Tile Over Laminate Countertops
4 Materials
$250
2 Weeks
Advanced
I installed ceramic tile over my old 1980's laminate counter tops.
I used a product called Simple Mat instead of thinset mortar to adhere the tile to the counter and then i used white unsanded grout to grout the tiles.
This is the kitchen before. The counters were the original ones from when the house was built. They were in decent condition but very dated and had some marks and stains on them. I decided the most cost effective way to spruce them up was to lay cermaic tile directly over the laminate.
I use 4 inch ceramic tile and 6 inch bullnose tile over the existing laminate counter. I had to cut most of the tiles in half to create the diamond pattern. I used a wet tile saw from QEP to cut the tiles. I used bullnose tile along the edge of the counters.
This is the "island" part of the counter top. This part was the most tricky and I used 3x6 ceramic tile around the edges because this piece of the countertop was thicker.
You need to use a wet tile saw to cut tile. It sprays water onto the blade as it cuts to keep the blade cool. Many tile saws come with a guide that can be used to cut the tile at a 45 or 22 degree angle. I found that flipping the tiles face down before cutting them helped to reduce chipping while cutting.
After. Area near the sink.
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Comments
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2 of 85 comments
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You did a great job looks beautiful!!!
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You did a great job. Tile countertops are still my favorite. Tile counters used to be very popular in Southern California. Truthfully, I was never concerned with bacteria settling in the grout lines. We had a cutting board and I also just kept my countertops clean.
Frequently asked questions
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My concern is the grout. Grout absorbs all kinds if bacteria. How is it sealed so it doesn’t pick up bacteria from food and everyday use??
I used liquid nails so water would not get under and grouted as normal
Did you have to remove the sink in order to get the tile underneath? I have electric outlets and would like to tile around those, but the junction box would have to be moved to be level with the tile making the wall thicker, has anyone done this?