High Pressure Laminate Sheets - Where from?

[paulrockliffe]

I've been watching videos on Youtube about building router tables and most use a high-pressure laminate glued to MDF for the finished surface. Apparently it's cheap and easy to apply and makes a great surface.

Except I can't find it for less than £100 for a 3m x 1m sheet, which doesn't seem particularly cheap at all, particularly when you can buy laminated MDF at much lower cost.

I feel like I'm looking in the wrong place, can someone point me in the right direction or confirm that it's expensive please?

I can always fall-back on a pre-laminated sheet, but these tend to be in white and I was hoping to do the top in a blue or green. And I'm planning to make a few more units, tool storage, saw bench, sink etc that I'd like to be able to match up.

 

[marcros]

A top in a light colour would be better- much easier on the eyes.

 

[paulrockliffe]

Yeah, that's probably right. I haven't made a decision yet, I'd want something fairly light, but also a bit of colour to it so that workshop doesn't look too sparse when it's all done. Perhaps I should just paint all the drawer and cupboard doors instead.

My search has lead me to the eBay page of a Nursery down the road from me that appears to have tonnes of laminated MDF going very cheap, so I might head down there in the morning and fill the car boot up.

 

[shipbadger]

I'm also part way through a router table build and hunted around for suitable high pressure laminate. I came across this supplier on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sheet-of-Poly ... _675wt_958 Don't worry about the actual colour for this item, it's the only way I know to give you a link to the supplier 'nanna105'. I contacted her and explained what I wanted and why and she and her partner (who is also on ebay) hunted around for me. Initially I agreed to take some gloss 'rosewood' but after paying they got back in touch to say they had found some cream which was what I has after and sent that instead. A very helpful seller that I would recommend.

Tony Comber

 

[rdesign]

Don't get mixed up with melamine and laminate! Their is 2 types of laminate vertical and post u'll want post for laminate if u find a supplier it can be very cheap for certain colors patterns more expensive for others. U can use a dap contact adhesive . We sprayed it on using a cheap 25 dollar spray gun .

The white boards of melamine r what r used for kitchen carcasses and won't hold up to the rough and tumble of a router table surface .

 

[Mar_mite]

I'm also part way through a router table build and hunted around for suitable high pressure laminate. I came across this supplier on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sheet-of-Poly ... _675wt_958 Don't worry about the actual colour for this item, it's the only way I know to give you a link to the supplier 'nanna105'. I contacted her and explained what I wanted and why and she and her partner (who is also on ebay) hunted around for me. Initially I agreed to take some gloss 'rosewood' but after paying they got back in touch to say they had found some cream which was what I has after and sent that instead. A very helpful seller that I would recommend.

Tony Comber

I have used those guys too. Very helpful people.

 

[paulrockliffe]

Thanks that's all really useful.

I had a look at the laminated MDF, it looks pretty good. I picked up about 35 sheets that are 4' x 3' as well as a few longer pieces. I'm going to use them mainly for making the cabinets for the workshop, but was planning to fit one above 2 sheets of 25mm MDF to make my top surface. Just seen the comment about the normal stuff not being up to scratch and interested to know what will happen to it? I can't see any obvious reason why it wouldn't be fine?

That ebay seller looks good, so I will probably use that anyway, but interested to know about the stuff I've picked up already.

 

[rdesign]

put up a picture of the stuff you got ?? and where u got it from please

 

[paulrockliffe]

This is what I bought:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAMINATED-MDF ... 418c546d54

I have every sheet on the pile, apart from the bottom one which had battons screwed to it. A few need a clean and some of the edges are damaged, but overall they're in very good condition. They have quite a few other boards in at the moment.

I'm not bothered if I can't use these for the top, they'll come in for the structural part of the various benches and cabinets I'm going to make over the next few months.

 

[Hemsby]

Good router table material is kitchen worktop, sturdy (hammer) & flat. Pop into your local kitchen fitting shop and ask if they have an off cut to sell.