Any Laminate (Wilsonart) Experts Out There....

[tivogre]

Greetings!

I have created a "built out" coin door panel for my cabinet:



I spent quite a bit of time smoothing out the radii on the "S-Curve" shape of this assembly:



Bottom line, I don't want to mess it up when I try to apply the laminate (black Wilsonart) to it.

My current plan is to apply it to the flat, upper surface first, and then  J-Roll gradually around the upper (outside) radius, then down the sloped panel around the lower (inside) radius and onto the flat part of the lower panel.

On a flat panel, I would use vinyl blind slats to keep the laminate up as I worked out from the center.  Here, however, everything isn't flat, and as I start around the curves, the laminate is going to want to touch at points I don't want.  I'm thinking about a large sheet of brown "package wrap" paper used as a slip sheet.

Will this work?

Are there any laminate application experts out there that can offer tips, or a better strategy?

Thanks!

Cabinet construction (in progress) page:

http://www.ogredog.com/mame_construction_home.htm

[tivogre]

Well, it's done!



I learned some things along the way, the most important of which was that the 1" radius curves I had were NOT sufficient.

The full saga of the lamination can be found on my web update:

http://www.ogredog.com/mame_construction_home.htm#Day%2024%20&%2025

[Tailgunner]

Good job, it turned out nice. Sounds like you had quite a fight to get it follow the curves.

Did you check the installation guides on the Wilsonart website? There are different grades and thicknesses of laminate, some of which will follow a 5/8" curve without heat.

[dema]

That looks beautiful!

[NinjaEpisode]

Beautiful work.  I'm a real fan of laminate and it's finished look.  I agree, it's a pain to work with, but I believe it's worth the effort and really provides a professional finish to a cabinet.

[fiscap]

I noticed that you're using Wilsonart on your cab. Did you purchase through a local store or were you able to find a decent retailer on-line?

Thanks

[Taborious]

Great wood working job, you certainly put more into than I did on mine. If you weighed that thing would it measure in metric tonage 

great work...

[dema]

I noticed that you're using Wilsonart on your cab. Did you purchase through a local store or were you able to find a decent retailer on-line?

Thanks

I believe the laminate they carry at Home Depot is WilsonArt.

[Nannuu]

That is NICE.

[tivogre]

I noticed that you're using Wilsonart on your cab. Did you purchase through a local store or were you able to find a decent retailer on-line?

Thanks

I contacted Wilsonart and asked for the name of a local distributor.

After a couple of phone calls, I found one from their list that would sell to the public.  There was a 10 sheet minimum order.... so I went in with a friend who was building a cabinet too.

We bought 14 sheets between us at $22.00 per sheet.  That was about $20 less per 4x8 sheet than Home Depot wanted.  We were also able to get the thinner "vertical grade" laminate through the distributor that Home Depot didn't have available... even through special order.

The vertical grade is thinner and lighter.  That has good points and bad points...  It is CAPABLE of bending around a smaller radius... BUT it is more brittle and less forgiving.  It also puts less stress on the adhesive on the side panels.

[fiscap]

Yikes! I found a local retailer of Wilsonart laminate and they want $2.75/s.f. for five 4x8 sheets - $440!! That's almost twice the price of what Home Depot charges. I asked them about pricing for vertical laminate as you indicate Tivogre - but they had no clue what I was talking about.

Oh well - I'll keep searching. 

** As an update to this post, I've found an online supplier of Wilsonart Laminate - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=54691.0

[JDShaffer]

I have been going through the website for a few weeks now and I just am amazed at the awesome work some of you do.  Very nice.