliers, but generally, the thicknesses in the UK for overlay worktops are 6-8mm.
Overlay Worktop for Different Surfaces
Overlaying Concrete Countertop
In order to cover atop laminated, timber, or tiled worktops that pre-existed, concrete overlays are a strong, simple-to-apply option. The overlay offers a durable concrete look and style for a relatively low price of freshly poured concrete. Installing countertop overlays is a challenging task that should be left to professionals, but with sufficient knowledge, one can carry out the job all by themselves too.
Assuring that the concrete lies evenly is the most crucial part of the installation, so you’ll probably need numerous rounds of concrete pouring. Particularly if you’re dealing with tile counters, make sure you pay as much attention as possible to concrete pouring because the grout lines are deeper than the tile surface.
Laminate Countertop Overlaying
Although laminate countertops are inexpensive, the colour and design eventually deteriorate and become outmoded. It’s a good decision to paste down a new laminate sheet instead of removing and replacing your laminate countertops if they’re still in good condition.
Wood Worktop Overlay
Resurfacing your wooden countertop can be done with any type of concrete, laminate, or composite wood. Ensure you have a strong base before deciding on a solution to overlay your hardwood countertops.
Granite Overlay
By introducing a granite overlay worktop, the cost of remodelling a kitchen or bathroom is drastically reduced instead of total replacement, but it’s crucial to have the countertops examined to ensure that an overlaying is a great decision. If the counters have significant damage, it is best to have them fixed before adding the countertop overlay to prevent new panels from being affected. For the overlay worktop process to be successful, you’ll need a counter that is both steady and strong enough to support the overlay. Additionally, you need to make sure that the base is plain and levelled as the overlay is often thin, so any difference will have an effect on it.
The current granite countertops might also be taken off. You can then set up some plywood as a base. The overlay worktop can then be used on top.
Covering Quartz Worktop
Because it is one of the toughest rocks, quartz is one of the materials that will last the longest as an overlay worktop. Because they may mimic the appearance of granite or marble, quartz overlay countertops are beautiful. It doesn’t need to be resealed and requires less upkeep than other natural materials.
Example of Overlaying with Moon White Granite Worktop
Moon White Granite is a naturally occurring stone with fine grains and complex patterns. It has dazzling white specks and swirls interspersed with silvery grey and jet black. Mineral particles are scattered throughout the sturdy granite countertop, which results in stunning grey waves across the entire stone surface. This worktop has been worn out, so, instead of an entire stone changing it is covered with overlay worktops.
