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Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: slayer6466 on February 16, 2009, 11:31:56 am

Title: should i remove laminate?
Post by: slayer6466 on February 16, 2009, 11:31:56 am

i have an old star trek arcade cab with laminate.someone painted the laminate over with black paint.Should i remove the paint and the laminate.on the other side a large portion of the laminate had been removed leaving the mdf board underneath.if i work to paint the wood under the laminate would it come out good.What do i do.?

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: TelcoLou on February 16, 2009, 07:37:24 pm

Well, if a large portion of laminate has been removed, then you may as well remove the rest of it.

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: slayer6466 on February 16, 2009, 07:40:54 pm

but if removed everything how will i paint the bare wood under.?thanks

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: The_Tyler_Black on February 17, 2009, 01:29:48 am

well if by bare wood you are refering to the MDF, MDF is made to be painted so go ahead and paint it! if its a partical type wood you may want to consider some sort of primer!

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: slayer6466 on February 17, 2009, 10:50:43 am

sorry if this sounds stupid but how can i tell if its mdf.my dad has some particle board in his garage but the wood in the cab dosent look or feel rough.Also before i paint with what grit sandpaper do i sand and for how long.?thanks

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: ZEN on February 19, 2009, 01:24:47 am

MDF is high density and normal particle board is a little flakier, most cabs originally used a resin based form like MDF.  I have done both with the laminate, on my current conversion, one side the laminate came right off, the other did not with two coats of paint on it.  I was laminating mine, so on the wood side I used a 40 or 60 grit paper first to get through any old adhesive then re-laminated it.  I scored the old laminate with heavy girt sand paper then scored with a dremel tool so my contact cement would ahere, worked awesome.

If you plan to paint follow up the rough sanding wtih a 120 grit or so and that should smooth it out well.  Others may like to get it even smoother for paint.  You dont need to sand it down a ton, but you will have best results if you remove any old adhesive first, fill holes and sand to smooth.  Your paint will only look as good as the surface underneath it.

Title: Re: should i remove laminate?
Post by: slayer6466 on February 19, 2009, 06:14:07 pm

i sanded down one side and it feels smooth and i painted a small portion of the top and sanded that down and it feels kinda smooth nothing compared to the bare wood but of course it isn't gonna feel as smooth because of the thickness of the paint right or should it feel just as smooth.thanks