Hi. In the photo it looks good, but I wonder how durable it would prove to be over time? Will the room get a lot of use or is it a powder room for guests? Also, is there a particular reason why you would choose it over say, engineered stone?

@Ann B: Costs would be the main factor over stone. I was originally going to go with stone benchtops but thought with a semi recessed basin it might not look very good. All the pictures i've seen with a semi recessed involved them being mounted into a big solid block like the picture above. I can only afford 20mm of stone haha

(btw i'm not sure if the above is wood laminate - i just googled! although it doesn't quite look like real wood so probably is laminate)

I think it is fine in a bathroom - not so sure in a kitchen unless it is a finer grain and better used on cupboards than benches. It is more functional than real timber which requires treatment to keep it water tight and less expensive than engineered stone. Do think about the overall look you want and possibly have some storage cubes for towels or similar in the same material on another wall of the bathroom as this ties the material in with the design scheme for the whole room.

I think the key is to look for a more natural wood tone without too much contrast.- either lighter or darker possibly the one above has a bit too much contrast. If you like it go for it!

We used Caesarstone and semi recessed basins. Not much stone here. Photo below

thanks for advice philippa. Yes i'm getting stone in the kitchen and some ravine polytec cupboards as well there. You are spot on with those additional reasons why I wanted timber look laminate rather than real timber.

Just curious, have you seen it in real life?

@gallifrey: thanks for photos! looks good. Can I ask what your cabinetry is made of?

Thank you for your advice.

I was under the impression that if used for a benchtop, the laminate had to be smooth? Are the textured grain finished impractical to clean?

Iggys85, depending on the texture, they are still smooth enough to keep clean. 25 years ago there were a lot of textured laminates used for benches. Sometimes if they collected the dirt, we just used a soft brush with water/cleaning product to dislodge any dirt.
My advice is to get a sample you like and test it. I do this with lots of my jobs and materials, including tiles. Let things sit and dry and then see how they clean up.

Also, if you go with a smooth laminate finish, still use the post form detail. It will look more realistic.

I am a big fan of sustainability it's good to consider does your choice of material or product :

1. Maximise the potential to be recycled at a later date.

2. Is it as close as possible to its natural form or a recycled product.

3. Is it in a sustainable form which will allow you to Carry out maintainace or repair of it became damaged and there for is less likely to be put into landfill.

4. What is the performance of the product.
What happens to laminate when its core gets exposed or wet?

I personally would use a natural timber. You can source it from the following :

1. Go to the supplier . Either search your area for "timber slabs"
You should be able to get one for approximately $100 - $300

2. Go to the dealer. Get a custom timber top from Bunnings
For approx $300-$1000

3. Recycle - Roam gumtree for timber furniture that is screaming to be reincarnated as a vanity anywhere from $20

4. Contact your state forest for a timber slab.

One you have your timber you can ask Bunnings to cut it to size. Then begin the process of sealing it via repetition of sanding and varnishing.

Or maybe get a building designer to produce a technical drawing of your vanity and find a apprentice carpenter or cabinet maker to construct it for you?

Sealing is the most important factor in the process, as it helps make the timber more resistant to water and moisture. There are various water, oil and wax-based sealants available on the market, which are suitable for different timbers and applications. Be sure to speak to an expert to help select the best sealant for your timber and to ensure it is properly applied. To be doubly sure that your timber doesn’t stain, leave water marks, or warp, make sure you wipe up any water that may pool on its surface as quickly as possible. Or ensure that you are treating it to prevent this.

http://theinteriorsaddict.com/timber-in-the-bathroom-yes-and-not-just-on-the-block

Hi iggs85. I see your point re cost and how you think it may look. I'll attach a photo of one of my semi-recessed basins in stone. We had to use semi-recessed due to space restrictions as well. The benches are 440. Are yours narrower? I did Google stone benchtop offcuts. eBay has some in marble and granite. There appear to be businesses that do sell offcuts. Anyway, I think you would certainly be able to find a beautiful laminate you like. There is such a wide range. There are also some that look so much like stone. Will you have vanity cabinets/drawers under the benchtop? If so, what are your thoughts there? Same laminate or different? Have you visited any shops yet to look at samples?

Oops, forgot the photo. Here it is:

Have you thought at all about Corian (or a clone?) We had semi recessed basins in our en suite, main bathroom and powder room, with Corian or Corian-like benchtops in our last house and they both looked good and stood up to everything thrown at them for 10 years.

I had a timber look laminate in the bathrooms in our last house. The cabinet maker tried to talk us out of it saying it would scratch and look terrible but it was fantastic. I was really happy with it and had no regrets choosing it.

Thanks for all the responses. Some updates. After some thought we've decided to go with ceaserstone benchtops just for long term durability.

Also we are looking st some narrow semi inset basins (such as the caroma basa or track) so may not end up going the semi recessed route at all !

We had it at our old place the laminate was wrapped over though ie the benchtop curved so no joints . It looked great ..it was a cherry wood laminate..

didn't look cheap at all ..the bench ran the whole length of the powder room.

Good choice. Caesar stone is an amazing product

Depends on the colour you use. I have used the Polytec ravine in the Natural oak on a number of projects on floating cabinetry and open shelving units and looks great!

I looked into timber laminate but was worried about the same thing. So I went for real timber!
It's got 12 layers of satin marine varnish on it (I'm a boatie) and it'll be super easy to replace, should I ever need or want to.
(Grouting etc unfinished in this pic)