DIY Install: White Marble Laminate Countertop

Over the summer, I poured a lot of time and effort into upgrading my kitchen. I did things I had no idea I was able to do. There were days when I thought I was crazy for taking on this project, single-handedly. It was a lot of hard work – but man – I acquired a wealth of knowledge and no one can take that away from me. I love my kitchen; I love my home. I built it with passion.

In 2014, I bought a fixer upper… a small house. I knew I could turn it into a home. This was the kitchen.

I went to work and removed the carpet, installed tile, stained the cabinets, updated hardware and light fixtures, and painted everything. This summer, I did the rest.

I removed the old over-the-range microwave and replaced it with a ductless range hood. A small microwave, I purchased for $15 on Facebook Marketplace, sits inside the pantry cabinet. I also bought a new electric range from Home Depot and a fridge from Lowe’s. My first ever stainless-steel appliances. All three offer a minimal and simple design, which helped keep the cost down. I don’t care to control my appliances with a smartphone. Heck, I didn’t even want an ice maker in my fridge. It’s just not something I would use enough and there’s potential for leaks and extra repairs. The appliances I purchased get the job done and I use them daily.

One of the things I didn’t want in the kitchen was the old and very heavy ceiling fan. I swapped it out for a minimal yet efficient light fixture.

The old kitchen faucet had to go. In its place today, a pretty Moen faucet. The kitchen sink stayed. It’s deep and big enough for this kitchen.

Here’s the best part of my remodel. The beautiful, new countertops. When VT Industries let me try their Stretta™ countertops in exchange for an honest review, I was beyond thrilled. I had seen the Stretta™ countertops at Lowe’s and knew these were the countertops I wanted in my kitchen. Sleek, modern, white marble look without the hefty price or maintenance.

The install was easy… even a beginner DIY’er could’ve handled it. I was able to do it on my own. You don’t even need any fancy tools. I chose a handsaw to cut the countertops.

The new Stretta countertop fit like a glove.

The Stretta™ features VT’s Patent-Pending Design Technology, The Londoner^®. The Londoner rethinks the entire miter installation process – making it easy and fast.

Install four biscuits into one side of the countertop. Apply a generous amount of adhesive to both sides. Pull countertops together.

On the underside of the countertop, drive the three specialty screws into the pockets. All the screws, biscuits and adhesive are included in the Stretta Installation Kit. You are now ready to attach your countertop to the cabinets with additional screws.

Apply the end cap to the sides of the countertops.

The hardest and most time-consuming part for me was removing the old countertops, which were glued to the cabinets. Honestly, the install was not hard. Stretta really makes the installation easy.

Once the countertops were in, I got busy with the backsplash. I picked classic white subway tiles (from Home Depot) with an off-white grout. I didn’t want the backsplash to look too “busy” and possibly overpower the creamy whites and subtle gray veining of the countertops.

And because I hate to waste any kind of material, I used the leftover countertop for this DIY island I built using 2x4s.

The table is also a DIY project.

The kitchen truly is the heart of the home and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made. In this kitchen, I’m inspired to cook healthy meals and serve them to the people I love.

You don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on renovating your kitchen. You just need to get strategic and creative about making it both functional and inspirational.

So far, I’ve been very happy with my new countertops. The old laminate countertops I removed held up well (20+ years). I hope Stretta will do the same.

**Thank you to VT Industries for providing the Stretta countertops for my review.**