So, you’ve just completed the renovation and you’ve got some extra laminate lying around. What do you do with them? Chucking them in the bin would be a waste a of good money spent. Plus, you’d feel bad about it (you will feel bad, right?!). Fortunately, floor laminates have way more uses than just flooring. Come. Let’s explore 12 fun alternative uses for laminates.

Create a feature wall

Got an artistic streak in you? Or at least have a friend who does? ‘Cause laminates have great potential to be the next Michelangelo piece. Their textures, designs, and colours are legion. Stone. Wood. Metallics. They’re all there. With that kind of palette, creating something uniquely your own is not impossible. Grab a pair of scissors and cut them into any shape, organic and geometric. The possibilities are endless.

Remodel and Refresh Furniture

Give your old beaten-up furniture a new lease on life. Floor laminates’ multitude of patterns and design means that you could refresh any ol’ thing or, better yet, give a new look. Got antiquated furniture? Give it the Scandinavian look with white or light woodgrain laminates. Going for the industrial look? Slap some concrete or slate laminates on your kitchen cabinets. 

Inner (bookcase) beauty

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, yes? It’s what inside that counts, right? Make that plain ol’ bookshelf really pop by adding laminates inside the shelves. Lining the shelves creates a backdrop to that makes your literary collection (or whatever you put on the shelf) really shine.

Discover a new (kitchen) island

Laminates are an excellent choice for bar and kitchen countertops. And why not? Most of them are incredibly durable; waterproof, heat resistant, scratch resistant, and bacteria resistant. Exactly what the doctor ordered where kitchen surfaces are concerned.

Remake your ceilings 

Sure, it’s made for floors. But who says you can’t turn things upside down and install it on the ceiling? Laminates are awesome for giving homes a bit of class. Or a country-house look. And they’re great for covering up damages to the ceiling. 

Glam your entrance

If you’re a believer in first impressions, you just have to spruce up your entrance. Laminate it. Give off the right tone and expectation just before your guests step into your home. 

DIY a woodsign

Nothing makes guests feel more welcome than a sign the screams, “Welcome!”. Extra laminate pieces can easily be turned into one. And, honestly, they can say whatever you want them to say. Just write something on it, drill a couple of holes for you to hang it up, and it’s ready to go.

Frame up your mirrors

You are a work of art. So redecorate your mirror. Glue those extra laminate pieces around it. And, voilà, your image is just like one at the art gallery. Which art gallery? Depends on what kind of laminates you use; take your pick!

Lay down an office chair mat

Your WFH office chair scuffing up the floor at home? Then you need something that’s positively scratch-proof. Glue a few laminate pieces together and now you’ve got a fancy floor mat that’s practically indestructible.

Line your under-sink storage

Not the most glamorous part of the house but you’ll access it often. Prone to water damage, under-sink storage really benefits from waterproof surfaces. And guess what’s waterproof? Yup. Floor laminates. 

Serve meals on it

Perhaps you’ve got the tiniest scraps of laminate flooring left. Congratulations, you’ve got upcycled serving trays!

Get creative

Don’t let the name floor laminates stop you from getting creative with them. In fact, if you really like some of the ideas here, you don’t even need to wait for your next renovation. Lots of places have extra bits of laminate flooring that are just dying for a new home. Now get out there and create!

Posted on 17th January 2024

Written by Kenny Tan

SIXiDES Editorial Team