Economical and easy to install, laminate countertops help homeowners reduce the high cost of installing bath or kitchen countertops. However, one downside is that they are easily damaged.
Laminate countertop material can be dented, cracked, or scratched. It’s also common for parts of the laminate to peel up from its fiberboard base, leaving other parts attached.
Fortunately, laminate countertops can be repaired with some innovative tricks and tools. Learn laminate countertop repair for anything from stains and light scratches to deep gouges and cracks.
Stains
Like other countertops, laminate can stain. Some stains (hair dyes, tars, tannic acids, etc.) are permanent and cannot be removed. Other stains (food, coffee, tea, lemon juice, inks, or water marks) can be removed with household cleaning products.
Use mild household cleaners, such as Fantastik All Purpose Cleaner, Formula 409, or Pine-Sol. Do not use abrasives.
- Apply product: Spray the mild cleaning product on the stain.
- Let it sit: Let the product sit on the laminate for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the stain.
- Blot: Blot away the stained cleaning product with a clean, damp (not dry) non-abrasive cotton cloth.
- Rinse: Rinse with clean water, using a different cotton cloth.
- Repeat: Clean two or three more times until the stain is removed.
- Try with alcohol: If repeating doesn’t work, try cleaning with denatured alcohol and a clean cotton cloth.
Warning
Denatured alcohol is safe for most laminates. However, be sure to check with your countertop manufacturer’s instructions first. Do not use alcohol or any other solvent if the countertop has been painted.
Want more home reno project tips and inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest how-tos, reno guides, and more!
Peeling
Laminate countertop may peel or delaminate in large sections after water damage or simply due to age, as the laminate glue loses its strength.
Large sections of peeling laminate countertop can be glued back into place as long as the MDF base is still in good condition. Contact cement is the adhesive that was originally used to glue the laminate to its base, so repairing the countertop is just a matter of using contact cement again.
- Assess the base: Run your hand under the peeled section of the laminate to make sure that the MDF is in good condition. If the MDF is swollen and bumpy due to water damage, you won’t be able to reapply the laminate (replace the counter instead).
- Elevate the laminate: Slide a dowel or thin wooden stick between the laminate and base to elevate the laminate.
- Scrape old cement: Use a putty knife to scrape off old, brittle cement from the top of the MDF base and the bottom of the laminate. Vacuum away the remnants.
- Apply cement: Apply a thin layer of contact cement to the bottom of the laminate and to the top of the MDF base.
- Wait: Wait for 15 minutes (or as indicated by the contact cement instructions). Before sticking them together, each side must feel tacky to the touch.
- Remove the support: Remove the dowel or wooden stick, letting the laminate contact the base.
- Add pressure: Lay a heavy weight, such as a stack of books, on the repaired section. Let it rest for about 30 minutes before removing.
Broken Edges
Laminate countertop edges are prone to peeling away or breaking off because they are so thin and are exposed to impact.
Broken or peeled laminate countertop sections can often be glued back into place with heat. A clothes iron or a heat gun reactivates the old glue, softening it and making it sticky again.
- Assess the glue: Make sure that there is still glue on the back of the laminate or on the base. If there is no glue, use the peeling surfaces repair method (using contact cement).
- Heat the iron: Heat the iron to HIGH. The iron should be set to DRY, with no steam.
- Replace the laminate: Put the broken piece of laminate edge back in place. Apply painter’s tape to temporarily hold it.
- Place the cloth: Lay thick fabric, such as a hand towel, against the laminate.
- Iron the laminate: Slide the iron back and forth across the laminate edge for about 20 seconds. Make sure to keep the cloth between the iron and the laminate edge.
- Let it cool: Wait two or three minutes for the glue to cool down and gain strength.
- Remove the tape: Remove the painter’s tape. Lightly pull up an edge of the patch to ensure the laminate is firmly in place.
Missing Edges
Laminate countertop edges that have broken off and are missing can be repaired by using good laminate donated from other parts of the countertop.
It can be difficult to find new matching laminate to use as a repair material. So, you’ll find a better color match by cutting laminate from hidden areas of the countertop.
- Find donor sections: Locate sections of good donor laminate edging. You’ll find these by pulling out ranges, refrigerators, or dishwashers and looking on the sides of the countertop.
- Measure donor laminate: Measure out a section of donor laminate edge equal to the length of the missing edge.
- Score donor laminate: Score several lines down the laminate edge with a utility knife. The score should be reasonably deep, but cutting all the way through is unnecessary.
- Heat donor laminate: Place a hand towel over the donor section of the laminate. Place a HIGH dry (not steam) clothes iron over the donor section for about 20 seconds.
- Remove donor laminate: With a putty knife or utility knife, peel off the donor section of laminate quickly before the softened glue hardens.
- Repair the missing edge: Place the section of donor laminate over the missing area. Place a towel over the donor laminate patch and hold an iron on HIGH on the towel for 20 seconds.
- Check the patch: After the patch has cooled for two or three minutes, check it to ensure that it is firmly stuck in place.
Light Scratches
Laminate countertops may develop light scratches from knife cuts or from heavy, rough materials being slid across them. Unlike other countertop materials like solid surface or wood, laminate counters cannot be sanded down smooth.
To repair a lightly scratched laminate countertop, apply paste wax-based furniture polish and rub the wax smooth with a microfiber cloth. The shiny coat effectively disguises the scratches and will hold up to light use for a week or two before recoating is needed.
- Clean the countertop: Clean the countertop with warm water and mild soap. Rinse with clean water.
- Add polish: Rub paste furniture polish over the scratched laminate countertop. Coat the entire countertop, not just the scratched portion.
- Polish: Polish the wax vigorously by hand, using a microfiber cloth.
- Repeat: Repeat with two or three coats. This will disguise most scratches.
You Might Need…
You must use a microfiber cloth, not a cotton towel, since its synthetic fibers encourage the wax to develop a glossier sheen. We tested several types for durability, longevity, and cost to bring you the best microfiber cloths.
Cracks
Cracks and deep scratches in laminate countertops cannot be disguised with wax polish. However, they can be spot-repaired with hard wax putty sticks.
Wax sticks look like crayons and can be purchased individually in colors that match solid-color laminate countertops. For variegated color or stone-look laminate, purchase a kit of several colors to better blend the patch to the counter’s texture.
- Heat the stick: Heat the end of the wax stick with a heat gun or hair dryer for about 10 to 15 seconds. Do not overheat; you only want to soften the end of the stick lightly.
- Apply the wax: Spread the softened end of the wax stick into the crack or scratch. You should end up with a slight bulge of wax.
- Spread the wax: With the flat side of a putty knife, smooth the wax flush to match the level of the surrounding laminate surface. If the wax doesn’t smooth down well, reapply heat for a few seconds.
Gouges
Repair gouges, dents, and deep scratches in laminate countertop by filling the void with a synthetic color-matched filler. Preferably, use a laminate-specific filler.
Alternatively, you can use wood putty to fill the laminate void. Since wood putty is light-brown, you will need to apply a hard wax putty stick on top to match the countertop’s color.
- Sand edges: Deep gouges in laminate often have ragged edges, so sand them down with a light pass with 220-grit sandpaper.
- Clean with solvent: Clean the gouge and the surrounding few inches with laminate countertop solvent. If using SeamFil, use Kampel’s SF-99 SeamFil Solvent.
- Apply filler: Press the filler deeply into the gouge with the flat side of the putty knife.
- Smooth filler: Smooth the filler flush with the surrounding laminate, using the putty knife.