Cutting Formica - Page 2

COArgosy78 · 09-05-2004, 02:44 PM

Keep those wonderful ideas and useful tips coming!!! I know we are not the only ones seeing and finding them to be extremely helpful. You all are the greatest!!!! THANKS.

**wahoonc** · 09-05-2004, 03:53 PM

Leigh, I don't know if this counts as a "tip" or not

But you may have trouble getting the laminate to slide into the aluminum extrusion....they make different "grades" of laminate, typically the edging laminate is thinner than the surfacing laminate. Sooo if you have troubles getting the new laminate in the edging see if you can locate some edging laminate in sheets. It is not easy to come by at the local home centers, in fact if you ask for it they may look at you funny

another problem is that is not always available in all styles and colors. Typically only the more common colors. What you may have to do is lightly sand the backside to make it thinner so it will slide in place.

Just some more trivia for you....

Aaron

COArgosy78 · 09-05-2004, 04:43 PM

Aaron - We don't have an aluminum extrusion, so that will save us some headaches - but good of you to post as others might and can use that piece of info - thanks.

I was going to wait and post pics after all was complete...but, I am sooo excited with the 1st cutting board, I just had to post a few.

#1 (if pics go in correct order as I attach) is the old plywood galley piece with all metal removed.
#2 is new plywood front (see the curving metal piece we have to cover? More ??? regarding how to coming up later).
#3 New plywood top (old laminate on end piece, we will cover w/new).
#4 WONDERFUL pic of old and new cutting board (our first attempt went great) and gave us tremendous courage to keep going.

Now, this was a scary propostion at first, as all these projects seem to be, but I want to encourage others NOT to be afraid, really, there are GREAT people here helping and going slow and steady is key. I have some other ?? coming up about the edge pieces, but we are just going to rough cut them out today, then attach to plywood tomorrow (don't go away my helpers

)

**wahoonc** · 09-05-2004, 05:07 PM

Leigh,
The new cutting board is the one on the right?

Leigh, did your unit have the extrusion? We do have the extrusion but I suppose it could be done away with. I am in the process of building some new counter tops and possibly cabinets for my Coleman Popup, the factory stuff was garbage and warped the second time we used it. In the interest of lightness we are replacing 3/4" particle board with 1/4" luan plywood with 3/4" white pine framing and laminate. On the sink counter top I saved 12# alone. Can't wait to see how much more can be culled out.

Aaron

garry · 09-05-2004, 06:00 PM

leigh,
On my cutting boards ( sink covers) I glued two pieces of laminate back to back (good sides out) then glued to the cutting board. This gave extra strength to the edges and made it look good when turned over as a cutting board.
Don't know about your cook top but mine had the recessed gas knobs so I made a removable cover out laminate same as cutting board to cover the knobs. Wife is happy no more stuff falling down in the knob area.

Garry

JohnG · 09-05-2004, 11:14 PM

Leigh,

One idea for covering that metal that is easy to do while you have the cntire piece off is to use wood trim and to fasten it to that area from the back with short wood screws. I took a photo of a countertop I did in my workshop to show you what I mean. I know that you have a bend there but if you use thinner wood than I did you will be able to make it conform.

Another idea is to make it a curve in that area by adding wood and you could then cover it with the formica and also place a formica edge on it to finish it off. I posted a kind of drawing for this idea too.

JohnG · 09-05-2004, 11:17 PM

Funny thing. just looking at it after I posted it........The curve kind of fits right in with an AS since it is all curves too.

COArgosy78 · 09-06-2004, 02:03 PM

This was a eye opening morning

Tried to get on to the website to post and just kept getting a "Server Busy" screen. Soooo, we finally just bit the plywood, so to speak, and glued the laminate edging down to the plywood base and trimmed w/router on our own

Went ok, I guess, a few dips and places that hopefully will sand out. Had to go get more sandpaper and I exchanged the faucet I had originally picked out. Now, this site seems to be back in business and we are gearing up for the next exciting chapter - namely laminate to plywood top.

One ?? here. We think it would be best to cut the hole for the sink in the plywood before adding laminate. Then trace that hole onto laminate - but not rough cut the hole for the laminate itself until after it is applied to the plywood. Then rough cut a hole in laminate and then trim w/router. Does that sound like the right sequence?? Also, we plan to trace the holes for the faucet onto the laminate, but wait to cut those with a drill after laminate is applied to plywood - does that work or is drilling holes going to chip laminate?

PS Aaron - Aren't you the smooth one!!! I bet you know which is the newer by the color, right??

09-06-2004, 04:09 PM

Driil a hole just slightly larger than the router bit in from the edge of the sink cut out , drop the router in and cut the sink opening out with the router bit. It will be as clean as your cut out on the plywood. So make a nice clean jigsaw cutout for the sink in the plywood first. Drill the holes for the faucet with a hole saw using a very light touch

COArgosy78 · 09-06-2004, 07:20 PM

Laminate had been applied to plywood base! Hope to have some additional pics soon, but with this being the last day of holiday and work starting up again tomorrow - may be next weekend before all is complete. The drilling of the holes for sink and faucets is next, then trim edges. Anyone got good suggestions for cleaning off some glue residue that showed up on top. I have some GooGone, think that will work??

thenewkid64 · 09-07-2004, 08:41 AM

Mineral spirits on a rag will get the glue off without fail.

All of it looks good, you will be pro's by the time you are done!

COArgosy78 · 09-07-2004, 11:00 AM

Hi Brett - I tried some GooGone yesterday and it seems to come off - altho I had to rub pretty hard. Will try your suggestion, if I can find mineral spirits around here. Maybe will wait till we are all done and go over the whole thing.

Since the deed is done now, so to speak, I have been wondering what happens if it does not all stick. The reason I ask is that we were unable to figure out a way to add laminate to the plywood the way you all suggested. With the 2 big cutout areas (sink & stove), the top kept bowing. We thought about adding books or something underneath to help hold it up - but Price decided to try laying the laminate adhesive side up and then turn the plywood over and press it down onto the laminate. That way there was a flat surface to push down on evenly. Anyway, if there needs to be some tweaking - say along the edges...can that be done??? Can we maybe add more adhesive after the fact? I'm a little nervous about this.

thenewkid64 · 09-07-2004, 12:52 PM

You would not be able to "add" the contact cement. The bowing has me a bit perplexed

IF you applied the contact cement according to the directions and then used one of the methods in this thread to align the piece there should have not been a problem.

I have had luck adding a glue called Gorilla Glue. It requires the pieces being glued to be clamped. You have to be VERY careful not to get any on the exterior of the item you are gluing as once it hardens it is impossible to remove.

COArgosy78 · 09-07-2004, 01:06 PM

What I mean by bowing is that the plywood used (same thickness as previous base) is standing on several edges now that we have moved all metal edge pieces from old base to new. Those edges, plus the not very thick plywood, plus the rather large opening for the stove and smaller hole for sink create an area in the middle of the plywood that bowed as we applied pressure. If we turn the plywood upside down (so bottom is now up), it eliminates those edges and the plywood lies flat on its back. So, essentially, we ended up holding the plywood upside down above the sticky laminate and coming down as centered as we possibly could, then tried to apply pressure from one end to other with our hands as hard as we could. I'm hoping it worked - guess we will know when we flip (I haven't been brave enough yet!!!).