Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

[minuteman62-64]

If I coat a plywood surface with epoxy, can I successfully apply plastic laminate (formica typs stuff) to that surface using contact cement?

Any tips/techniques?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

Yes, but why? Is it exposed and you're trying to make it pretty?

 

[Grandad]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

I've never applied Formica over epoxy. Starting from scratch, I don't think I would bother epoxying a surface that would be covered with a sealed plastic laminate. I expect that you can do it successfully as long as the epoxied surface is sanded flat. Any pebble-grain to the surface could interfere with the contact adhesion. - Grandad

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

any chance that you could use the epoxy as the Formica adhesive?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

any chance that you could use the epoxy as the Formica adhesive?

You could, but you'd have to clamp it until the epoxy cured. The contact cement bond is immediate.

I used contact cement to apply some of my marine vinyl to some of my epoxy coated wood in my boat and it's holding fine after a year and 4 months. Contact cement is the schnizzle for applying sheet good fabrics and laminates.

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

Yes, but why? Is it exposed and you're trying to make it pretty?

Actually, I'm playing around with a concept for a router table top that would be 3/4" thick MDF or ply with carbon fiber epoxied to each surface for stiffness. So, on the top I'd have carbon fiber in epoxy, then overlay with laminate.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

Skip the MDF, that stuff is junk IMO. I'd rather have OSB underlayment than that MDF stuff.

 

[salty87]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

why cover the carbon fiber?

heavy woven roving in the resin would like great, imo. something like this:

 

[Bondo]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

Actually, I'm playing around with a concept for a router table top that would be 3/4" thick MDF or ply with carbon fiber epoxied to each surface for stiffness. So, on the top I'd have carbon fiber in epoxy, then overlay with laminate.

Ayuh,... or sand the final finish Smooth enough, 'n forget about the laminate....

 

[minuteman62-64]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

Ayuh,... or sand the final finish Smooth enough, 'n forget about the laminate....

That is an option. I was discussing the concept with a tech support guy at Gaugon Bros. (very helpful, btw) and my use of an old granite countertop cutoff as a flat, layup surface. He suggested coating the granite with mold release, then liquid epoxy, then the carbon fiber and finally coating the mdf with epoxy and pressing it down on the matrix. That should give a pretty flat and smooth surface, maybe without sanding.

According to the woodworking folks, dead flat and rock solid are the parameters for a router table top. Since mine will be a knockdown, store against the wall unit, I'll settle for pretty flat and reasonably solid.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Plastic Laminate Over Epoxy?

and my use of an old granite countertop cutoff as a flat, layup surface. He suggested coating the granite with mold release, then liquid epoxy, then the carbon fiber and finally coating the mdf with epoxy and pressing it down on the matrix. That should give a pretty flat and smooth surface, maybe without sanding.

Ayuh,.... Or, insteada a separate lay-up, paint the wood with resin, then the cloth, then the protected stone on top of the lay-up to give the flat surface...

I don't see a reason for makin' it 2 lay-ups...