# melanin counter top damaged, best way to repair?



## lortech (Oct 10, 2015)

I have done a little research on how to replace this damaged section of melannin also known as laminate. A hot pot was put on the counter and it caused holes to show up. So, I watch a youtube vidio on "this old house" or other tv show, it showed that taking a new piece of cut out melanin, place over the damaged section and using it as a template, score out the old section. Use a iron to heat and lift out old section.

The other option is cut out the counter and put in a cutting pan with cutting board.  

As long as the gap is minimum to non existent, this can work. The sheet that would be ordered is $180-280 vs what is on stock is $60.00 and minimum size to order is 4x8 sheet. I would rather just buy a section of the sheet to repair. The other issue I am having is ID'ing the type of color in this picture in the link.  I will take that picture and see if google reverse image lookup can find a match. 

http://imgbin.org/index.php?page=image&id=26700

comments what is best/cheapest to do the repair?


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## havasu (Oct 11, 2015)

Anything short of a full replacement countertop will never match and look unsightly in my honest opinion. Have you considered painting the counter top if you only have a small amount of money to spend?


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## JoeD (Oct 11, 2015)

Melamine and laminate are not the same thing. Melamine is much cheaper, thinner, less durable.


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## CallMeVilla (Oct 11, 2015)

Sorry, laminate is so yesterday.  Better to rip out and replace or tile or even granite tile (cheaper than full sheet granite).  No repair will ever look right.


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## DFBonnett (Oct 13, 2015)

It's melamine, not melanin, OP. Melanin, and only melanin, is the reason we have the current occupant of the White House.


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## nealtw (Oct 13, 2015)

http://www.formica.com/en/us
http://www.wilsonart.com/
http://www.arborite.com/
http://www.pionite.com/
http://www.nevamar.com/

To name a few, good luck matching what you have. Malamine is a hard paint usaully white and often found inside cupboards
I have seen a guy do a patch, he uses a router to cut a perfect circle and had some kind of jig to cut a perfect patch. He was doing a solid colour and the home owner had a peice. He said matching a patern was much harder but he did it all the time.


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## Micondude81 (Jan 2, 2016)

Go to store and find matching countertop. On underside of counter there may be a sticker or stamped ink giving size and color to match.


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## beachguy005 (Jan 2, 2016)

I'm with havasu on this one and would consider painting it.  They make countertop paints that are for use on laminate.  I would prep the damaged spots and try to hide just those spots with the paint.
Trying to cut a patch that matches not only that color, but the pattern also, and fit it with tight seams all around....that's going to be hard.


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## lortech (Jan 3, 2016)

There are burned holes in the counter not more then 1/2 across.


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## beachguy005 (Jan 3, 2016)

I didn't notice that it was burned all the way through.  I'll still stand with the issues I noted and for those reasons trying to repair it will be problematic.  Given that it's the end of the counter, I would just get a piece of granite cut the depth of the counter and wide enough to cover the damaged area.  Leave it as a permanent cutting board / trivet for hot pans.


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## Snoonyb (Jan 3, 2016)

lortech said:


> I have done a little research on how to replace this damaged section of melannin also known as laminate. A hot pot was put on the counter and it caused holes to show up. So, I watch a youtube vidio on "this old house" or other tv show, it showed that taking a new piece of cut out melanin, place over the damaged section and using it as a template, score out the old section. Use a iron to heat and lift out old section.
> 
> The other option is cut out the counter and put in a cutting pan with cutting board.
> 
> ...



Another option is to separate the counter at the miter and install a new short miter section, available at any big box, until you can afford to replace the entire counter with something more substantial.


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## lortech (Feb 3, 2016)

got a quote to repair it for 280.00 and a pexiglass insert would be installed in the damaged area.


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## nealtw (Feb 3, 2016)

lortech said:


> got a quote to repair it for 280.00 and a pexiglass insert would be installed in the damaged area.



Why Plexiglas? I think it would have been cheaper to have it changed out for new like Snoonyb suggested.


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## nealtw (Feb 5, 2016)

Here is a bit about how your counter works.
http://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-install-plastic-laminate-kitchen-countertops/

There outfits that supply this stuff and can make you a matching piece.
They all have catalogs and can get the matching stuff, once you have found a supplier, remove the corner and have them match the machining on the new corner.
http://centurycabinets.calls.net/co..._16449024638_kwd-276000394__85585728158_g_c__


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## lortech (Feb 6, 2016)

Now just need to get the dye type "its a soapstone green color" and then call around to a counter place that cut a 45 degree angle piece. this is great! 



nealtw said:


> Here is a bit about how your counter works.
> http://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-install-plastic-laminate-kitchen-countertops/
> 
> There outfits that supply this stuff and can make you a matching piece.
> ...


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## oldognewtrick (Feb 6, 2016)

As stated above, those counter tops are modular and can be separated. Go to Lowes, Home Depot, Menards ... and find a matching piece and replace it for a fraction of the cost quoted.


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## slownsteady (Feb 6, 2016)

Not to rain on the parade, but I'm not convinced you can get a precise enough fit in the field. And if the fit isn't precise, your not going to get a good seal or a good look. If you go with prefab modular counter, do the whole counter. :2cents:


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## lortech (Feb 7, 2016)

IF the 90 degree corner piece was removed from the counter "vidio shows Bolts holding it in place and replicated in a cabin-ate shop, Then it should be no issue installing it back in place with a perfect fit. 




slownsteady said:


> Not to rain on the parade, but I'm not convinced you can get a precise enough fit in the field. And if the fit isn't precise, your not going to get a good seal or a good look. If you go with prefab modular counter, do the whole counter. :2cents:


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## Snoonyb (Feb 7, 2016)

lortech said:


> IF the 90 degree corner piece was removed from the counter "vidio shows Bolts holding it in place and replicated in a cabin-ate shop, Then it should be no issue installing it back in place with a perfect fit.



SNS makes the point that were it attempted to be matched in the field, there could be a problem with the accuracy of the fit.

However cabinet shops have progressively evolved away from these style of counters, as a part of their business.

Instead, laminators have become an industry along with machinery insuring the accuracy of repetitive production, as evidenced by those available from the big boxes.

The likely hood of the product in question being field cut, is remote, and it is more likely it was initially factory fabricated, and the damaged 45 easily replicated and joined.


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## lortech (Feb 8, 2016)

House was made in 2000 so wonder if a cabinate shop would sacrifice a 2 foot cut that is cut into a 45 degree angle. Going to look up the color code if it is stamped under the cabinate near the sink as some one once said it could be located then call around to see if a match is possible. 




Snoonyb said:


> SNS makes the point that were it attempted to be matched in the field, there could be a problem with the accuracy of the fit.
> 
> However cabinet shops have progressively evolved away from these style of counters, as a part of their business.
> 
> ...


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## nealtw (Feb 8, 2016)

You can find a number of shops like that, that carry all five brand, they will be able to match it. The don't sacrifice anything, they sell you the full length and then charge you to cut it. So the waste is yours.


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## Snoonyb (Feb 8, 2016)

lortech said:


> House was made in 2000 so wonder if a cabinate shop would sacrifice a 2 foot cut that is cut into a 45 degree angle. Going to look up the color code if it is stamped under the cabinate near the sink as some one once said it could be located then call around to see if a match is possible.



As often as not a fabricator will stamp the pattern on the underside of the product, generally in a longer field run where the chance of it being removed by field milling is diminished.

Another alternative would be to capture the pattern in a high resolution photo and visit some local fabricators and look at their pattern samples.


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## nealtw (Feb 8, 2016)

Or just pull the end cap off and go shopping.


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## lortech (Feb 9, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Or just pull the end cap off and go shopping.



http://www.wilsonart.com/laminate/design-library


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## nealtw (Feb 9, 2016)

The company I posted earlier is a dealer for five brands, each brand has hundreds of samples.l


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## lortech (Feb 10, 2016)

nealtw said:


> The company I posted earlier is a dealer for five brands, each brand has hundreds of samples.l




Wilson art has a soap stone and it has that kind of texture...but no where does it show a green color soap stone texture.


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## nealtw (Feb 10, 2016)

https://www.google.ca/search?q=form...2OzKAhVL2mMKHbZ6DZAQ_AUIBygB&biw=1682&bih=837
https://www.google.ca/search?q=wils...UIBygB&biw=1682&bih=835#imgrc=UJTCoyPHO1eLpM:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=pion...2uzKAhUS92MKHaKVCL0Q_AUIBygB&biw=1682&bih=835
https://www.google.ca/search?biw=16...7.2.2.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0.7_r1SCs9_P0
Dealers will give you samples so you can match it.


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