Applying laminate vertically, such as on a wall panel or partition, creates a dramatic focal point in a home or commercial space – especially when using graphic or large-scale patterns. In fact, our product photography often showcases vertical uses of laminate, such as the one below featuring 180fx® Laminate in Petrified Wood …

From calls to our customer service department and the comments in online discussion boards, Formica Corporation has noticed there is quite a bit confusion regarding whether laminate countertops can be paired with undermount sinks.  The answer – a resounding yes! 

Embarking on a kitchen remodel is no small feat.  As the hardest working room in the home, a kitchen requires careful planning and attention to detail, from traffic pattern and seating clearances, countertop and landing area dimensions and cabinet square footage. 

It’s summer and the heat is on … but make sure you keep it off your kitchen countertops.  Hot cookware can leave permanent burn marks on many countertop surfaces, including laminate.  That’s why we always recommend using a protective barrier such as a trivet (or hot plate, if you may) as a final resting place for oven- or stovetop-fresh pots and pans.  It’s also a good practice to use trivets underneath appliances that get hot, such as waffle irons.

The IdealEdge™ debut this past January at the International Builders’ Show, and its recent showing at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, has been an incredible way to kick off the first half of 2012.  We’re energized by the positive feedback we’ve received from dealers, fabricators and consumers as we continue to roll out IdealEdge™ nationwide - check out our progress below.

Just in time for the National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), Formica Corporation has upgraded its free Formica® eChip™ app for the iPad® by adding enhanced features that make it easier to find the perfect Formica® Brand Laminate, 180fx®, IdealEdge™, DecoMetal® and Formica® Solid Surfacing pattern from start to finish.

On March 15, 2012, the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Design Standards for Accessible Design became fully effective and compliance is now required.  To understand how this might impact your new construction or remodeling project, Chuck Sawyer provides an excellent overview in his article “Understanding ADA:  An Overview of the Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it Pertains to Decorative Surfacing” in the most recent issue of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces (the official publication of the International Surface Fabricators Association). 

During the 2012 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, our new IdealEdge™ decorative edges had everyone talking. If you missed it, IdealEdge™ enhances the realism of laminate by eliminating the brown seam.

The No. 1 question posed about IdealEdge™: How in the world did you do that?” We’re not going to give away all of our secrets … though we are sharing a bit of insight in our new IdealEdge™ step-by-step fabrication video.

Happy viewing!