Retro Renovation» sinks & vanities

Only your contractor knows for sure: Formica Ideal Edge mimics expensive stone & solid surface countertops with laminate

pam kueber — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:50:05 +0000

“…Eliminates the final telltale sign of laminate
– the brown line.”

I am a big believer in the idea that the most significant design shifts tend to come from technological breakthroughs. The advance of laminate kitchen countertops — replacing linoleum and wood in most kitchens in the 1950s — came as a result of the very invention of plastic and then, the ability to manufacture it in long thin sheets with colorful designs laminated on to the top layer.

Originally, countertop edges could not be bent or rolled, so that’s why we always see metal edging in early kitchens. Later, around 1957, the countertop industry developed the ability — called thermoforming — to “roll” the edges and the backsplash in one continuous piece, eliminating the need for metal edging and introducing a big shift in the way kitchens looked. Homeowners who didn’t choose rolled edges chose flat edges, and metal edging faded from use.

Now… 2012… we have another advance: Formica this week is introducing new laminate edging technology that allows us to have more intricate “ogee” or “bullnose” edging profiles on our Formica countertops — complete eliminating the tell-tale brown line that comes from a typical 90-degree edge. And, their new “Ideal Edge” — in these two curvy two designs — can go all the way around corners and ends, adapting to any cabinet or turn-the-corner configuration.

Don’t want to take out a second mortgage (if you can get one, ha) to afford granite or marble countertops? Now, get the Ideal Edge… combine it with today’s laminates — which are remarkably realistic… and the bankrupt Joneses next door will have to look twice to see the difference. Note: Wilsonart’s “Cascade” edge, introduced in September, seems pretty similar to the Formica Ideal Edge/Bullnose and like the Formica technology, eliminates the brown line. So I’m not declaring Formica gets all the props for the innovation — they just did a good job catching my eye with this announcement, and with sending lots of great photos pronto.

You know my general aesthetic when it comes to midcentury modern and midcentury modest houses: Granite isn’t *authentic*, and in unpretentious midcentury houses, it seems out of place (to me). But, I certainly like the idea off-white-and-gray Carrara (and if it’s not available, okay, Calacatta) marble — in particular in bathrooms, but also on a section of kitchen countertop, or on all of it, depending on how high falutin’ your house and your style is. The beauty part of faux-marble laminate is that it is going to be (1) way easier to maintain than marble (2) way less expensive and (3) a more environmentally sensitive choice. Carrara marble has been around forever in homes — it’s one of the few things that makes my “timeless design” list. Again: I particularly like the idea for bathrooms. The greyish-off white should go with virtually any pastel bathroom, which will likely also be chock-a-block with chrome and likely, gray grout in the floor tiles. Set in a Kohler hudee-rimmed sink, and you are ready to party like it’s 1959 or 1969 or 1979.

ogee edge profilebullnose edge profile

Which laminates and edges do I like best?

Note, the two Formica laminate designs shown in this story are not Carrara — they are Formica’s Calacatta, which is a larger veined marble, and Formica’s Bianca Luna, which seems to have heavier darker graining. For classic midcentury style, among these two, I’d go for Calacatta with the ogee edge — it’s less honkin’.
But, my favorite vintage-style-marble-laminate still is Carrara marble laminate — I recently found three companies with this style. Yes, you can get Wilsonart’s “Carrara Santorini” laminate with the new, seamless bullnose edge. But, if you want the seamless ogee edge, you have to go with one of Formica’s choices.
So… it’s a tradeoff. Get samples. Go see the edges. Agonize and torture DH. As usual.

See more information on Formica’s website here. And, read on for Formica’s complete news release:

Formica Corporation, the inventor of high pressure laminate and the first to pioneer large-scale laminate design, introduces another breakthrough in laminate with IdealEdge™, decorative edges suitable for curved, clipped or 90-degree corner installations. Available in two versatile profiles – Ogee and Bullnose – IdealEdge™ transcends the customary limitations of laminate by eliminating flat edges and brown seams.

“Laminate has benefited from major innovations in the last few years that have revitalized the surfacing material; IdealEdge™ is yet another one of those breakthroughs,” said Brian LaDuke, senior director of marketing at Formica Corporation. “IdealEdge™ profiles are fabricated like a bevel edge, which allows for more installation flexibility, and have the ability to curve and encase all sides of countertops, islands and tables. IdealEdge™ eliminates the final telltale sign of laminate – the brown line.”

Available in hundreds of Formica® Brand Laminate colors and patterns, IdealEdge™ profiles are produced in 12-foot lengths and are customizable to design specifications.

Formica Corporation continues to lead the industry with innovative designs and green building solutions. Formica® Brand Laminate is available with FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certification and is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute under the GREENGUARD Standard for Low-Emitting Products, including the requirements for Children and Schools.

In addition to IdealEdge™, Formica Corporation expands its 180fx® Collection with five new lighter, more neutral options. The patterns feature the premium finish Etchings™, a softly polished finish etched and dappled with highlights from tiny fissures reminiscent of those found in real granite and stone, or Radiance®, a high-gloss finish that is punctuated with texture and features holographic facets that refract and reflect light.

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Carrara marble laminates – 3 choices – an authentic retro choice

pam kueber — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:32:22 +0000

For either kitchen or, especially, bathroom countertops, I believe that Carrara marble laminates are an authentic vintage choice. I blinded myself searching for them among the 8 retailers of laminate in the U.S. today. The number-one choice, I think, is going to be from Wilsonart — their White Carrara, shown above. Read on for some history and learnings… and for two more Carrara laminates to consider –>

Two points of interest:

Grace Jeffers, the materials expert who advises Wilsonart, wrote about the use of laminates that imitated marble in her write up for Wilsonart on laminates in the 1950s. She also shows laminates that mimic travertine, and points to the influence of modern designers. I tend to believe, though, that carrera-style laminates were even more popular in 1960s. Remember, you can also get Formica White Onyx – which we know for a fact has been on the market in its present form since at least 1963.
Researching this story, I learned about the difference between Carrara marble and Calacatta marble. Both are named for areas of Italy. Carrara has denser, smaller, lower-contrast veins and is light-grayer in its overall effect. Calacatta has much larger veining and, as a result, a grey-on-white effect. The larger-scale Calacatta is being pushed for contemporary homes today – both Formica and Wilsonart have it, part of the appeal seems to be that it has a huge repeat – 5′ – which means that in a kitchen it will be even less evident that it’s not real marble (real marble would have no “repeat”). Don’t ask me why, but I am guestimating that Cararra — not Calacatta — was what we had in old-skool times. Part of this guess is based on the fact that carrara marble has been in my conscientious forever — it’s been around. The big veining of Calacatta? I think that must have become “a thing” with McMansions.

The three choices for Carrara style laminate today — but note, I have not seen these samples except online:

Wilsonart's White Carrara laminate

Wilsonart’s White Carrara laminate — Get samples via their website here.

Luc (laminate) - Abet Laminati

Abet Laminati’s Luc laminate — On their website here.

Marmo Sierra Beige (laminate) - Arpa

Arpa’s Marmo Sierra Beige — On their website here.

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8 places to find retro laminate for kitchen or bathroom countertops + my research tips

pam kueber — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:30:10 +0000

If you are looking for retro-style laminate for a kitchen or bathroom countertop, you have some blinding research ahead of you. Unless there is a home-run-out-of-the-park solution — like the boomerangs, crackle ice or dogbone still available — it’s going to be a hunt-peck-and-forage to find something that’s “close enough” to original laminates from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Here to help is a list of all the places I know — eight places — to look for laminate, along with some tips for your hunt–>

Where to find retro style laminate for kitchen and bathroom countertops:

Abet Laminati – 195 solid colors… 136 woodgrains… 149 patterns… 33 metals… Easy-to-use website. If you need a solid color and can’t find it here — or at Arpa, below — it probably doesn’t exist.
Arpa – Eye-boggling to search, bu, their line real colors, Colorsintensi, is a pretty fabulous range and it may well be worth the trouble to pursue this brand for that reason.
Wilsonart — This is a difficult website to navigate, tip: Make a Shopping Cart or bookmark samples you like right away. Wilsonart says you can order Designer lines — like the 3 pastel-colored boomerang designs in their impossible to find online Indie Collection — through a countertop fabricator.
Pionite — Be sure to check out their linen-look laminates in Abstracts; colors are greyed out – more suitable for 60s and 70s than 50s, but overall, I quite like them.
Formica — Boomerang in charcoal (the only color still available from Formica) is in Homeowners. But, Dogbones, Wefts and Warps are in To The Trade. Tip: Formica lets you see All Swatches once you get yourself on the correct page — look for this feature, it’s easier.
Arborite — They have some patterns I like, including a blueberry that looks like linoleum and some almost-linens. Easy-to-use website.
Nevamar — Their abstracts are definitely worth checking out; I am going to call for some samples. Easy-to-use website.
A Moment in Time — Specialist provider of retro-vintage styles. This is a new company on my radar, and as of Sept. 2011, their prices for 10 shades of boomerang laminate and crackle ice laminate are better than Bars & Booths’ prices. Best price for these specialty designs is at A Moment in Time, which charges $325.50 for a 4′x10′ sheet (vs. $328.79 at Vitro and $425 at Bars & Booths). Shipping is going to be extra. Disclosure: A Moment in Time looks like it’s coming on as an advertiser, but this mention is not part of the deal. If I hear of a better price, I’ll update this story.

Tips:

No substitute for seeing an actual sample – Of course, there is no substitute for seeing actual samples in the flesh. If you can order the samples in an 8″x10″ size, all the better. Smack it down in your kitchen or bathroom — and look at it in all lights during different times of the day. This is a prime opportunity to torture your spouse in the decision-making process.
Do not become enraged by prices for the specialty laminates – Laminate must be stored flat, in a climate- and humidity-controlled environment. Specialty providers often also must invest more to hold inventory, and they do not benefit from the economies of scale possible in mass market production.
Searching is going to take time and will blind you – Some of these websites are better organized than others. Be patient and be sure that, once you find a product page, you look at all the links to ensure you have not missed any sections.
Look in the Commercial section of the websites, too — Look in both the “Residential / Homeowner” sections and the “Contract / To the Trade / Professional” sections. So many of the popular consumer patterns today look like granite. More abstract designs may be over in the Commercial section. Generally, as a consumer you can get product from either section. You *may* have to go to a real countertop fabricator to get Commercial selections — BUT, with the internet now, you likely can also find an online source at a good price. (Just check everyone out.)
Good-Better-Best — Manufacturers have good-better-best grades for a variety of requirements. For example, see this Pionite page showing the different grades possible. Check out the options, and make your decision accordingly. On stuff that requires professional installation, all the more so, because that means replacing the product has two costs.
Buy a matte finish — Keep in mind that shiny finishes show scratches. I have glossy in the two bathrooms, and they are doing just fine. But I would never put glossy in a kitchen. Watch the specifications — if it says “for vertical surfaces only” it means not for countertops, duh.
Share your experiences — Readers, do you have any more tips of your own, or questions?

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