Ikea worktop problem - advice please!

TDA10

Hi all,

Firstly apologies for length of post, but I feel I need to give examples of my problem to see if I'm in the right or wrong here.

I recently bought and installed some Ikea Pragel Black laminate worktops in my new kitchen. For those not in the know - these are the 2nd cheapest range that they sell (after the Lagan ones) but they do come with a 25 year guarantee so you'd (IMO) expect them to be reasonably durable and hardwearing as with most laminates. Also, this is a new colour at Ikea - it is just the 'Black', not the stone effect black, if that makes any diff at all!

They are advertised as scratch resistant, stain resistant and various other wondrous claims, but I haven't even had it down for 25 days yet, let alone 25 years, and the ease of which it scratches is unbelievable. I have twice had Ikea Pragel worktops installed in previous houses that I have lived in (albeit in the Beech effect) and have never experienced any problems with them.

I'll give some examples of what has happened so far with mine:
I was opening a jar of pickled onions and was resting an edge of the jar on the worktop whilst turning the lid - this has left a scuff on the worktop.

I put my dinner plates on it after emptying the dishwasher, then pushed them along the worktop slightly as I'd placed them near the edge - this scratched it.

I emptied my shopping onto it (not at any great height you understand! ) and one of the cat food tins fell out of a carrier bag at a height of no more than say 2-3cm - this too scratched it.

My daughter ran a toy across it - just an average 4 wheeled thing - not sharp at all - and this left marks on it.

I dropped an egg on it - the bl00dy shell scratched it!!!

The staples in the middle of the newspaper scratched it - I wasn't dragging the bl00dy thing to and fro - I was just turning the pages!

My OH pushed a teacup along it (you know - I asked if he wanted a drink - he came in with cup and sort of 'skimmed' it to me about 6 inches - surely most of you have done that?) That example reads like we are nutters, but I hope you get what I mean! :rotfl:

Virtually anything that I place on it leaves marks - some wipe off and some don't - every plate or tin can or cup I put on it leaves like a 'ring' on it - and I mean clean items too.

My cat jumped up on it - like many cats do in many homes, and that left a scratch. Now my cats have jumped on all my other worktops (yes I know, I know!) but they have never scratched it before.

I find that whatever I place on it I am having to place it ridiculously gently on it, else it is scuffing or scratching - surely this isn't right? You should be able to take plates out the cupboard and not have to place them down like they were the most fragile thing you own? You can't put a plate down then turn it round to place something on the other side of it for example, as that scuffs the top. I'm pretty sure that most of you place your plates on your worktops and turn them around for one reason or another, perhaps to add veg to it, or pull one plate forward to hand to someone etc.

I placed a glass vase on it, then decided I wanted to turn it around as it would look better - well, you get the idea!

You don't lift every item then place it down super gently on your own worktops surely?

I don't use a knife on it, nor do I place hot pans on it, so am not being overly rough, but surely everyday usage involves some level of 'heavy-ish' usage? Or am I wrong here? It also is a pig to clean - with my other cheap laminates I've had over the years (Ikea Pragel Beech being one of them) you could use any sort of cleaner - Stardrops, Flash, Dettol, etc and it would come up a treat, but this one will smear and look really cr4p unless you rinse it, rinse it again and then rinse it again. Then buff it with a soft cloth for about 4 hours!

I am fully aware that you get what you pay for and all that - but why offer a 25 year satisfaction guarantee if it's unlikely that the blooming thing is made to withstand everyday use?

So my question to you guys before I contact Ikea is: What do you consider to be average daily use on your worktop? Can you please have a think about what you do on your worktop (clean answers please! ) without using a chopping board or trivet etc and let me know?

Also, have any of you ever had to deal with Ikea and their guarantees? I'm not good at confrontation and have always found Ikea to be a bit snooty when refunding - even though I always keep my receipt. I definitely want a refund on this worktop though, as it isn't fit for purpose IMHO - it may be just a faulty 'batch' or something, but I don't fancy going through the rigamarole of exchanging it and then refitting it, just to find it does the same again.

Thoughts please folks?

oliverp_2

Sounds like you've been totally abusing the worktop.

Is it a totally smooth, shiny surface?

Solid black colour will always so up the marks a lot more - just like a black car is hard to keep clean and looking good.

The laminate sounds poor quality, but I imagine you'll get the same problem, but possibly a little less noticeable with another colour texture.

Call Ikea and explain, but I don't think you'll have a problem.

Errata

Sounds a bit odd, even for a cheapy worktop. Have you thought about popping into Ikea and checking if the same worktop in the show kitchen will scratch as easily ?

TDA10

Thanks for the replies so far - I haven't been into Ikea yet as it is a bit far away. It is a matt black finish though, not a shiny one.

And as yet another example, OH came in today and casually put his car keys on the worktop - he didn't throw them on (for a change! :rolleyes:) but just placed them on it, and surprise surprise, they have left a scratch! :mad:

capita_guy

Shiny worktops always show scratches more than matt. Go to Ikea and see waht they say. I somehow think they will not be helpful. Hope you get a result from them.

andyhop

there laminates are generally low quality and there warehouse storage abilitys aint much better, ive had a few heated discussions regarding bowed worktops caused by them incorrectly storing them

there fake butchers block laminate worktop is one of the worst examples, most kitchens require worktop longer than 2460mm , try getting 2 worktops where the lines match!

TDA10

capita_guy wrote: »

Shiny worktops always show scratches more than matt.

Mine is the matt finish though and shows all kinds of marks, as well as the scratches etc. I have just emailed Ikea with a very long, but very polite email stating the problems I have experienced and what I would like them to do about it (basically a full refund, or a credit note, as I do shop there regularly).

So I'll wait and see their response, but I certainly can't afford to let this matter drop - why offer a 25 year quality and durability guarantee if the item isn't made to withstand average worktop use, even if it is a cheap one?

You could compare it to a cheap kettle or toaster maybe - it's not going to last as long or be as good as a dearer model, but you still expect it to do what it is supposed to do and be of merchantable quality and fit for purpose.

I'm having to treat it like it was made from eggshells and anything placed on it is as fragile as an eggshell too! (IYSWIM?!)

Thanks again for responses so far though

Errata

Is it the acrylic worktop ? If so, there's a bit on the ikea website about it not being completely scratch and heat resistant.

roses

TDA10 wrote: »

So I'll wait and see their response, but I certainly can't afford to let this matter drop - why offer a 25 year quality and durability guarantee if the item isn't made to withstand average worktop use, even if it is a cheap one?


Thanks again for responses so far though

Don't email them then!! Give them a call or write to them. So many shops don't bother to respond to email complaints.

I have the same Pragel worktop in granite effect. 5 years on, it still looks great. Sounds like either their quality has significantly gone awry or there is a coating missing from your worktop.

TDA10

Hi again,

Not sure about acrylic, Errata - it's one of the laminate ones if that means anything?

As for the email - well, I have had a response already, but as Roses says, it asks me to ring them! So my lovely polite long email was a waste of time!

Hate phoning places though - I talk fast and get myself in knots when trying to 'fight my corner' as it were. I might just have to write instead, rather than get all het up on the phone and flustered!

But like you say - I've also had Pragel tops before without anything like this ever happening so it surely must be a quality issue?

Pipkin

I live in a rented house, so I don't know if my worktop comes from Ikea - it is black though, but with a few speckles.. I just wanted to say that it's exactly the same though, scratching and marking in the way you describe (I did the same thing with the plates )

I've never experienced anything like it before!

Definitely NOT fit for purpose.