High pressure laminate (HPL) is the technical term for what most people call "Formica". It was invented in 1913 and used as an electrical insulator and was a much cheaper alternative to Mica. So that’s how it got its name, it was a replacement for mica - FORMICA!

It is made from saturating layers of paper with melamine resin. They are then pressed under heat and high pressure so that the layers consolidate and form a single sheet of laminate.

The sheets of laminate are then pressed onto a substrate of whatever thickness you require, usually between 30mm to 60mm thick.

It is by far the leading choice of kitchen bench tops because of the choice of hundreds of colours, finishes, it is hardwearing, easy to clean, long-lasting, and compared to other surfaces - really cost effective!

There are differing levels of quality when it comes to laminate. Thickness plays a big part. The thickest is Pionite at 1mm, followed closely by Formica at 0.9mm. Most quality laminates are 0.9mm or 0.8mm thick, going down to 0.7mm on the budget range. There are thinner laminates out there. Be careful - they don't last, they delaminate and damage very easily!

The average cost of a laminate top would be roughly $1,000 - but obviously it depends on how big your kitchen is! :