Where to find Black Melamine

[dpdelcollo]

I've been going crazy trying to find someplace in my area that sells 3/4" black melamine sheets.  Can anyone help me?

I live in California specifically the Bay Area , more specifically the East Bay, but am willing to drive as far as Sacramento to find this stuff.

Alternatively if anyone wants to try and talk me out of melamine and convince me that Painted MDF is the way to go, I guess Id like to hear what the best alternative is.  

Any help will me forever appreciated!

[spidermonkey]

I'll talk you out of melemine. Its fairly expensive, Its VERY hard to find in any color other then white, It nicks much easier then laminate/formica. Go buy three 4x8 sheets of MDF (preferably ultralight MDF) Ultrlight MDF costs a bit more but its 1/3 the weight of regular MDF. Then go buy three sheets of laminate at a home improvment center. There are many colors and styles to choose from. Laminating is nice because you cut the cabinet pieces first and then you laminate them and lastly trim the excess with a router or laminate trimmer leaving a nice clean edge. Melemine already has its finished surface when you buy it (a very thin surfacing I might add) and its harder to cut without leaving a crappy unfinished edge. Not to say it can't be done but you need a special blade and you have to cut it with the finished side facing down to minimize cracking on the edges. Melemine is VERY heavy and there is no ultralight version of it. Laminating is more expensive then melemine because you have to buy the MDF and the laminate seperatly but you get what you pay for. I all depends on how professional you want the end result to be.
Happy building !

[dpdelcollo]

Thanks for the tip,  Will home depot sell the laminate in sheets or rolls?  where should I look for it?  When I called to ask about it, I got shuffled to a couple different places before getting lost, and no one could figure out what I was asking about.  Thanks again for the help.

[u_rebelscum]

I live near Berkeley.  The Home Depot in El Cerrito/Richmond as WilsonArts Laminate in 4x8 in stock; IIRC it's ~$35 for one sheet.  I believe HD Emreyville is the same.  The Lowe's down in Union City has formica brand laminate in 4x8 sheets, last time I checked, but don't remember the price.

Try the back wall of HD.  Where, approx., in the easy bay are you?  If you are near either of the above HDs, I could tell you exactly where in the store to go.

[shmokes]

Melamine's easy to get in other colors...just go to a cabinet maker rather than a consumer warehouse like Home Depot.  That's how I found mine.  I first went through the same frustration that you've been going through and then I had a moment of clarity.  I made a couple calls and a few minutes later was having a cabinet shop order some for me.  They could order it in as low a quantity as I wanted and in about 15 different colors.  I'm still laminating mine on the outside but it's nice that it has that black pre-laminate for the insides...especially up near the monitor area where the inside shows.

It is pretty expensive, though.  About $30 for a 4'x8' sheet of 3/4" if I remember right.

[soslo]

you are in luck my friend - I am in Fremont and buy sheets of melamine from Hulbert Lumber in hayward.
37500 Cedar Blvd., 94560
(510) 793-2741

They'll order it for you if you buy a few sheets (40 per sheet).  
You have to pay in advance.

Its about the same price as laminate alone...

I ordered 6 sheets from them and it was cool.

[eightbit]

Some home depots will order other colors of melamine for you if you can find someone that knows anything(good luck) in the store. I've heard they don't have a minimum quantity or any extra shipping charges. Real laminate is much more durable but its going to cost you. Most home depots should have laminate but its expensive. If you can find a local laminate supplier it'll be a lot cheaper. Its often used for countertops and cabinets so check with cabinet maker suppliers or builders.

[soslo]

Eightbit - good info. Apparently dpdelcollo and I live close to each other (East Bay)...and the Home Depots around here told me they wont order Melamine.

Hulbert will order it - not extra costs...its 36.xx plus 3.xx tax - about $40 per sheet. It comes in black, white, or almond. The also stock black laminate, and can order any of the Wilsonart. Out local Home Depots only seem to have marble patterns for countertops, etc.

Side note - eightbit - I just ordered 4 of those smart power switches from Bits Limited. Also, retrogaming did a review on it. Cool!
http://www.bitsltd.net/smartstrip/buy.htm
4 with shipping ended up costing $112. I couldn't find them at sears.com
 

[Infrasonic]

what were you planning to use the melamine for?  Can you carry 49"x98" sheets?  

I bought a melamine sheet one time and I asked for a 3/4 inch sheet, and they brought out 3 quarter-inch sheets, lol.

[dpdelcollo]

Yeah, I was hoping to get the full sheet size.  I have a ford exploder and access to a pickup truck.  I havent come up with a design quite yet, but Im hopful I can get the whole thing built in less than 2 sheets.

[armad1ll0]

Dude, I live in Mountain View, CA

I went to my local hardware/lumber store and they had a couple of sheets in stock.

With my numbers in hand they even helped me to cut it down to sizes for my joysticks. It was like $40 for a sheet or something like that.

Minton's Lumber & Supply Co
(650) 968-9201

[eightbit]

I talked to a cabinet builder today (a friend of a friend) about cutting me a cab out of black melamine on his cnc router. I left him with a CAD drawing and he's supposed to get back to me with a quote. It will be interesting to see what he says.

[dpdelcollo]

Eightbit, I am interested to see what he says too, would you mind sharing the info when they get back to you?

many thanks to everyone that helped with info about this melamine business, you guys rock.  I hope I can return the favor someday.

[eightbit]

Eightbit, I am interested to see what he says too, would you mind sharing the info when they get back to you?

many thanks to everyone that helped with info about this melamine business, you guys rock.  I hope I can return the favor someday.

Most definately.

[u_rebelscum]

you are in luck my friend - I am in Fremont and buy sheets of melamine from Hulbert Lumber in hayward.
37500 Cedar Blvd., 94560
(510) 793-2741

They'll order it for you if you buy a few sheets (40 per sheet).  
You have to pay in advance.

Its about the same price as laminate alone...

Yup.  Just looked at Emeryville HD, and it was $39.95 for one sheet of laminate.  They had black, white, almond, wood grain, and "grey marble" that looked more like granite to me.


I'll have to look into your suggestion; sounds a lot cheeper.