Definition: Lamination, lam, lammed edges.
When you hear a designer here in at our granite showroom talk about ‘lammed edges,’ they are not referring to sheep of any sort. Instead, this is fabrication slang for lamination, the process of placing two materials immediately against each other in a sheet.
For granite, this refers to the process of using an epoxy to glue a strip of stone along the bottom edge of another piece of stone, thereby creating the illusion of a deeper slab. Sometimes a strip of a different color is introduced, to create a stripe of contrasting rock. When done correctly, the seam is practically invisible, and the edges of the stone counter seem to curl around the cabinetry, completely obscuring the joint between wood and rock.
If done incorrectly, an off-color line may mar the appearance of your edge. The process is made more difficult by the streaks of brilliant color and quartz appearing in some granite colors; this may cause a V-shape, like a feather, to appear along the edge of a counter.
Lamination is very common with two-centimeter wide stone, or 2cm. A laminated edge at 4cm, when finished, is very elegant and gives a beautiful finish. It is not so common to see 3cm materials lammed; a 6cm edge looks very thick and sometimes chunky, and is not usually appropriate in a residence; however, a conference table or commercial application sometimes benefits from the look of added weight.
The height of your countertop should also be taken into consideration. The primary function of a laminated edge, apart from the appearance of thicker stone, is to hide any imperfections at the seam of cabinet and countertop; and the efficacy of that approach is directly impacted by the height of the seam and whether people will be likely to have their eyes drawn to that edge.
Always discuss lamination with your designer, and take into consideration the pattern of your stone, whether you are using 2cm or 3cm, and the height at which your slab will sit when the project is completed.
Heidi Breton
Schumacher Tile & Stone
April 7th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
wow, i didn’t know there were so many options for countertops, and to be honest i never really considered they would be about the edges either, thanks for the info, it really made me think.
April 9th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
You’re very welcome! If you have any specific questions you’d like answered, please just comment and I’ll get it taken care of.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:53 am
I just recently got my counter tops redone and went with laminate edges. I like the process, look, feel, as well as the cheap cost that I have also decided to replace my carpets with laminate flooring. Laminate flooring not only looks exactly like real hardwood flooring, but is cheaper and overall easier to install.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Yes, I agree.
One of the things that attracts many people to buy laminate flooring is the easy of installation. There is no question that laminate is far easier to install and take care of than pure hardwood floors. And they look just as great and give years of durability just as well as hardwood floors as well.
May 12th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Laminate flooring as well as hardwood flooring have their pros and cons, as I discussed in this article: What is Engineered Tile?. This post has to do specifically with an edge finish method for granite, not laminate countertops and flooring. Thanks for your comments!
May 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
great article, I really liked the lammed and other industry slang parts:) making it appear thicker is a nice tip too plus the cleaner seamless laminate edging tips. keep up the good work.
January 1st, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Anyway,thanks for sharing as i have knew.Lamination is quite fashion right now as it’s beautiful finish,hard,much cheaper than other stone at some point.So our company going to sell this althought this is not new hot product,mature.So interesting people stay tuned. Thanks!
February 28th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
When it comes to remodeling a kitchen then, selecting a laminate sheet made by AEON method is an effective to create a nice clean look. Aeon is exclusive to Wilsonart Premium Laminates and can quickly create a work top that is strong, scuff proof, heat proof and has a good thickness that will endure for at least two decades. It has been so rigorously tested, and is guaranteed not to warp if something hot is put on the surface, and its looks won’t fade either.