Why IKEA benchtops are different from a ready-made install.
Buying the worktop is only part of the job. A fixed-length benchtop may need to be shortened, joined around a corner, cut for a sink or cooktop, scribed to an existing wall and properly sealed at every exposed cut.
A typical IKEA worktop installation may include
- Measure and mark final site dimensions.
- Cut fixed-length worktops to suit the kitchen.
- Prepare a butt or appropriate benchtop join.
- Fit mechanical benchtop connectors where suitable.
- Cut a standard drop-in sink opening.
- Cut a standard cooktop opening.
- Seal exposed cut edges and substrate as required.
- Scribe to walls and finish visible ends.
Before purchasing: send us your IKEA product link and layout. Different worktop constructions and edge details affect what can be cut or exposed, and some layouts are better ordered differently from the outset.
Example: two-section IKEA replacement
For a job with approximately 2.3m and 1.3m sections, one join, a standard sink cut-out, minor scribing, removal and disposal of an existing standard top, our current calculator lands at about $1,125 incl. GST before unusual site conditions. We would normally quote this as approximately $1,100–$1,200 subject to review.
We can remove the old benchtop too.
You do not need to organise one trade for removal and another installer for the new worktop. Standard removal and disposal can be included in the reviewed quote. Specialist stone removal is assessed separately.
Not all IKEA worktops install the same way.
The four ranges we're asked about most often behave quite differently on site:
- MÖLLEKULLA — laminate on particleboard. Straightforward to cut and join, and the most forgiving of the four for site fabrication.
- KARLBY — solid oak or walnut veneer over layer-glued wood. Cuts and joins well but shows end grain at every cut, so exposed ends need proper oiling/sealing to match the factory finish.
- SÄLJAN — laminate worktop, similar handling to MÖLLEKULLA with a different decor range.
- EKBACKEN — laminate worktop in IKEA's budget range; thinner substrate in places, so we check clearances around cut-outs before committing to a cut.
Full side-by-side comparison, thickness and which range suits which layout: see our IKEA benchtop range comparison guide.
Choose your IKEA worktop
We can install suitable IKEA pre-cut laminate and thick-veneer worktops. Before buying, send us the product link and your layout so we can check the likely joins and lengths.