Laminates and Solid Surfacing Materials at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

Installing seamed countertops
Fitting p-lam countertops in the field, due to size and shape. September 23, 2003

A Solid Choice
Basics of solid surface materials and their fabrication, and why shops are adding them to their product lines. July 20, 2002

Laminate and Substrate Movement
A question about what might cause melamine laminate to pull loose from a countertop leads to an in-depth look at the materials involved. April 18, 2006

Fill Material for Melamine Seams
The search for a quality product that will disguise joints in melamine. April 14, 2005

Troubleshooting Cracked Laminate Near a Sink Cutout
Square inside corners and drilled holes are potential trouble spot in a laminate surface. February 17, 2011

Solid Surface for a Steam Room Ceiling?
Be cautious, but not scared, about using solid surfacing in a non-warranteed application like a steam room. December 28, 2006

Working with Paper/Resin Composite Countertops
These paper and resin composite materials cut and sand nicely. Here are some tips. September 26, 2006

Suitable Substrates for Laminate
A discussion of which countertop materials are compatible with laminate, and why. July 13, 2010

Alternatives to painted interiors
Woodworkers offer alternatives to painted cabinet interiors. September 6, 2000

Choosing Metal Laminates
Metal laminate products and their appropriate uses. August 30, 2005

Coved backsplashes on solid surface
Is this a bad idea? April 2, 2002

Cracks at Sink Corners in Plastic Laminate
Tops in a science lab show cracking at sink corners. Info here on movement issues, and on chemical-resistant laminate material. April 11, 2008

Water-tolerant Substrates
The right material will resist edge swelling under laminates. May 4, 2005

Melamine Finish Quality
Thoughts on the search for a smoother melamine. July 28, 2012

Applying wood edges to lam tops
Best methods for applying wood edges to laminate countertops. June 24, 2001

Working with High Gloss Laminate
High gloss laminate telegraphs imperfections in the substrate. September 5, 2011

Telegraphing Issue with High Gloss Laminate on Luan Plywood
High gloss laminates have a tendency to reveal minor imperfections in the substrate. August 26, 2008

Should Solid Surface Joints be Invisible?
With some solid surface materials, joints are highly visible because the material is "directional" or otherwise non-uniform. April 20, 2011

Working with Water-Based Laminate Adhesive
Roll out with a low-nap roller, and don't let the glue or a new countertop freeze. The good news: no odor or headaches. October 28, 2005

Sourcing Exotic Laminate
Cabinetmakers discuss how to find unusual and interesting laminates, including distinctive patterns and glow-in-the-dark laminate. February 12, 2009

Fillers and Putty for Melamine Repair
Choices for touching up nicks and scratches. May 10, 2005

Vertical versus Horizontal Grade Laminate
What the difference is, and when to use which. March 14, 2006

Shrinkage and Laminate Seam Tightness
As a wood-based product, laminate changes dimension in response to variations in ambient moisture. This can create gaps at joints or seams. April 4, 2011

Shrinkage allowances for red oak
Estimating radial and tangential shrinkage when drying red oak to 12 to 14 percent MC. 1998.

Contact Adhesive for Spray Guns
Source of supply for spray contact adhesive - 1998

Polyester vs. Acrylic Fabrication
Pros and cons, including quality and cost in solid surface choices. May 19, 2004

Blemishes on Granite Countertops
What seems like a mar or mark might be the natural look of stone, or it could be residue from a spill. In any case, granite is hard to touch up. October 2, 2005

Production Gluing of High Density Plastic Laminates
This article describes the gluing of high density plastic laminates (i.e. Formica, Debar, Nevamar, Micarta, Pionite and the like) to plywood, lumber core, and particleboard core panels - 1998

A Flush Edge On Plastic Laminate dupe breaker
Pros share tricks for getting a wood edge absolutely flush with the laminate. May 10, 2005

Substrats adaptés au stratifié
Une discussion sur les matériaux de comptoir compatibles avec le stratifié et pourquoi. 13 juillet 2010

Taches sur les comptoirs en granit
Ce qui ressemble à une tache ou à une marque peut être l'aspect naturel de la pierre ou bien être un résidu d'un déversement. Dans tous les cas, le granit est difficile à retoucher. 2 octobre 2005

Certifcation for solid surface
What does it take to become certified to install by the manufacturer? July 9, 2003

Opening Laminate Joints Mystery
in a long MDF and laminate countertop? March 14, 2005

Melamine Versus Plywood for Kitchen Cabinets
It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but one that sets off a thoughtful exchange of views about workability and performance in this thread from the Cabinetmaking forum. June 28, 2005

Applying Kuhn edging
Methods, glues and clamps to use. April 2, 2002

Laminate Application Basics
Tips on adhesives and trimming for a newcomer to plastic laminate work. December 30, 2005

Warranteeing Laminate-on-Particleboard Countertops
How long should your guarantee last for a laminate countertop? Installers discuss warrantees and materials. October 8, 2005

Mixing Solid Surface Brands
If you combine sinks and countertops from different makers, will warranties (and adhesives) hold? April 14, 2005

Sustainable Adhesives for Laminates
Recommendations for "green" contact adhesives for use with laminate material, and a closer look at the details of the rules. October 3, 2011

Countertop Materials: What Does the Market Want?
Countertop and cabinet contractors discuss the current popularity of stone, solid surfacing, laminate, concrete, and green recycled composites as of mid-2009. February 14, 2010

Melamine Chipping
Is it the bits, the feed rate, the material? Pros troubleshoot a case of melamine chipping on a new CNC unit. June 30, 2005

Countertop delamination
After five years, why is an HPL countertop delaminating? October 2, 2001

Substrate for Laminating Cabinet Doors
Plywood cores are not recommended for laminate cabinet doors (MDF, particleboard, or plywood-core MDF are better). July 26, 2010

Getting Rid of Scrap Laminate
Suggestions for putting excess laminate into the hands of someone who might need it. September 17, 2014

Melamine Quality Issues
Cut-price melamine from the big-box DIY stores doesn't match up to professional-grade material, say the pros. December 28, 2005

Copper Countertop Tips
Copper is tricky to work with. Here are a few thoughts on using it for countertops. April 17, 2009

Cutting 3/4 Melamine on CNC
Advice on bit type, feed rate, and RPM. July 3, 2005

Costs of Contact Cement per Square Foot of Product
Thoughts on the economics of various contact cement application systems. June 12, 2014

Laminate Over Plywood for Cabinet Boxes
Cabinetmakers report their results using laminate on plywood for cabinet carcases. August 8, 2008

Biscuit joining vs. tie-bolts
Is it possible to join post-form tops and shop-built substrate with biscuits? June 24, 2001

Bevel-Edge Delamination with MDF
Troubleshooting an adhesion problem with laminate and MDF: is it the glue, or the substrate? October 12, 2009

Bit Life in High Pressure Laminate
How many sheets should you be able to cut before a bit wears out? Comparing carbide with diamond, and a discussion of feed rates and settings. July 3, 2005

Poor Adhesion After Edging MDF
Why has the edge come off this MDF? Maybe it's the glue, maybe it's the method... May 10, 2005

Solid Surface as a Shelf Nosing
An architect's query sets off a spirited discussion of using solid surface material for shelf nosings. Appropriate adhesives, durability, and movement rates are issues (and yes, it has been done before). June 10, 2006

Working Copper Sheet Goods for a Top Insert
Advice on cutting and adhering copper for a vanity top. August 3, 2009

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