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    • Jan 25, 2012

    by Layla

    Faux Marble

    Kev and I had to make a trip to Home Depot for some epoxy yesterday, and (as usual) we wound up looking at flooring, and tile, and counter tops while we were there, too. We’re both kind of in permanent “look-out mode” when it comes to interesting new design solutions, and we love discovering useful/affordable/neat-looking home stuff!

    We managed to make it out of the store with only the epoxy yesterday, but we were totally blown away by one of the counter top materials we saw while we were there, so I wanted to blog a little bit about it here today. It’s called “Calacatta Marble“, and I’m not even kidding, as I walked up to it in the store I was saying to Kevin, “Ooh! I love marble counters!“. It wasn’t until I reached out to touch it, that I discovered it was actually Formica!

    Here are some pics I found of it online…

    Pretty lovely look-a-like, huh? It was $16 sq/ft. (installed) at Home Depot, which is obviously waaaay more cost effective than real marble, which usually costs between $60-$100 sq/ft.

    This next photos shows an island topped in of one of Formica’s faux granite patterns, but can you imagine how pretty that Calacatta Marble would look with this kind of edge…

    Me likey the thought-y.

    And did you know that you can even use undermount sinks with Formica now, too? Check it out…

    Way to increase the realism factor, Formica!

    Anywho, I know laminate’s not for everyone, but for a lot of folks it’s the right choice, so I thought I’d pass this info along today in case anyone was looking for a “marb”elous-looking, low-dough faux-mica!

    And speaking of spectacular faux counters…check out this amazing concrete creation I found on a Gardenweb thread yesterday. Here’s the before pic…

    And here’s the (concrete) after…

    (note: the homeowner mentioned that they hadn’t quite finished remodeling when that pic was taken.)

    Can you believe that’s a concrete countertop!? Unfortunately I couldn’t track down the lady who posted the pics, but she did say in the comments on that thread that they started by cleaning and scuffing the original laminate surface really well. Next, they applied two layers of a “special mix of concrete” with drying time in between each layer. (Her husband owns a concrete business, and has extensive experience with the stuff.) After that, they created the veining by applying concrete stain using a variety of feathers, sponges and brushes. They finished the surface by grinding, sealing, and polishing it.

    Pretty incredible, huh?

    PS- Here’s a video Formica put together about how they’re able to create their new line of realistic-looking stone counters- which, by the way, is called 180fx. Pretty interesting stuff!

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    102 Responses to Faux Marble

    1. Kathleen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 8:51 am

      Hey Layla and Kevin,
      I just recently painted my counter tops with Giani Granite Paint. It’s a pretty realistic alternative. and at only $60~
      Sort of wish I had seen those faux marble ones first though!
      http://btweenblueandyellow.blogspot.com/2012/01/giani-granite-paint-review-and-give.html

      Reply
    2. Danielle says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 8:56 am

      Very cool! I’m dying to do our kitchen over but we’re on a shoestring budget. I love the look of these counters. We currently have slate and they are so porous. Constantly having to oil them with mineral oil.

      Reply
    3. Linda @nothing-but-blue-skyes says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 8:57 am

      WOW – We replaced our counters with a Corian-type, solid surface. It looks great – I didn’t want granite at the time because EVERYONE was using it. It looks like granite anyway, doesn’t need a lot of maintenance, and was a heck of a lot cheaper. But this stuff looks FAB! I couldn’t wait to pull out the cr*appy yellow (harvest gold, barf) Formica that was original to my 70′s ranch. This stuff is such an improvement. I guess Formica was wanting to jump back into the market, as they were getting a ‘bad name.’ WOW!

      Reply
    4. Necole Kell says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:01 am

      What a budget savvy alternative. I love it!

      Reply
    5. hello haha narf says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:08 am

      holymoly, great to know! thanks.

      Reply
    6. Colleen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:08 am

      BE still my beating heart! ok now thats a price point I can jump on!…our counters are 18 years old and I think a little Home Depo trip or a big sanding job is in order!
      Thanks for sharing this Kevin & Layla! Amazing information!

      Reply
    7. Brian GadgetSponge says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:15 am

      Wow! What a great find. This product should fly off the shelves in kitchens everywhere. I’m already thinking of different applications. Thanks!

      Reply
    8. Laura@Ms Smartie Pants says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:23 am

      Oh Layla, don’t do this to me, I have butcher block sitting in my garage ready to be installed right now. I love the look and price of this!

      Reply
    9. Emily says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:28 am

      SHUT. THE. FRONT. DOOR! I don’t love the feel of formica and am leaning towards an engineered stone….but OH. MY. GOSH that looks incredible! Is it that pretty in person?

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 9:49 am

        YES! Like I said, I was literally saying “Ooh! I LOVE marble” as I was walking up to it in the store. Definitely fooled me!

        Reply
    10. SuzyMcQ says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:31 am

      Wow, what an incredible alternative! I have a comment and a question. On the image with the stove/range of my dreams, I think the countertops don’t look like real marble because of their thickness. Marble generally would not be that thick, would it? My question: Could you make the Formica countertops thinner to mimic real marble, or does that make them “unsturdy”?

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 9:47 am

        Hey Suzy! Check out the first and fourth Formica inspiration photos in this post. I like those edges better, too! :-D

        Reply
      • Jennifer says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 2:04 pm

        We had countertops very similar to the ones in the 4th picture. We have the beveled edge. It costs a bit more, but it looks great. We replaced our white Formica countertops for this style. It’s a great product for the price.

        Reply
    11. Morgyn says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:31 am

      WOW! We need to re-do our counters..I LOVE the look of marble-hate the cost! I’m definitely going to be looking into this..btw random but Where are the curtains in your dining room from? I LOVE them!

      Reply
    12. tracyo says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:36 am

      Wow Layla! You got my wheels turning! Thanks!

      Reply
    13. Heather K says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:39 am

      I’d be really interested to hear more about the concrete counter top. We just bought our own little cottage and they hadn’t done much in the last 46 years to it before we bought it. We have the original wonderful yellow speckled Formica still. At least it goes well with my red Kitchenaid ;)

      Reply
    14. Jen @ a place 2 call home says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:40 am

      Wow the faux marble countertop is gorgeous, just a really convincing fake, and great colors. The cement one was pretty fantastic too, but since they were experts I wonder how easy a diyer would do with it? Thanks for sharing, pretty inspiring stuff!

      Reply
    15. yby5 says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:41 am

      Your post is so timely as I’ve been saying to my husband that I would like to put marble on our island…we did a major remodel about 6 yrs. ago and at the time the budget allowed for laminate. Not being a huge fan to start with, we did find a granite looking laminate. It’s fooled everyone that comes to our house…it even has a bit of a texture to it. Recently, relator friends visited and they we’re even fooled. So thanks, for sharing info.about the marble laminate…we still don’t have real marble in the budget…this may do the trick!

      Reply
    16. Whitney says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:44 am

      I’m loving that!!!!

      Reply
    17. Julie @ Pushing Twigs says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:45 am

      This is a timely post. We have a rent house that needs serious kitchen updates but the cost of granite (and the care of it) is too much. We saw the newest Formica products and were sold. I’d rather spend the money to repair this than for new granite for a rental! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    18. Tonya@mycozylittlefarmhouse says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:53 am

      OMG! LOVE that. I have always loved marble but thought it was 1) out of my price range 2) much to fussy to maintain. But seeing this has really changed my mind. I love the look, it is in my budget and easy to maintain. SWEET! Thanks for being a lookey-loo. Haha! Lookey-Loo Layla is kinda catchy! ;-)

      Reply
    19. Sandra says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:57 am

      I have loved white marble forever and since we are about to do some upgrades (budget concious) in our kitchen I was thrilled to see the Formica option. We knew we would have to use Formica or one of the less expensive countertops and this one is definitely worth looking into, thank you!

      Reply
    20. Michelle says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:06 am

      Really appreciate this post. We’ll be updating our builder grade kitchen and I’ve been in love with marble forever but my husband it not in love with the price. Might be a nice compromise in order.

      Reply
    21. Frugal Jen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:14 am

      When it came to our last home kitchen reno we used the formica granite look and feel. It was very inexpensive and I loved it! I used real slate tile as the backsplash to bring in natural stone. Right now we have renters in so I’m thankful we didn’t spend a ton on granite.

      I’m so glad to hear you mention this. Not all homes need granite, but most of all not everyone can afford to put that much $$ into counters.

      Reply
    22. Jane Crawford says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:15 am

      The second picture looks exactly like the Imperial Gold granite I just paid a fortune for!!!

      Reply
    23. Pammy says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:26 am

      LOVE, love, LOVE concrete countertops, but I’ve never seen one that looks like marble – and THAT countertop turned out GORGEOUS!!!

      Reply
    24. Nette @ This Dusty House says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:35 am

      It looks gorgeous! I would wonder though, how long it would stay looking so nice? Of course, everything wears, but I imagine marble would wear differently than formica. How long before it would really start looking fake? It’s a gorgeous option though, especially for people who don’t like marble or granite because of how cold it is. My SIL was uninterested in either when they built their house because of how loud it sounds when you set a glass on it. A really convincing fake? Problem solved!

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 10:38 am

        Hi Nette! :-D
        I guess it would wear like any other Formica? The Formica that’s on the kitchen counter here at our house was installed by the previous homeowner in 2003, and it still looks brand new! The pattern/color wouldn’t have been my first choice, but we sure have enjoyed how durable it is. We’re pretty rough on it! :-D

        Reply
    25. The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:41 am

      Those look AMAZING and I think if you’re going for a look like that and don’t have the money at the time for the real thing it’s a great way to give it a trial run while saving up for it! Gorgeous!

      Reply
    26. Jimmy says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:46 am

      That is a really impressive material. I had no idea they were doing that with counters now. I’m a butcher block kinda-guy myself (it just has a warmth and glow to it that you don’t find in marble, IMO). I know it’s inferior in a lot of ways (cleaning, longevity, etc) and that marble, etc has the greater re-sale value by far, but if I’m buying I’d rather go butcher block and then spend the leftover money to upgrade elsewhere. The faux-marble might be a nice compromise, though. Looks great.

      I recently installed the new faux-ceramic tile (Traffic Master Ceramica Resilient Vinyl) for my bathroom floor after seeing it in two other houses. I absolutely love it. They go down like real tile – you grout them and everything – and I swear they look exactly like ceramic. Like you, I had to literally feel them to realize they weren’t actual ceramic tile. At $1.10/sqft (and with a Lifetime warranty you’d never get with real tile), I think they are a steal.

      I’d also highly recommend these for people that live in colder climates – as they don’t get cold under-foot like real tile does.

      I don’t know about other people, but I’m really loving this faux-material resurgence. Super cost-effect, highly comparable substitutes.

      [wow - long-winded comment. Sorry!]

      Reply
    27. Jamie says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 10:53 am

      Yay! I noticed that this month’s BHG had some faux marble countertops in it, but I could definitely tell that they were not the real deal. I like the edges on some of the ones you listed. I love the idea of marble, but not necessarily the durability and difficulty of caring for them. Must investigate further. , ,

      Reply
    28. colleen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:12 am

      well few yrs back we redid our kit. i had laminate counters that were lifting oh that was FUN yeah right. so couldn’t get on the granite band wagon[ didn't want the popular expensive choice] soooo went with butcher block. it was less expensive than anything and my cabinet guy+hubby installed. still looks good . i do like the look of this but make sure you figure in the cost of install.

      Reply
    29. karen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:17 am

      I have a feeling that formica 180fx is really going to take off!!
      I’m getting the real deal…etching and all…

      Reply
    30. Curious Details says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:17 am

      This is so pretty and would work perfectly in my boys bathroom.

      Thank you!

      Reply
    31. Dreams On A Dollar says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:18 am

      I want to do something DIY to our countertops bc we have a lot of them and a huge bar area so the cost of replacement would be ridiculous as well as I like the design of ours. We are pretty funny in the hardware too but I haven’t seen these new countertops. I started a site at http://www.dreamsonadollar.com and put you on my blogroll…is that ok? I also have a foodie site at http://www.bestfoodies.com. Please stop by sometime!

      Reply
    32. Just 3 more days says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:33 am

      Wow! That’s actually a pretty cool solution for budget pinchers such as myself. We’re in a rental for the next year or so and I am ALWAYS in “look out mode”. I buy things for a house we dont even own yet. How bad is that? lol The Hubs and I are big DIY’ers & know the next house we purchase will be a fixer upper per choice.

      Anyway, I too like the more curved and molded edges. It adds a bit more dimension and interest. Not to mention more realism. Have you seen the paint treatment you can put on your countertops that make it look like granite? Very interesting.

      Reply
    33. Angela Fritz says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:35 am

      Man! This is great news!!!
      We have two small kids, both in private out-of-pocket therapies for various things. Any money we’d like to spend on marble countertops goes to them! But this.. this is good stuff. Right now we have an 8 year old, neglected laminate countertop that’s peeling off the particleboard (or whatever’s under there). I was entertaining those oak countertops from IKEA.. but this might be a good solution too! Thanks for blogging about it! I’m always looking for ways to make our newly-acquired first house more like a home!

      Reply
    34. Tracey says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:45 am

      Ha! The picture of the island with the granite-looking formica is the style my hubby and I landed on for our new countertops! ;D Love the marble, too! I used to work at a concete and masonry supply house and we stocked all the products that contractors use to make countertops. We even put on a few demos of them making counters and bowls. It was so exciting to watch and see what each guy came up with. It’s truly an art form and the final product can be absolutely gorgeous! I used to make all the brochures for the company and the tagline I came up with was, “Concrete doesn’t have to be gray and boring anymore!” So true!

      Reply
    35. Jen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:46 am

      That’s insane! When I saw that before picture I thought “hey…wait a minute…I’ve been in that kitchen!”. And yes, it’s true, her husband is awfully good at the whole concrete thing…they’re friends of ours…how cool that she made it to your blog! :)

      Reply
    36. Connie@Connie Nikiforoff Designs says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:49 am

      Yup! Already knew about this great Formica. Amy over at Maison Decor used it in her kitchen. http://maisondecor8.blogspot.com/ That’s where I saw it first. You can check out her blog to see it there too. Great stuff!

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 11:58 am

        Oh- WOW! Thanks for alerting me to Amy’s kitchen, Connie!
        Here’s the post about it if anyone else is interested in checking it out:

        http://maisondecor8.blogspot.com/2011/11/kitchen-makeover-summary.html

        Reply
        • amy@maison decor says:
          Jan 25, 2012 at 9:20 pm

          Hi Layla, I have to say we LOVE this countertop but made one big mistake~we ordered the edge that showed the telltale line. At the home center the brochure showed this edge but you could not see any line~and I wanted the thick square slab look..anyway it arrived and my heart sunk. So the solution was white paint along the edge and it was a huge improvement. However when I order it again for the master bath, I will get a preformed edge, not the “custom square edge” .

          Reply
      • amy@maison decor says:
        Jan 25, 2012 at 9:20 pm

        Thanks Connie!~you are a pal for mentioning my kitchen!

        Reply
    37. Malissa M says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 11:53 am

      Oh my goodness! I love!! We’ve been renovating our laundry room and found an inspiration pic that had marble countertops but there was no way I was spending that kind of money when my kitchen counters are still formica! haha :-) I couldn’t find it on Home Depot’s website though. What did it feel like in person? And do you have to have Home Depot install it? Only problem I’d run into is that we have a mudroom sink on the other side of the room that literally only has maybe two inches of counter surrounding it – not sure what I would do with that? Thanks so much for the idea Layla – I might just have to make a trip to Home Depot today! :-)

      Reply
    38. SheilaG says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 12:31 pm

      Well, I was going to tell you about Amy’s formica over at Maison Decor, but looks like someone beat me to it. :) One piece of advice from Amy was to not choose the standard straight edge- it showed a black seam on the edge which she had to go back over with white paint to blend in. http://maisondecor8.blogspot.com/2011/10/kitchen-is-done.html
      The other edges apparently don’t do that?

      Reply
    39. Sarah Ives says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 12:44 pm

      I’ve always dreamed of marble counter tops but they just aren’t in my budget. I love the idea but think I have to see it in person to see if I love it in real life. I will be heading to Home Depot soon to check it out. Thanks for the heads up.

      Reply
    40. Design Love says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 12:57 pm

      Layla,
      I did the same thing at HD!!! It was so beautiful, and looked like the real thing. I may put it in my laundry room. If I do, I’ll send a pic.

      Cindy

      Reply
    42. Carrie - The Corson Cottage says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 1:06 pm

      Oh my goodness, these counter tops look fabulous. I have heard of them before, but never seen photos of the finished product. Love it. The hubs will love it too when we get to start tearing into the remodel of our new home. I keep rambling on about marble counter tops and he says no way not in budget. I told him don’t worry I will find some alternative;) Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    43. Nicole says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 1:36 pm

      Thanks for passing on the info, I had no idea about those options!

      Reply
    44. terrillr says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 1:47 pm

      I LOVE this! I’m one of those weird people that actually prefer formica for the most part. I seem to have champange taste with a beer maintenance/cleaning personality! I love the real stuff, but also know I won’t maintain and clean properly for the long term. I’ve always like formica cause it’s easy to clean, and I’ve never had problems with burning, cutting, staining, etc. I’ll have to look for this.

      Reply
    45. Lisa says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 1:52 pm

      I love it! And the blue glass tile backsplash in the photos is what we have in our kitchen. BUT, are you certain in was only $16/sf installed? I called our Home Depot and was told it is $29/sf!

      Reply
    46. Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 2:03 pm

      Hey, Lay! They are always coming out with new & improved products! I have not seen this marble faux look, but I would totally be open to something like that. Granite & marble is so darn expensive. When I get my little fixer upper, this might be just the thing I need to look at. Love it!

      Reply
    47. Rosa @ flutterflutter says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 2:32 pm

      I like the look of that first pic! And the price!! :)
      I thought of you guys last night as we were putting up a curtain rod by candlelight after our power went out! I caught myself wondering if you guys had ever DIY’d in the dark… it’s pretty hard core, I have to say. LOL

      Reply
    48. The M's @ Craftsman 1204 says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 3:13 pm

      Oh how I wish we’d seen this a few weeks ago lol. Very cool!

      Reply
    49. Kristin S says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 3:37 pm

      My jaw is currently dropped.

      Reply
    50. Susan, The Kitchen Designer says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 3:52 pm

      I LOVED this faux marble when I saw it at the kitchen show last year. The best thing about it is that it goes on for 5′ before the pattern repeats which is unusual and helps it looks real. It gives those on a budget an absolutely fabulous alternative to the real (expensive) thing. Love it too!!!

      Reply
    51. Beth says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      Oh the word formica makes me think of old restaurants!! and my childhood home, and now I actually want some! I love all the options they have now. They have uppdated for sure… and my kitchen is in need of an overhaul!!!

      Reply
    52. Karen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 4:59 pm

      I love the concrete…..how creative were they????

      Reply
    53. Jessica says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 5:35 pm

      The concrete solution is so creative and unique! I haven’t seen that before. Laminate has come a long way, The really pattern-y colors, like the color on the 180FX brochure picture, can get tricky if you have a seam in the corner with the direction change. IDK about undermounting a sink with laminate. Excessive water + particle board= possible disaster but it looks cool!:)

      Reply
    54. LoriB says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      I have the granite looking formica you show in the pics, I love it the only downfall was the builder used a golden oak edge instead of the continuous one that makes it look like actual granite. It’s also much more stain resistant, I did manage to scratch it by accidently dragging a sharp edge across but I’m the only one who sees it because it blends with the veining.

      Reply
    55. Jenna at Homeslice says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 6:27 pm

      wow. how great is this! Both look pretty real, I’d love to see them in person though! Guess I’ll have to check them out!

      Reply
    56. Jill Valeri@The Welcome Home says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 6:37 pm

      Thank you!!! I am working on a complete kitchen remodel for a client and she has champagne taste and a beer budget. I had heard about this but I had not seen it. It is amazing and I will order my samples tomorrow so I can present them at our next meeting. I love the look of the Calacutta Marble and I think she will too. She will be concerned about durability and I will need to ask questions about that and maintenance but this is a great option.

      Reply
    57. erin says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      Hey Lay! I picked that calacatta formica out for our beach cottage kitchen last summer! Can’t wait to have it installed! Great post :)

      Erin

      Reply
    58. alison says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 8:01 pm

      I went to Home Depot today to see this person and didn’t find it. The Formica countertop display didn’t include this and the representative didn’t know what 180fx was–she also said, like the above poster, that installing their “nice” formica options for $29 a sq foot, not $16. So strange! I wonder if they’re rolling it out regionally? I’m located in Texzs. So strange!

      Reply
    59. kathleen says:
      Jan 25, 2012 at 9:32 pm

      Mmmk those faux marble countertops are so pretty!

      Reply
    60. elaine says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 12:11 am

      great post on a great product. we just did our laundry room and used this marble with an ogee edge for the counters. I love it and the price is so do-able.

      Reply
    61. Kate says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 8:00 am

      Great Timing! I’m redoing my kitchen – on the cheap – as I am unemployed right now. So I have time to take down walls but no money to replace them. Ha! We’re using demolition cabinets, etc. This is GREAT!

      Reply
    62. Penny says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 8:06 am

      Holy fake-marble Batgirl!! That does look real, I’m gonna have to go check it out this weekend. I’m trying to help my decor challenged brother decorate his house from 450 miles away & this would be perfect for him! Can ya tell I’m excited? Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
    63. Krystle @ ColorTransformedFamily says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 8:10 am

      I discovered that Formica had these granite/ marble look alike counters a year ago and my husband and I fell in love with it. We would love the real thing but would be impractical in our townhouse where we wouldn’t earn the money bag. A laminate alternative is a better investment for us. We hope to use it in our kitchen sometime soon!

      Reply
    64. Colleen says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 8:42 am

      I have granite look Formica in my kitchen and unless you walk right up to it and touch it, you can’t tell it from granite. It’s about 7 years old and holding up nicely. It does have scratches (as most Formica will) but you can’t really see them.unless you are looking for them. I would be glad to send pics if anyone wants to see it.

      Reply
    65. Amanda Boykin says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 10:42 am

      Very Cool!! Thanks so much for sharing, I’m definitely going to try this!! :)

      Reply
    66. Melinda says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 3:25 pm

      I ran to the phone and called the closest Home Depot – the girl was a snot and she didn’t know anything about this calacutta marble formica. So I called the next closest and it is only available for special order and is $25 for product and install per sq foot. Darn, I was ready to get the ball roliing !!

      Reply
      • Stephanie says:
        Feb 11, 2012 at 10:21 pm

        I called a local place that installs it – not only do they sell it by the LINEAR foot, which is different than square foot, the installation was a one time fee. That being said, I’d call local places to see if they are cheaper than the big box stores. I found them by going to the formica180fx website and there was a link that said something like find a dealer near you…

        Reply
    67. Jeff says:
      Jan 26, 2012 at 11:07 pm

      If you’re looking for faux marble for bathroom surfaces (showers and vanity tops) you’ve gotta check out Tyvarian (tyvarian.com). They use digital images of real stone combined with cultured marble.

      Reply
    68. Charlene says:
      Jan 27, 2012 at 12:08 am

      Wow, thats great. Is funny I will be redoing my kitchen and I think I will be going for that counter. Great post. All the way from Canada

      Reply
    69. Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
      Jan 27, 2012 at 5:25 am

      WOW! I can’t believe that isn’t a real slab of concrete. Gorgeous!

      Reply
    70. Heather says:
      Jan 27, 2012 at 5:36 am

      I am so disappointed. I fell in love with the look of these counter tops and immediately called Home Depot. They told me $18 sq/ft and $30-ish sq/ft installed (depending on edging design). Could that be true? Would it vary that much from state to state?

      Reply
    71. Courtney says:
      Jan 27, 2012 at 8:23 am

      Thanks for the info! What a cost effective alternative to solid surfacing!

      Reply
    72. pam says:
      Jan 27, 2012 at 10:33 am

      I checked on this yesterday – I am outside Dallas. They said it would be around 35 per linear foot installed with a waterfall edge. Still a lot cheaper than other options –

      Reply
    73. Lisa says:
      Jan 28, 2012 at 8:53 am

      Thanks for showcasing the mini makeover we’ve done in our kitchen :) . The concrete overlay was a perfect solution for our kitchen. We needed something cost effective since we hope to eventually completely renovate. It has held up beautifully and I love how it looks in our ‘new’ kitchen.

      Reply
    74. Gina in Louisville says:
      Jan 28, 2012 at 9:09 am

      I had this installed in 2010 and love it. My total cost was $500 for the counter, beveled edge, and installation (by the cabinet man).
      IMG_2822.JPG

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      Reply
    75. Cheri says:
      Jan 28, 2012 at 10:06 am

      I”m SO happy you posted about this! I’ve been dreaming of a marble counter top for years — but the price would be outrageous in our kitchen with LOTS of counter top space. THIS is perfect!

      Oh, and at our previous house (over 10 years ago) we had a Formica counter top installed with an undermount sink and it was amazing!

      I might have new counter tops sooner than I thought!
      Thanks!

      Reply
    76. Tanya W says:
      Jan 28, 2012 at 10:50 am

      My husband installed the in stock (gasp!) Formica 180FX countertops in Antique Mascarello from Home Depot about 6 months ago and I couldn’t be happier. Not everyone has thousands of dollars to blow on countertops and these only cost us about 300. Will we keep them forever? No, but we were able to go with an attractive temporary solution to an otherwise ugly problem. The light marble ones are really lovely! Excited to see future projects from you guys!

      Reply
    77. Virginia says:
      Jan 29, 2012 at 3:02 pm

      We put in the granite look formica and you simply cannot tell the difference. It even has a texture to it. I love it!

      Reply
    78. tim moon says:
      Jan 30, 2012 at 7:37 am

      Looks wise this is working for me but I’m concerned about the suggestion that you can fit an undermount sink in a lminate top. That will de-laminate pretty quickly unless you chaps in the USA can do things with laminate tops we can’t do in the UK!

      Reply
    79. Julie says:
      Jan 30, 2012 at 4:04 pm

      I can not believe this is laminate, I can’t wait to show my husband his new project. Thanks

      Reply
    80. Lynn says:
      Jan 31, 2012 at 12:46 pm

      Formica is SO much easier to keep clean and looking good than granite or marble. I knew if I waited long enough people would start coming around. Hurray for Formica for responding to the market with their great product. Now if I can just persuade every one to quit it with the stainless or black appliances and go back to white, also easier to keep clean and looking good. From a long-suffering cleaning lady.

      Reply
    81. Tami Hozempa says:
      Feb 6, 2012 at 12:52 pm

      I am in love with the concrete faux marble counters! That just rose to the top of my list of new countertop materials!!! Wowza

      Reply
    82. Coral Young says:
      Feb 10, 2012 at 11:01 pm

      I just had Calacatta Marble counters installed in my new kitchen last week and it is absolutely gorgeous! You can even feel the little pock marks that real marble has. It adds real depth and richness to the whole kitchen. It’s definitely way beyond my expectations!

      Reply
    83. Brooke says:
      Feb 14, 2012 at 3:47 pm

      This is so great, thanks for sharing! I am considering the 180FX countertop but still haven’t found anyone local who has it as a sample (larger than the 8×10″) I wanted to do a real marble subway tile backsplash, how do you think they would look together? Would it make the countertop look more fake?

      Reply
    84. Melinda says:
      Feb 20, 2012 at 12:35 pm

      I had our local hardware store designer come and measure for the calacutta faux. She just called and it is $1258 for my tiny amount of countertop !! That is not installed. I ask her what that was per sq. foot and she said $26 ! Wish I lived where you do. Wondering if you were mis quoted.

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Feb 20, 2012 at 12:42 pm

        Whoa! :-O The sign on the countertop we saw definitely said “installed”. Maybe they were having a sale at that time. ? Should’a snatched it up then, I guess! :-D

        Reply
    85. Melissa says:
      Mar 8, 2012 at 5:13 pm

      I went to my local home depot and they didn’t have it and when I showed them an image they said they don’t sell it:( total bummer!

      Reply
      • Layla says:
        Mar 8, 2012 at 8:25 pm

        Hey Melissa,
        Ours said they didn’t have it when we went back to look at it a few weeks later, too. I made them look reeeeally hard on their computer, and they found it. :-D
        It’s made by Formica, and they can definitely order it!

        Reply
    86. Melissa says:
      Mar 9, 2012 at 6:00 pm

      I ended up going to lowes and they can order it(: they have to call on Monday but I’m verrrry excited(:

      Reply
    87. Heather says:
      Jan 9, 2013 at 7:00 am

      Hi! Just saw this post while perusing your blog. I’m an interior designer in savannah and used the Calcutta Marble in a small home my husband and I only plan on living in a few years. I drool over white marbles but installing them in a home that will sell at a mid level price point here doesn’t really make since unless we were going be here long term to enjoy them. I was a little nervous that theyight be a little laughable (think 4ct diamond earrings working the drive trough at Taco Bell). They turned out beautiful. The finish isnt flat like old Formica. it has a texture that is more believable. The only the only thing my overly scrutinizing eye didn’t care for was that once installed I noticed the end caps where the countertop was not rounded has a strip of laminate to cover the fiberboard backing.the seam, though small showed the fiberboard where true marble would have been smooth. My husband thought I was insane to notice ,but I simply mixed some paint to match and painted the small crease. PERFECT! I love them. I also noticed either Wilsonart or Formica brand has replica stone laminates that are cool to the touch like true stone.

      Reply