Finishing a cabinet in all Vinyl (opposed to Paint or Laminate)

[GSXRMovistar]

Hi there, has anyone finished their cabinet with all vinyl (plain not side art etc) instead of paint or laminate?

I'm planning a cocktail/coffee table cabinet where I'd like to avoid paint but as it will have one side of curves I suspect laminate would be a no go.

[michelevit]

You can wrap a cabinet in vinyl. Even if it is curved. Cars are crazy curved and they are probably the most vinyl wrapped object today. Go visit your local car wrap sign shop. A large one does it all in house. Share what you find. I've printed up vinyl signs for my work. They are essentially large stickers. In an outdoor environment they last a couple of years. In your game room, it will probably last forever.

[yotsuya]

Just remember - vinyl can tear, especially if something scrapes you cab. I remember someone posting a story about putting new vinyl on his Missile Command, only to have it get torn up by a swivel chair during a kids party. 

[kiwasabi]

We wrapped this cabinet with some Avery vinyl. I wouldn't recommend going this route. It took countless hours to work out all the little bubbles and in the end it came out far from perfect. In this pic you can't tell, but it sags in a couple places and it looks bad around the coin door. I guess if you apply it to totally flat surfaces then cut them after that might be OK.

[ChanceKJ]

Magnito was given a coat of primer then painted...
 http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,119175.80.html

I don't think it would be hard. I'd get yourself some matching sharpie markers to do touchups on any edges that may show through between the vinyl and any tmoulding or exposed hardware.

I was pretty opposed to painting my Flynn's cab... But here we are. And I wouldn't change a thing. 

[ChanceKJ]

It also depends on what vinyl you use. Not all are created equal. Some are made for this kinda thing. Like my side art was printed using vinyl with "air release" if you look closely at the sticky side you can see little microscopic cross hatching to help move the bubbles away. Some are perforated. Do your homework and you should get a decent result.

[jennifer]

    Sega used vinyl on there cabs and it fared pretty well in the real world, although over time the edges liked to let go. When I redo them, I paint the cabs with a clear sealer first, this makes for a better surface for it to stick to.... Laminate is pretty bendy, it will contour curves nicely, The drawback (besides the added cost) is the mil thickness of witch may not line up to things like "T" /edge moldings, and the difficulty of replacing it after it becomes scratched/ chipped (The all do eventually).

[ChanceKJ]

You might even think of sanding and sealing the wood with a mixture of wood glue and water. Unless it's MDF, don't use water on MDF.

[GSXRMovistar]

Hmm thinking about it I may be better off with laminate, assuming they do versions thin enough to bend around curves (i.e the sort you would find on a kitchen worktop),

[jennifer]

    Most likely you wont find what you want @ your local hardware store but they can special order it from color chips. A laminate trimmer and a flush cut bit, a roller, and glue will also be needed... ** Fun story, On painted edges Jennifer likes to tape a piece of plastic banding strip over it, and run the bit on that leaving a small lip overhang, then mask the paint with tape and file the lip off the laminate with a big flat file @ 45deg. it takes some extra time, but leaves a really nice finished edge.

[dkersten]

If you have not worked with laminate, here are a few bits of info: 

If you have a specialty lumber or hardware store in your area, I would start there for laminate.  Otherwise call the cabinet shops and ask if they can order some for you.  There are vertical and horizontal grades available in some colors and styles, but most cabinet shops only stock the horizontal grade which is thicker.  The vertical stuff is made for sides of cabinets that will be exposed but not really used as a working surface.. this would be ideal for you as it is quite thinner.

Regular laminate is a highly compressed and layered material, very dense.  What this means is that a well cut or even scored and snapped edge is pretty much razor sharp.  And a broken edge is even more so.  I have suffered more than one nasty cut from this stuff, so be careful.

You can cut it with a table saw, a skilsaw, or score and snap it with the right kind of scoring tool.  I clamp a board to my fence that is sitting about an eighth of an inch up from the table saw surface so that it holds the laminate flat on that end and doesn't curl up while I am trying to run it through the saw.  I always give myself an extra inch or two all the way around, especially on big areas.  I have come up short even when being cautious before because it shifted on me just a little when I started adhering it, and then not only is the entire piece of laminate ruined, but the piece you are laminating is junk too..

CURVES:  You can laminate over curves that are fairly gradual without doing anything other than just bending it.  However, any curve with a radius of less than about 3 inches is going to be tough to do without heat.  Keep in mind that laminate only bends well in one direction.  You can clearly see the grain on the back side, and run the grain perpendicular to the curve if you can.  If you are going to heat it and bend it, you pretty much HAVE to pay attention to the grain or you will fail miserably.  I have bent laminate over a 1" diameter curve (1/2" roundover) with success, although it was tough and took me three tries.  You can use a torch or a heat gun to heat it, but you have to be SUPER careful you don't run it too hot or it will blister and ruin the laminate.. I would stick with a heat gun on low to start, even it can burn a piece very easily if you aren't being careful.  A hair dryer won't get it hot enough for anything more than a bend you can do without even heating, so don't bother.  You can experiment with scraps to see how hot you can get it before it pops, and you will pretty much see quickly when you have over heated it.  It helps to have a jig of some kind if the curve is tight because you won't want to try to press the hot laminate with your hands and let it cool in place.. This is not an easy skill to master, but it is possible..  Once you get the curve you desire, it is even more difficult to glue it down because you have to nail the curve perfectly.  I have seen some guys heat it up while gluing, but it is tricky and you can't do much heating as you will screw up the glue.  Plus some cements are flammable and heat is never a good idea near them, lol.

You can use a few different glues to adhere it.  Regular contact cement (ie elmers rubber cement) works but isn't ideal.  It is SUPER potent, flammable, and if you aren't wearing a good mask and in a very well ventilated area you will likely be seeing rainbows and unicorns before you have finished your first coat.  There are water based contact cements that work VERY well, and I would highly recommend them.  I use the green stuff (not sure off the top of my head what it is called, but anyplace that sells laminate will know). 

I use foam rollers and brushes to put it on.  I start with the wood side because that side is more porous and will take 2 coats and dry fast.  Get one nice even coat on it with the roller.  Pour the glue onto the wood, don't try to use a tray or anything, it will only create problems.  Spread it out and roll it even.  Then go back over it with a brush, which will take out bubbles and help adhere it to the wood better.  Keep it dust free (this is critical).  Then do the same on the back side of the laminate.  You won't need as much on the laminate as it is less porous and will spread more.  Roll it out, then brush it out.  Then go back to the wood and do the same again.. be sure you are using a wet edge on the brush, if you tough it with a part of the brush or roller that has dry glue on it, it will stick and be a pain in the butt.  If you make contact with two things that have dry contact cement on them, they WILL stick and you will end up having to peel up some or you will get a lump that will show through.

Once you have two coats on the wood and one to two coats on the laminate (a second coat around the edge is usually what I do), and it is dry (the green stuff will turn pretty dark, almost transparent, and the surface if touched by a clean hand will NOT be tacky at all), then you are ready to lay the laminate down.  Use dowels or cardboard strips every few inches to prevent from making contact before you are ready.  Get it lined up as centered as you can, and then start in the middle and remove a dowel or strip and push it down until you make contact.  Just like vinyl stickers, work your way in one direction smoothing it on with your hand or a roller, then go the other way.  Once it is down, use a roller to apply about 90 pounds per square inch of pressure.  In other words, push down pretty hard and roll the heck out of it.  Be careful at the edges if you overcut it a lot, if you put your weight on the wrong side of the edge (the part with no wood under it) you will probably crack it at an inconvenient place.. 

Use a flush trim bit to trim off the excess laminate.  If the edge is going to be exposed in any way, run a fine file at a 45 degree angle over it (basically ease the edge) or even a sanding block to get rid of the razor sharp edge.  If you are laminating the perpendicular side, get one side done completely, (don't file), then tape the edge with painters or masking tape, then glue and laminate the next side.  The tape will help with the cleanup of the glue, which will inevitably get on the laminate and have to be rubbed off, but mostly it will allow the bearing of the flush trim bit to rid on that newly laminated surface without scratching it.  Be sure to clean and lube the bearing before each edge or it will gum up with glue and end up eating through the tape and the surface of your laminate.  Once you have done the second side, use a file to put a nice 45 degree on the exposed edge.  The tape will have given you a slight protrusion of the second edge, so you HAVE to file or sand it anyway.. a nice 45 will just look good. 

ANY debris or gobs of glue under it will have a lump, and there is pretty much nothing you can do about it.  This is why it is so critical to keep it dust free.  If an edge comes up on you, you can try to use a clean putty knife to raise it up as high as you can, wedge it open, then use a small brush or qtip to apply more contact cement to both surfaces, then let dry for a while.. (usually an hour or more), then remove the wedge and roll it down really firmly.  This has worked fairly well in the past, and things like super glue, silicone, or epoxy have seldom held up for more than a few weeks.  Best to get it right the first time though.. Do it right and you will have a VERY nice surface that will last for a long time.  Do it wrong and you will be better off starting over because it will bug you..

[jennifer]

     OMG... Your going to scare the poor guy, But yes, that's a wealth of information (should almost get the sticky post) As for the glue, **Jennifer sings** "I feel pretty, Oh so pretty....Giggle.

[clhug]

I've been thinking for a couple of years of using a self-adhesive black textured vinyl for the sides of my cabinet.  When I first thought of it I found some online but now I can't think of what search terms I used to find it again.  It was almost more like a semi-hard but still flexible plastic than a soft material.  It wouldn't tear.  I might scratch though.  When I found it originally I found one place that sold it in 3 ft width rolls.  But my cabinet is wider than 3 ft so I'd have a seam.  I found another place that sold like 5 ft width rolls but it was much more expensive so I never did it.  But now I could afford it better, if I could find it again.

Anyway, what does anyone thing about this type of material?

[clhug]

I've been thinking for a couple of years of using a self-adhesive black textured vinyl for the sides of my cabinet.  When I first thought of it I found some online but now I can't think of what search terms I used to find it again.  It was almost more like a semi-hard but still flexible plastic than a soft material.  It wouldn't tear.  I might scratch though.  When I found it originally I found one place that sold it in 3 ft width rolls.  But my cabinet is wider than 3 ft so I'd have a seam.  I found another place that sold like 5 ft width rolls but it was much more expensive so I never did it.  But now I could afford it better, if I could find it again.

Anyway, what does anyone thing about this type of material?

I found one of the textured black vinyl rolls I had found originally.  http://www.parts-express.com/black-textured-vinyl-laminate-2-ft-x-18-ft--261-618  This was sold to use on speaker cabinets.  It was pretty reasonable cost too, I think maybe $30 a roll.  Unfortunately this vendor  doesn't sell it anymore.  I'm not sure what they've replaced it with.  I can't find anything like it again now.  But again, this is the stuff that had a 2 ft (not even 3 ft) width so I'd have a seam on the side of my cabinet.

I can't find the other one I had found originally a few years ago, but it was very much like that one except it was like a 4 or 5 ft width.  And it was like $80 or $100 per roll.

[BadMouth]

I've been thinking for a couple of years of using a self-adhesive black textured vinyl for the sides of my cabinet.  When I first thought of it I found some online but now I can't think of what search terms I used to find it again.  It was almost more like a semi-hard but still flexible plastic than a soft material.  It wouldn't tear.  I might scratch though.  When I found it originally I found one place that sold it in 3 ft width rolls.  But my cabinet is wider than 3 ft so I'd have a seam.  I found another place that sold like 5 ft width rolls but it was much more expensive so I never did it.  But now I could afford it better, if I could find it again.

Anyway, what does anyone thing about this type of material?

I found one of the textured black vinyl rolls I had found originally.  http://www.parts-express.com/black-textured-vinyl-laminate-2-ft-x-18-ft--261-618  This was sold to use on speaker cabinets.  It was pretty reasonable cost too, I think maybe $30 a roll.  Unfortunately this vendor  doesn't sell it anymore.  I'm not sure what they've replaced it with.  I can't find anything like it again now.  But again, this is the stuff that had a 2 ft (not even 3 ft) width so I'd have a seam on the side of my cabinet.

I can't find the other one I had found originally a few years ago, but it was very much like that one except it was like a 4 or 5 ft width.  And it was like $80 or $100 per roll.

I still have two rolls of that parts express stuff.  I used a couple feet of it to do a standalone fightstick CP top.  For large flat areas with crisp edges, it would probably do fine.  I tried to wrap it around the edges and tuck it into the t-molding slot and got a little bubbling on two of the corners.


 If doing it over again, I'd just trim it even with the edge.   The stuff kinda feels like thick paper when trying to bend it.  It's not going to stretch into any convex or concave shapes without wrinkling up and looking horrible.

I think it would be fine for a bartop which probably isn't going to be subject to as forceful of a scratching as a full size cab.


I remember seeing at least one slim cab done in it.  They had a single small seam on the part that stuck out to hold the control panel.
I also remember someone mentioning that the adhesive that's on it isn't great, but they got it to adhere much better by throwing a towel over it, then ironing.

[eds1275]

On my spinal tap cabinet, I used thick vinyl from walmart's fabric section. It had a mesh back on it and is most likely an upholstery vinyl. I attached it using contact cement just like laminating. Then I curved the edges over the sides and ran an exacto through the t-molding slot, and then used the t-molding to hold it in place. Looks great.

[RandyT]

Vinyl, meaning the thin stuff used for signage, is designed to be very conformable.  This means that any irregularity in the surface of the board will show right through it.  Then there is also the aforementioned bubble issue.

But it can work well if there is enough prep work.  Typically, vinyl is applied with a wetting agent that does not affect the adhesive.  The vinyl is floated onto a very clean, non-porous surface, and the wetting agent squeegeed out.  When everything dries, the vinyl will be bubble-free and as perfect as the surface underneath it.

The real question is whether it is worth the effort.  With a large laminator and a clean piece of bare MDF, it might be a good way to go.  Without that specialized and expensive equipment, it's hard to see the benefits.

Probably better to go with a laminate with some rigidity when doing things by hand.  It will be much easier to hide imperfections in the wood surface.

[jasonbar]

I went through a vinyl auto wrap adventure on a pinball machine: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,123295.0/all.html

If I had to do it all over again, I would have painted. But, at the time, I had a newborn in my small condo along w/ the machine, & I didn't want fill the place with fumes. (Of course, partway through the project, we moved into a big home w/ a 3-car garage, so painting became a viable option at that time...)

Also if I had to do it all over again, I would have just left the machine as it was. :]

Thanks,
-Jason