Formica sheet laminate, 6477 Seasoned Planked Elm, displays weathered planked wood in muted medium tones.

Laminate is made in many different grades intended for specific uses. For practical purposes we’ve narrowed this down to two categories; Vertical and General Purpose.

Vertical Grade is ideal for use on low wear surfaces such as cabinet faces and sides, doors, furniture, etc. It is a little thinner than standard grade and thus, a thinner line will be visible at the edges. Vertical Grade laminate is not recommended for countertops or any surface that will likely see a lot of use. Thickness’ can range from .027″ (0.7mm) nominal to .029″ (.7mm) nominal.

General Purpose, is a little thicker and typically is used for higher wear areas like countertops and desktops. This material is less flexible and slightly more difficult to work with but is the standard for making most laminate countertops. Thickness’ can range from .035″ (0.9mm) nominal to .045″ (1.1mm) nominal.