Since kitchen benchtops are designed for heavy usage, some homeowners may not pay particular attention to their care and maintenance. Nevertheless, failure to properly maintain your benchtops will lead to undue damage and premature deterioration. One of the popular benchtop materials people will opt for is laminate since it is both durable and cost effective. If you have recently installed laminate kitchen benchtops, below are some of the tips to caring for them.

Tip 1: Do not expose the laminate to high impact

Durability is not synonymous with impact resistance. Thus, though laminate may be popular due its toughness, this does not automatically translate into it being capable of withstanding high impact. If you drop heavy pots and pans on the laminate, the benchtops will gradually start to exhibit signs of wear and tear. It is also important to ensure that you are not dragging heavy pots on the laminate surface, especially at the points where its seams are connected. Lastly, never chop food directly on the laminate surface. Contact with the sharp knife blades will cause scratches and even chips on the laminate surface, which will mar its overall appearance.

Tip 2: Do not expose the laminate to excessive moisture

Granted, laminate is supposed to be waterproof to an extent. Nonetheless, this does not mean that it is immune to water damage. If water begins to penetrate the seams of the laminate, it leads to it collecting under the substrate of your benchtops. With time, this substrate begins to swell and will inevitably cause your laminate benchtops to become deformed. Therefore, it is important to ensure that water is not constantly flooding the laminate surface. Mop up any spills that occur as they happen and you will prolong the lifespan of your benchtops.

Tip 3: Do not expose the laminate to high heat

It is common practice for people to take hot pans from their stove and place them directly on their benchtops. However, not all benchtops are designed to be heat resistant. Laminate is one of the materials that will start to scorch if it is exposed to high heat. Over time, you will find that blisters begin to form on the surface of your laminate benchtops, making them unsightly. Additionally, the constant exposure to high heat will make the surface of the laminate brittle. This, in turn, causes it to be susceptible to chipping and cracking, which compromises the integrity of the benchtops.