Modern Faux Marble Laminate Countertop -How I installed it in a Kitchen with Weird Angles

My favorite modern white marble-look laminate counter and how I cut and secured it to fit in a kitchen with mitered angles for a fraction of the price of real stone!

Have you ever wanted marble countertop? Isn’t it so timeless?

I googoo and gagaed over dreamy Pinterest kitchens with marble countertops for years.

I even went so far as to go to a store and price new kitchen countertops out.

But I couldn’t justify the price for my little old kitchen.

And, to be honest with you, the nice sales lady I talked to, talked me out of it.

She told me to look into laminate countertop that looks like marble but is cheaper. It’s not your mothers laminate anymore. They have come a long way with laminate countertops for a fraction of the price of quartz or real marble.

And I’m glad she did. Because I love the modern marble look laminate countertop that I found!

Table of Contents

• My Favorite Marble-Look Laminate Counter
• Modern Faux Marble Laminate Counter – Video
• How I Installed Stretta White Marble Straight Countertop with Angled Corners
• Supplies
  • Step 1: Remove old countertop
  • Step 2: Trace and cut the countertop at an angle
  • Tips for cutting Stretta countertop:
  • Step 3: Trim the ends of the counter
  • Step 4: Join Countertop Angles
  • Step 5: Install and finish counter edges
• Stretta White Marble Laminate Countertop Installation Tips:
• Stretta Straight Countertop Review
  • Pros:
  • Cons:
• Faux Marble Laminate Countertop Frequently Asked Questions
  • How much do faux marble countertops cost?
  • How difficult is it to install a kitchen countertop with mitered angles?

My Favorite Marble-Look Laminate Counter

Let me tell you about this laminate countertop that looks like the marble of my dreams. (I am not getting paid for this. All opinions are my own.)

I first used fell in love with my favorite faux marble countertop last summer when I used it in my small bathroom makeover.

Stretta white marble countertop has all the qualities I was looking for in a counter:

• Modern design
• Realistic stone slab profile
• Naturalistic white and gray colors and veining pattern

And I have been wanting so badly to incorporate it into my kitchen.

But…whoomph, whoomph…my kitchen countertop has weird, mitered angles, and the manufacturers installation instructions only show how to put it straight up against another piece of counter using their signature londoner joint.

I finally got the courage to try to install this gorgeous faux marble countertop in my kitchen when I decided to makeover my kitchen cabinets by using wood veneer and making modern cabinets doors to reface them. And (spoiler alert!) I still think it is the most realistic faux marble look counter!

Modern Faux Marble Laminate Counter – Video

If you have wanted a marble kitchen counter but are looking for a budget friendly option, are looking for a modern faux marble counter, or want to see how I installed this Stretta white marble counter in my kitchen with weird corners, check out this modern faux marble kitchen countertop idea. Watch how I installed my favorite faux marble counter in my kitchen in this video!

How I Installed Stretta White Marble Straight Countertop with Angled Corners

As I mentioned above, my kitchen countertop has weird angles because it is designed in a kitty corner fashion with the stove in a corner.

Disclaimer: I am not a carpenter. I am just a woman who does a lot of DIY.

So, I thought long and hard about how I could install this countertop myself, make it look nice, and not damage the product.

And I finally decided on a plan to cut the countertop at an angle and attached the two angled pieces together using wood glue and Kreg screws.

Supplies

• Stretta white marble straight laminate countertop
• Painters tape
• Circular Saw
• Kreg Accu-Cut saw track
• Screwdriver or drill
• Utility knife
• Clamps
• Scrap boards
• Wood glue
• Kreg K4 Pocket Hole Jig System
• Kreg screws
• Stretta end cap kit

Step 1: Remove old countertop

First, carefully score the caulking between the wall and old countertop with a utility knife to separate it from the wall.

Then unscrew the screws underneath the counter (inside the cabinets) and lift the old counter off of the cabinets.

If you are removing a piece of countertop with a sink in it, you will also need to shut off the water and disconnect the hot and cold water lines and the sink drain(s).

Step 2: Trace and cut the countertop at an angle

As I mentioned above, I am not a carpenter. So, I don’t know how to figure out how to cut weird angles. I googled it, and read some about it, and I found it confusing.

So, I pulled apart my old countertop, where the weird angles joined together, and used those pieces to trace the angles onto my new countertop so I could cut it at the correct angles.

It seemed a little confusing when I started explaining it, so I have included diagrams to demonstrate what I did.

First thing I did was dismantle my countertop where the mitered angles where joined. There were a few screw looking things on the underside of the counter. So I loosened them and the two pieces of counter came apart because the glue was all dried up.

Next, I had to remove the lip that was on the front of my old counter so I would be able to sit it flat on my new counter to use it as a template. I cut the lip off with my jig saw.

Then, I lined the old countertop up with the back and front of the new counter, to use as a guide, and traced the angle onto the new countertop. I used painters tape on my new counter where I drew my line.

Using a circular saw and Kreg Accu-cut, I cut along the line I had just traced with my old countertop template.

After that, I took the other piece of my old counter and used its angle as a guide to mark and make my second angled cut, that will be joined with the first cut I made, to make my counter fit in the weird angle of my kitchen.

I lined the second piece of old counter up on top of the new counter and traced the angle from the old counter onto the new one and used that line to cut the second angle.

Basically, there were two pieces of countertop that were joined together at an angle to fit in the weird corner of my kitchen. So I needed to cut two new pieces of countertop with the same angles.

Tips for cutting Stretta countertop:

• Cut from the front to the back.
• Use painters tape where you will be cutting
• Use a new/sharp blade.

Step 3: Trim the ends of the counter

Before you start joining the two pieces of angled countertop together, trim the opposite ends of the countertop so it will be ready for finishing once you are done joining the angles together.

Put the countertop pieces on top of the kitchen cabinets and line them up just as you want them to be when you are done. Determine how much overhang you want. Mine hung over about 1/2-3/4 inch past the end of the cabinet. It may be different according to your preference or if an appliance needs to fit.

Step 4: Join Countertop Angles

Once I had both angles cut and had tested how they would fit on the top of the kitchen cabinets I got ready to join the two angled pieces of countertop.

First, I took the smaller piece of countertop (because it was a lot easier to handle) and, using my Kreg jig, drilled pocket holes into the bottom side of the end of the counter that I would be joining to the other piece.

Next, with the bottom side of the counter facing up, I applied wood glue to the end of the counter joint, Then, I lined up the two pieces I was joining very carefully. I sandwiched the joint in between two pieces of wood and clamped it all together.

Once I had the counter angle that I was joining held in place, I screwed it together with Kreg screws.

Then, I removed the clamps and had my husband help me, very carefully, put the countertop in place on the cabinets, being careful not to put any stress on the joint that I just joined.

I cleaned off any excess glue that had dripped out of the joint with soap and water and paper towels.

I let the glue dry for at least twenty-four hours and then I reused the screws I had removed from my old counter to secure it to the cabinets underneath.

Step 5: Install and finish counter edges

This is my second time finishing the ends on the Stretta countertop and this is the best way I have found to do it using the Stretta end cap kit:

1. Make sure you trim the ends of the counter before you apply end cap laminate. (We did this earlier.)
2. Starting at the back of the counter, where it meets the wall, line up the stretta end cap piece so it is covering the end of the counter and flush with the top. You can use a piece of painters tape to hold it in place if you want.
3. Then, holding it tight against the end, trace with a pencil the front curve of the counter
4. Cut the Stretta end cap piece where you marked it with scissors.
5. Start peeling back the protective backing from the end cap piece and press it in place against the end cap of the counter, starting at the front and lining it up, and pressing as you go until the whole piece is in place.
6. If needed, very gently, trim the end cap piece with a very sharp knife.

Since my countertop had minute chips where I cut it I used a very thin line of kitchen and bath caulk on the seams and end caps.

I put down painters tape very close on each side of the seams and end caps and spread the caulk. Then I scraped/smoothed it with a caulk tool and removed the tape while it was still wet.

This also makes me feel more comfortable that water won’t get into any seems.

Stretta White Marble Laminate Countertop Installation Tips:

• Be very careful with the ends/edges of the counter when handling it before it is installed. It can be fragile.
• Trim the end with a circular saw (about 1/2 inch) to make a nice clean flat surface for the end cap to stick to.

Stretta Straight Countertop Review

Pros:

• Inexpensive compared to real stone or quartz countertops
• Looks nice
• Easy to take care of
• No ugly “backsplash” lip on the back of the counter makes it look like a realistic marble slab
• Easy to install and cut (especially if you don’t need any weird angles)

Cons:

• The fragility of the laminate on the edges and corners when installing it
• No manufacturer instructions on how to install with angled corners

Faux Marble Laminate Countertop Frequently Asked Questions

How much do faux marble countertops cost?

For my kitchen with about 16 feet of counter:

• $199 (10) foot piece Stretta white marble counter
• $149 (6) foot piece of Stretta white marble counter
• $40 (2) Stretta white marble end cap kit

About $400 for just materials. I already owned all of the tools.

How difficult is it to install a kitchen countertop with mitered angles?

I have been doing home diy and simple woodworking for about five years and I would say it is suitable for someone who has some intermediate experience and knowledge in these areas. It’s basically cutting a straight line and screwing two pieces of material together. But, you should have some insight into the challenges before you get started so you don’t end up cutting something wrong.

You could always pay to have it installed. I still recommend this counter. It’s inexpensive, good looking, and modern!

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