If your laminate kitchen benchtop is looking worse for wear but is still structurally sound, you don’t need to splash out on a full replacement to give your kitchen a fresh, modern look.

Home renovators and designers say there are several affordable ways to transform old laminate surfaces with minimal cost and effort, making a big visual impact without the budget blow-out of stone or timber replacements.

One of the easiest and cheapest options is to paint the benchtop. Proper surface preparation is essential: clean thoroughly, sand the surface and repair any cracks before applying a specialised primer and several thin coats of paint formulated for laminate or high-traffic areas. According to guidance from Bunnings, using paint designed for floors or benchtops improves durability in a busy kitchen environment.

Another increasingly popular choice is to cover the surface with self-adhesive vinyl or “peel-and-stick” film, available in finishes such as terrazzo, marble or woodgrain. The film is cut to size and applied directly over the existing laminate – careful installation helps avoid air bubbles and ensures a smooth finish. Interior design experts such as Home Beautiful note that vinyl wraps can be refreshed relatively easily if trends change again.

For those seeking a more contemporary look, concrete overlays can offer an industrial-style finish. A thin layer of concrete render or micro-cement is applied over the existing top, then sealed with a resin or varnish to protect the surface. While this method requires more skill than paint or vinyl, renovation guides say it delivers a striking upgrade for a fraction of the cost of engineered stone.

Other budget-conscious approaches include tiling over laminate using adhesive tile backer boards, or installing a butcher-block timber top over the existing surface, both of which can introduce warmth and texture to the kitchen.

Whatever option you choose, renovators stress the importance of good preparation and proper sealing to ensure your updated benchtop stays looking great for years to come. Local home improvement stores stock a range of paints, wraps and sealants to help DIYers complete the job.