Thoughts of Purpose: How to Repair a Chipped Formica Counter

Formica is a brand of plastic laminate for countertops.
Formica and other plastic laminate materials serve as economical and low-maintenance alternatives to granite or solid-surface countertop finishes. While plastic laminate holds up well to daily kitchen demands, this material is vulnerable to chips from dropped objects or sharp impacts. Restore the look of your Formica with simple patch and repair methods designed to fix chips in laminate counters.
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Repair Chipped Surfaces

1 Clean the chip and surrounding area with acetone applied with a rag or sponge.

2 Squeeze a small amount of laminate filler or paste that matches your Formica counter onto the edge of a stainless steel putty knife.

3 Apply the filler to the chipped area using your putty knife, filling the chip completely. Allow the filler to dry for 15 to 20 minutes, then scrape away excess filler from the surface with your knife. You may need to reapply the filler if it's a material that shrinks when it dries; follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

4 Wipe the patched section carefully with a rag dipped in acetone to help blend in the patch so it is smooth and level with the surrounding surface.

Fix Chipped Edges

1 Cut the section of damaged edge banding using a sharp utility knife. Use a straightedge to guide your cuts. Remove the damaged section with sharp wood chisel, being careful not the gouge the substrate material behind the laminate.

2 Purchase a replacement piece of Formica in the same finish as the one you removed. Take your damaged sample to a Formica dealer for assistance, or remove a small section of laminate from an out-of-the-way location in your kitchen, such as between the counter and the refrigerator.

3 Apply contact cement to the substrate along the edge of your counter, and also to the back of your replacement section of Formica. Allow the cement to dry for 15 minutes, then carefully line the replacement piece up and press it into place.

4 File the edges of the patched area smooth using a metal file.

5 Fill the perimeter of the patched area with laminate seam filler to complete the repair.