Fitting Laminate Worktop Upstands: A Worktop Express® Nutshell Guide

Our wide selection of laminate worktops are a highly-affordable choice with decors to suit almost any kitchen environment. One of the most common queries concerns the relationship between the worktop and the wall: is it better to tile the wall all the way down to the worktop’s surface, or would a matching accessory such as our worktop upstands be more suitable?

Laminate kitchen worktops should not be attached directly to a wall because of the natural expansion and contraction that any composite (or timber) surfaces experience due to changes in climate.

Because of this movement, we recommend a small expansion gap of around 5mm between the worktop and any adjacent walls. This expansion could be covered by tiling down to the surface, but in order to blend the laminate worktops into your new kitchen, we suggest using matching laminate worktop upstands.

Our upstands are available to match each of the laminate decors in our collection, and are designed to be mounted directly to the wall behind the worktops, and help blend the surfaces into your kitchen whilst covering the necessary expansion gap.

Choosing Worktop Upstands for Laminate Surfaces

All the upstands in our collection are provided with a profile edge that matches the worktop. Each laminate upstand measures 3000mm long, with prices starting at £35 – depending on the laminate décor chosen.

Each upstand is made in the same way as our worktops, and features a composite fibreboard core wrapped in a decorative laminate layer. These upstands can be cut-to-size and any exposed fibreboard refinished with matching laminate edging strips

Installing Laminate Worktop Upstands

Installing laminate worktop upstands is a relatively straightforward task. First cut your upstand to size using a saw, jigsaw or circular saw, before attaching to the wall using a water-resistant silicone. Edges will need to be refinished using easy to apply edging strips.

Please note that the upstand should be attached to the wall and not the worktop: if attached directly to the worktop, the upstand may split or warp if the worktop expands or contracts as the environmental temperature varies.

If you would like to know more about installing your own laminate worktop or laminate worktops in general we have a helpful laminate worktop section in our information guides.