Where to buy wood laminate?

[mrserv0n]

Hi, I have my sides for arcade cab cut out, where do I get the black laminate to put on it? If thats even what its called.  Just need a link to see what im searching for.. thanks

[sstorkel]

Home Depot or Lowe's are probably your best bet.

Go to the kitchen cabinet department and tell them you want laminate designed for a vertical surface. They may act completely confused. If so, tell them you want Formica (Four-MIKE-Ahhh). They will point you to a rack or box with 3000 color chips. Tell them you want black. They will show you 80 samples that are dark with various spots and flecks of color designed to look absolutely nothing like black granite or black marble. Tell them you want basic, one-color, flat black. They'll lie and tell you it doesn't exist. Give them the finger, walk over to the paint department, grab some primer and then start the whole process over again by telling the paint buy you want to buy some black paint...

[ChadTower]

I was at Lowe's yesterday asking for laminate for my bathroom counter.  The guy spent 2 minutes trying to get me to look at books for hiring them to do it... eventually when he gave up he pointed me to a single rack in the back of the store.  There were four different patterns - three nasty marble and one plain white.  All were covered in so much dust they have to have been there for years.

Go to a local kitchen/bathroom shop or order it online.

[sstorkel]

I've never been to a home center store that didn't have 100 laminate colors from Formica and another 100 from WilsonArt. They are all special-order items, though. I'd be surprised if they had anything in stock... And they'll probably force you to buy an entire sheet.

[ChadTower]

I've never been to a home center store that didn't have 100 laminate colors from Formica and another 100 from WilsonArt. They are all special-order items, though. I'd be surprised if they had anything in stock... And they'll probably force you to buy an entire sheet.

Oh, they had the books... but the guy had no interest in letting me order the material without also ordering installation.  None at all.  Every third phrase out of his mouth was "so when are you looking to have us come do this?"

[northerngames]

same here lowes and mernards had like 4 colors to pick from and same as above one was a stained white and the other 3 were ugly too and all the good stuff needed to be ordered and not in stock.

[sstorkel]

Oh, they had the books... but the guy had no interest in letting me order the material without also ordering installation.  None at all.  Every third phrase out of his mouth was "so when are you looking to have us come do this?"

So find another employee or a supervisor. Or, better yet, grab a sample off the shelf then go to the commercial orders desk and tell them you want to order it but the idiots in cabinets can't make it happen. Don't let them know until the very end that you're not a contractor 

[ChadTower]

Eh, I prefer to leave and go someplace else.  They lose.   

[Donkman]

Look for a local business that serves the cabinet making trade. Depending on what area of the nation you are in they should be simple to find. The area I live in is thick with cabinet makers and furniture / cabinet hardware suppliers. 
 But I am lucky, I don't know about the availability in other areas of the country. 

[IA1NY]

Go to:

www.formica.com
www.wilsonart.com
www.pionite.com

These are the three biggies in the trade.

Follow the link to the "Dealer Locater" or similar wording.  The dealers will also sell specialized contact adhesive and tools for doing laminate properly.  Ask them about instructions or find them online.  You CAN screw it up and it gets expensive doing so.  The dealers are very happy to talk you through the process if you show interest and a promise of skill.

In my experience, Lowe's, Home Depot and other home stores have a very limited selection and it's a crap-shoot whether they have black or not.    It is usually only in one grade and the sheets are also chipped or cracked and your yield is less than going to a cabinet supply shop.  Also like earlier posters, the home stores aren't interested in special ordering it unless they are getting their own contractors to install it.

[Daviea]

IA1NY,

Thanks for that information.  I was just about to go google for the info so I could grab some black laminate samples.  I just ordered a few sample chips from wilsonart.....it looks like they might have exactly what I'm looking for!!

Anyone know where I can get a sample chain?  Some companies provide chains loaded up with sample chips of their various products.  I'll call up formica and wilsonart tomorrow and see if they carry one.

Thanks

David