How to Repair Laminate Counters

Pro Tip: Tommy Silva, This Old House general contractor, points out that a drop-in cutting board is a smart fix for heat damage: “Say you’ve taken a hot pan off of the oven or the stove and you put it on there and you’ve burned your countertop… I’ve cut a hole in it to remove the damaged section and you can buy a cutting board that drops in.” The two-part system features a shallow stainless steel tray that fastens from below with a solid-surface cutting board on top — giving you a functional upgrade instead of just a patch.

Steps for Repairing Laminate Counters:

1. To hide damage with drop-in cutting board, set template that comes with board over damaged section of countertop, then mark around its cutout area.
2. Use a jigsaw or router fitted with a straight bit to cut out the damaged section of counter. (If using a router, you’ll also have to make a template and attach a guide bushing to the router’s base.)
3. Drop the stainless steel base of the cutting board into the hole and fasten from below.
4. Set the cutting board in place atop the stainless steel base.
5. For a loose laminate edge, start by carefully pulling away the edge and scraping behind it with a putty knife to remove any debris.
6. Take a clothes iron, adjust it to the cotton setting (no steam) and hold it against the laminate edge for a few seconds to reactivate the contact cement.
7. If ironing the edge doesn’t work, pull back the loose edge and apply a thin layer of contact cement to the back of the laminate edging and to the edge of the counter. Allow the cement to dry for a few minutes, then press the edging into place.
8. If a laminate edge is broken off, you’ll need to steal a replacement piece from an inconspicuous place on the countertop.
9. Measure the length of laminate edging needed to replace the broken piece.
10. Use a sharp utility knife and layout square to score the laminate edge several times.
11. Heat up edge with the iron to loosen the glue bond, then peel off the piece of edging.
12. Hold the replacement piece of edging against the broken edge, making sure the two pieces overlap slightly.
13. Score the broken edge with a utility knife.
14. Use the iron to heat up the broken piece, then pry it off.
15. Hold replacement piece of laminate edging against the countertop edge and iron it on. If the glue doesn’t reactivate, adhere the replacement piece with contact cement.

Pro Tip: This Old House general contractor Tom Silva recommends an alternative approach for delamination: “Most times, all you need is a hair dryer or a heat gun to reactivate the adhesive. Use a rolling pin to press the laminate back in place. Weight it down for 24 hours.”

Where to Find it?

The cutting board that Tom demonstrated was manufactured by Counterware cutting boards.Clothes irons and laminate for countertops can be found at most home centers.

When removing damaged edge laminate, Tom Silva warns against using a heat gun directly, which can accidentally soften the adhesive holding the top laminate in place. Use a clothes iron instead, set on the lowest steam setting, and run it over the edging with a cotton cloth between the iron and the surface to prevent scorching—and to keep adhesive off the iron. As Tom noted in This Old House Magazine: “Forget this step and you’ll face the wrath of the iron’s owner. Believe me, I once did.”

Shopping List:

• Contact cement and narrow paintbrush, used to re-adhere loose countertop edges
• Drop-in cutting board, for covering hole cut in countertop

Tools: