Ideas for galley countertop redo?

[skwanderer]

Originally Posted by Narfi

we used Leggari for the floors and counters in our house and were really happy with their products.

https://leggari.com/counters/order-countertops/

Lots of youtube videos and different examples of color combos on their website. You can get pretty crazy with it and different techniques, but it is just as easy to have a beautiful, conservative, and timeless look as well.

oooh wow! Thanks! this is really interesting!!

[Shrew]

I don't see how you're going to get around the galley sink. It will need to be removed to do ANY of the things you're thinking about. I'm not clear what is so difficult with removing the sink.

[skwanderer]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Firstly unless the subsurface is absolutely sound with zero moisture, rot or delamination, and top surface renewal will simply fail in short order

A poured surface will be very unsatisfactory , these are typically not self leveling ( epoxy etc ) or are quite brittle like enamel . I think you will be very unhappy with the result

The cheapest solution would be to glue down another laminate layer , preferably a solid colour laminate as these dont show scratches , however my comments about a sound under surface apply here too

The go to solution would be a Corian (acrylic and alumina trihydrate sheet ) or other types ( RichLite) , quartz acrylic combinations etc , this would be a complete replacement of the counter top and all trim

Great suggestions and cautions! Thanks! This is why I submitted this question to the forum! Lots more helpful fodder to consider. Much appreciated!

[skwanderer]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I don't see how you're going to get around the galley sink. It will need to be removed to do ANY of the things you're thinking about. I'm not clear what is so difficult with removing the sink.

It's just very tight to get to, and I'm fatigued from recent tight and high effort projects. But you're right, I need to do what's right, not what's expedient. Sometimes procrastination is a mental way of pre-solving what work I've not begun yet.

I had been wondering though about having the sink recessed below the countertop. Right now, when water splashes over the top, or when I wipe off the counter, the edge of the sink is a higher barrier than the countertop. I'd like to have just a flat surface all the way to the sink, not a lip on the edge of the sink. I think a seemless counter without the rim would be clean looking

[skwanderer]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Friends of ours had Corian put in. Looks nice and clean. The Admiral is extremely careful to not scratch it, always uses a cutting some kind of polyethelene cutting board to protect it.

Both granite and tile are heavy.

Maybe replace the Formica?, and then, protect it. It looks like the fridge lid got extra wear.

My sympathies, it IS a really hard place to work. There are special faucet wrenches to help you reach up in the trough on the far side of the sink, that will help. Don't chow down on Christmas treats before you have to get back in there, though!

It will help when you've found what you'll like in there. Concentrate on how nice it's going to be, how much you'll enjoy it. Have a party to celebrate. Try to make it as much fun as possible. And use as many "hiker's mints" as needed and is safe.


Ann

Excellent points, Ann. Thanks! Weight isn't an issue, as my boat is a heavy beauty anyways. I've not considered just replacing the formica. I'll look into that. It's just sooo dated and fugly looking. If you have more info on the faucet wrenches, I'm all ears. Thanks!

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by skwanderer

It's just very tight to get to, and I'm fatigued from recent tight and high effort projects. But you're right, I need to do what's right, not what's expedient. Sometimes procrastination is a mental way of pre-solving what work I've not begun yet.

I had been wondering though about having the sink recessed below the countertop. Right now, when water splashes over the top, or when I wipe off the counter, the edge of the sink is a higher barrier than the countertop. I'd like to have just a flat surface all the way to the sink, not a lip on the edge of the sink. I think a seemless counter without the rim would be clean looking

an underhung sink is very handy , a little more complex to fit as the clips are a bugger to fit in a confined space. in reality on a boat the sink needs to be fitted in advance to the worktop and then installed, which suggests the worktop needs to be removable to service the sink

[goboatingnow]

Maybe replace the Formica?, and then, protect it. It looks like the fridge lid got extra wear

dont use standard formica ( a brand ) , use the brands that are solid color laminates all the way through

[goboatingnow]

tile is awful in my experience, its heavy , the grout gets dirty and ugly, its dates fast

[Bowdrie]

If you pour epoxy you will regret it.
It's soft, it hazes over, it has zero tolerance for UV, it scratches if you look at it crooked, set a hot pot on it by mistake,, it's toast.
I too am in the process of re-doing my galley counter, (1-1/4 Maple,) with under mount sink.
Beautiful, but too much maintenance, now making the patterns that will be laser cut from Stainless, and change the sink to surface mount.
Granite/Corian/Tile/Marble?, no thanks, too hard, it's noisy and a tipped over glass can break too easily, an accidently dropped pot can chip it
For a boat, nothing can come close to all stainless counter tops,, actually there is something better than stainless, it's Monel, but 4>5 times the price.

[sailcrazy]

Following...FWIW, we redid our countertops during a refit in Asia. They pulled the sink, but messed up the cutting, so we have small, Non-matching patches around the edges. But the worst was trying to refit the double-sink drains. The original fittings broke/came apart/were full of Cr, so had to be replaced. New standard baskets and fittings did not fit the old sink. And when I finally found some odd pieces that I could make work, the cross-sink drain connection (again, non-standard sizes) proved to be another real issue, too. I finally found some odd pieces, put them together, and got the 2x drains in-but what a hassle. IF you pull your current sink, handle the old parts with kid gloves, and hope for no corrosion!

[Rosecroft]

Last winter I replaced my 45 her old counter with stainless steel. It looks great, is easy to clean, doesn't get damaged from hot pots... I removed the old laminate and glued the stainless using contact cement. I then cleaned and re-installed the old fiddles.tThe ice box and engine access panel were also covered with the stainless. I added a 90 degree bend at the back off the counter to provide a 2" backsplash. This way I only had to caulk the ends and around the taps and sink.

Working with stainless steel is tricky when it comes to cutouts but it was worth the work. It should be good for another 45years!

Peter
Captain of a Northern 25 called Whimsy

[Narfi]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

If you pour epoxy you will regret it.
It's soft, it hazes over, it has zero tolerance for UV, it scratches if you look at it crooked, set a hot pot on it by mistake,, it's toast.

You don't just use random epoxy, you have to use the stuff that is designed for it and use the full system properly...... Proper prep, Primer, pigmented epoxy, UV stable top coat.... etc... all designed to work with each other. Like anything, do it right. Of course, all options have trade-offs, anything that looks nice you will want to be more careful with, if it's ugly, you just won't care

[billgewater]

There are specific paint products for resurfacing laminates. Check your local hardware store.
We recently resurfaced our galley bench tops using stainless steel. Yes. it does get scratches but it's hygienic and it went straight over everything. The company that did it provided folded edges and cut outs where needed to accommodate the cooktop etc. We attached it to the previous old surface using building adhesive. SS will manage most hot objects. it's what busy kitchens use for its durability and hygiene properties. Get a quote. We found it to be cheaper than most other alternatives. Spouse loves it.

[ozsailer]

I ended up replacing the whole counter top on our former Lagoon 410. It took longer than expected as you will always find other things to do when you start this process. I opted to go with a high grade marine play with a very high grade timber veneer. It was quite the job to get the timber surrounds which were not only glued but also attached by screws, but I was still able to removed it without breaking it. I was able to get the top off in one piece and use it as a template. When installed I used a two pak clear epoxy which stood up to the wear and tear exceptionally well. I only glued the surrounds back on with no issues. The only thing I would do if going timber is to ensure that the internal surround of the sinks are seal with epoxy or similar to stop any water ingress. Pho stone would also work exceptionally well but would require a tradie to measure and install IMO for a good job.


Ozsailer

[boatpoker]

Grantie countertop with undermount sink.
Love that we can chop veggies on the granite and sweep remains into sink.
Love that we can put a hot cast iron frying pan on the granite.

PS. Granite cut to fit $180Cdn. I believe that is about $14.99us