Plastic laminate and where to get it

[speeder1987]

Hi,

I am currently gathering the materials to build myself a small tabletop router table. The top is going to be made from two piece of 3/4" mdf laminated together. The book I am following also uses plastic laminate on both sides.

I've done some searching and came across the same question here, but the advice was to get it from http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk however this has just confused me as to what plastic laminate actually is.

I thought it was like a very thin sticky back plastic roll which you could just apply on the top of the mdf. But website above just seems to have sheets of different types of plastic.

My question is what exactly is plastic laminate, and where is the best place to get it?

Thanks in advance

John

 

[Deejay]

Morning John

There's a description of Formica laminate here ...

http://www.formica.eu/uk/product-overvi ... aminate/1/

Google Formica laminate sheets or laminate sheets. It's not cheap.

Have you searched here for other people's designs?

Cheers

Dave

 

[rdesign]

look at askwoodmans you tube clips on how to install laminate on his copy of festool mft table top. (warning great information and he does loads of videos but they are extremely long and detailed) can get boring.

 

[speeder1987]

I'd seen how expensive Formica was do you think I could use a very thin sheet of plastic material stuck on both sides of the mdf?

For example, this stuff isn't horrendously expensive:

http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/TufnolSheet/Whale/1mm/

John

 

[The Bear]

You can get it from Arnold Laver if theres a branch near you

Mark

 

[marcros]

what about oil tempered hardboard? it is slippy enough.

Or just mdf and wax the surface.

 

[speeder1987]

Thanks for all the comments guys

Unfortunately the nearest lavers is reading which is a bit far

I hadn't thought of just waxing the surface of the mdf ..... it would definitely be the cheapest.
I need to think about this, to get enough of that tufnel sheet it will be about 30 quid ......

John

 

[marcros]

how big is your table going to be?

 

[JakeS]

I need to think about this, to get enough of that tufnel sheet it will be about 30 quid ......

I got a bit of formica which was easily big enough for a combi tablesaw outfeed/router table surface (which I've actually yet to actually get around to assembling!) for less than that by asking at my local timber merchants if they had any plastic laminate offcuts. I didn't care what colour it was, thankfully, as the most appropriate part they had was near-luminous orange! But it wasn't expensive.

 

[speeder1987]

Its not going to be very big, its going to portable so I can put it on and off my work bench.

I was planning on making the table 600 x 500 mm. I only really want it for boxes and small scale work. I really don't have the space for anything bigger.

John

 

[speeder1987]

Noticed I was looking at the mechanical tufnel sheet, if I was to use the cheaper stuff then it would be £20 pound with delivery

John

 

[twothumbs]

The Tufnol I remember was for electrically dead work. If the same stuff it is a bit overkill...looks like woven material and resin mix (brown), circuit boards and that sort of thing. Very strong. What about acrylic (perspex sheet) from a sign supplier. Perhaps off-cuts. Despite warnings can be cut with a hand saw and planed by hand or riubbed up with abrasives. Could be a lot cheaper. Best to avaoid wax. Best wishes.

 

[Chrispy]

What part of Hampshire are you in? if you are not fussy what colour it is and you fancy a trip out this way I am sure I could find you a bit of Formica.

 

[barkwindjammer]

£20 sounds about right, here's those vids mentioned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cuJP-Fx ... 9C6B54C2A0

 

[steadyeddie]

Have a look in your Yellow Pages for display makers etc. For a piece the size you require offer to make a donation of a couple of quid to the tea fund, especially if you're not too fussed about the colour. Failing that, try James Latham in Fareham (if it's not too far from you). They may have a damaged sheet of laminate they will let you have cheap(ish).

Dave

 

[speeder1987]

What part of Hampshire are you in? if you are not fussy what colour it is and you fancy a trip out this way I am sure I could find you a bit of Formica.

Thank you for the very generous offer, but unfortunately will probably be a bit far for me, I'm near Portsmouth and I won't have the car for the next couple of weekends, as the better half will be working. But thanks anyway

John

 

[speeder1987]

Have a look in your Yellow Pages for display makers etc. For a piece the size you require offer to make a donation of a couple of quid to the tea fund, especially if you're not too fussed about the colour. Failing that, try James Latham in Fareham (if it's not too far from you). They may have a damaged sheet of laminate they will let you have cheap(ish).

Dave

Thanks, I live very close to fareham, I will give them a try and see what they have.

Again thanks for all the suggestions guys, I really appreciate it

John

 

[Dissolve]

Did you get somewhere with this? I'm trying to source some Formica type laminate material to laminate a top four use as a router table.

Anyone found suitable sheets for a reasonable price?

 

[Andrewf]

I used laminate flooring for my mark 2 router table. Some left over bits from a flooring job. Quite hard wearing and cheap if you have to buy it.