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What's In This Newsletter

Restore Rather Than Replace Those Laminate Countertops

Product Focus - Flush-Mounted Sinks With Laminate Ctops

What's New At HomeStyleChoices.com

Restore Rather Than Replace Those Laminate Countertops

Do you have older laminate countertops that you're hoping to replace yet the cost of new countertops just doesn't fit the budget? Well, instead of ripping them out and paying hundreds to several thousands of dollars for something new, refurbish the existing laminate instead.

Giving your existing laminate countertops a new lease on life not to mention a totally new and fresh look is easy, doesn't require any deconstruction or professional installers and it's something you can do yourself. The best part is that it doesn't cost you an arm and a leg.

What I'm talking about is a couple of methods that involve using paint to give laminate countertops a completely new look.

The first product is by the Bathtub Refinishing Referral Network, a company with a long name that makes coatings and paints for do-it-yourself bathtub finishing and repair.

The basic kit consists of two parts: one is a surface bonding primer which is painted on first. This gives the second part, the top coat, a good foundation. Color choices include white, bone, black, light gray and sand.

The two-part kits come in quart size at $67.99 for 10 feet of countertops or pint size at $39.99 for about 5 feet of countertop space. There's also a paint application kit that's available that includes a paint tray, roller, sand paper and a bottle of acetone for an additional $28. If you already have some of these supplies you can save yourself a few dollars. The products can be ordered online and shipping is free.

The process involves cleaning your existing countertops, lightly sanding them and applying the paint. The paint is self-leveling which means it "self-smooths" itself as it cures, eliminating brush or roller marks. You can see more about this product at the Bathtub Refinishing website.

Now if you're thinking that this might not be a bad idea but want something a little more creative, there's another product that might fit the bill. It's more of a process than a product and it's called Countertop Transfauxmations (yes, it's really spelled that way).

Countertop Transfauxmations is the brainchild of Michaela Harbert, an entrpreneur who studied interior design and ultimately started a faux finishing business. Her experience there led her to develop a faux granite and faux marble painting process for countertops using traditional faux painting techniques like rag rolling and sponging.

Countertop Transfauxmations is actually a DVD that walks you through the process of painting your laminate countertops in a colorful and artistic way using faux finishing techniques. The DVD tells you how to do it and the kinds of paints and materials you'll need. The paint can easily be bought at local paint and hardware suppliers. According to the Countertop Transfauxmations website, the DVD contains the following:

• One hour step-by-step demonstration of painting counter tops
• Additional demonstrations of how to create faux granite, faux marble and faux stone countertops using a simple rag roll process
• Tips on how to choose colors for your countertop painting project
• An illustrated manual to keep with you while you work with highlighted tips on each page
• A complete written shopping list of all materials required to refinish an average (35 sq. ft.) kitchen countertop
• Website and toll-free phone assistance
• Testimonials from people who have tried Countertop Transfauxmations

The regular cost of the DVD is $39.95 but there's a currently a promotion with a reduced price of $19.95. Total cost when you factor in the paint and materials you'll need comes to about $100.

More information including a video about how the countertops have held up three years after restoration can found at the Countertop Transfauxmations website.

In my view both products offer a creative and very economical way of sprucing up laminate countertops which can quickly liven up a kitchen. By refurbishing your existing countertops, you prevent them from going into a landfill and you save money. Plus, because you're painting over the laminate, you actually get rid of those dark laminate edges.

No one will ever know those countertops are laminate.

Product Focus - Seamless Laminate Ctop/Kitchen Sink Installation

The beauty of a solid surface sink combined with a solid surface countertop is the seamless installation that's possible. The two can be joined with no lip, edge or overhang between the countertop and the sink.

However this wasn't possible with other sinks like stainless steel nor with laminate countertops. Using a stainless steel sink with a laminate countertop required a top mount (self-rimming) style of sink. That's now changing, with the advent of Lansen's Edge sink series.

Lansen makes a variety of stainless steel sinks including zero-radius (square cornered) sinks and their new Edge sink. The unique feature of the Edge sink is that it's designed to be installed in a seamless configuration with either laminate or solid surface countertops. It's like an undermount sink but the side walls of the sink match up flush with the edge of the countertop, and there's no seam between the two.

Lansen does this by using a resin matrix at the sink's rim. This allows the laminate or solid surface countertop to be cut and seamed to match the edge of the sink. The seamless installation eliminates the need for any countertop overhang (typical with an undermount sink), top-mounted rim (which prevents you from sweeping items from the countertop into the sink) or a reveal (a step between the countertop and the sink rim). What's even better is that this design can be done with a laminate countertop.

Sinks are available in single and double-basin designs and are made from 18-gauge stainless steel. These new sinks are planned for rollout in July of this year.

More information about Lansen sinks is available at their website and you can find specific information about the Edge sinks at this link.

What's New At HomeStyleChoices.com

Here's what's new at the website:

The Latest Blog Entries
(You can see them here at the Home Design Blog page)

"Water Heater Maintenance And Lessons Learned"
Remembering that most of the products for our home do require some form of maintenance. I learned the hard way.

"Choosing The Right Bathtub"
A new article about the various kinds of bathtubs and how to go about choosing the right one for your home.

"Another Bathroom Mirror Frame Kit"
Introduces another product that's available to adorn those big, plain wall mirrors in the bathroom.

"Programmable Thermostat Video From Energy Star"
Updates the article on saving energy with a link to a video by the U.S. Energy Star Program that talks about choosing and installing a programmable thermostat.

"Choosing The Perfect Doors"
A new article about choosing doors for your home, be they patio, entry or interior doors.

New Web Pages and Articles
Choosing The Right Bathtub - From Simple To Elaborate

Choosing The Perfect Doors For Your Home

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