Nervous about Formica

Jon Farley

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7
Location
Mifflin County, PA
The conference table I am now building will end up with a white Formica top and laminated oak edging that will be about 5/8" wide. I would like to rout the edge of the oak with a plain old roundover bit set deep enough so the top of the cutter (the flat part) cuts the fomica, leaving it (and maybe just a tiny bit of the oak) proud of the roundover. I have never worked with Formica before and I'm concerned about it chipping or some other problem that could potentially ruin the top. Should I be worried? Anyone have any pointers on this whole process? Thanks...Jon
 
Why not make your edging wide enough that you can cut the profile in the edging and not show the edge of the plastic laminate. I think it would look better that way.

But if you have to cut the laminate with a router, it should cut fine. Almost all laminate is trimmed to size with a router bit.

Mike
 
I am not a laminate expert but have done a fair amount of that type of work. I have never chipped a piece of laminate with a router bit while triming it so that means that it is not very difficult. You might want to use a new sharp bit since this is your first attempt.

The only problem I ever ran into was using a planer bit to flatten a top and I chiped one end of a table that already had the laminate on the vertical sides and ends. With what you are going to do you will not run into that problem.

I think that you will be supprised at how well the whole operation will go.

P.S. Well, sounds like that Matt has run into problems with a roundover bit so you might want to try a test piece first and see how it works for you. I did see a guy do that edging that you are talking about and I thought that it was quite effective. Just depends on what you like I guess.
To me the most important thing is to make absolutely sure that both the table top and the laminate are totally clean before you put on the contact cement. The smallest piece of anything will show as a bump when you roll it out or press it unless you are able to exert a ton of pressure. I like to use a glue roller pad on a paint roller to apply the cement.
 
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I personally would not rely on the edge of the roundover bit to trim the formica without some chipping. If I were going to do the profile you stated, I would install the formica, and then use a flush trim bit, (preferably with a slight downcut shear action), then I would install the oak trim and set the roundover to make the cut you want on the oak, but with the edge of the roundover bit only going up against the formica, but not cutting it. I think you will get a cleaner edge on both the formica and the wood, as you will not have any of the laminate cement gumming up the roundover bit, (which can be a PITA), and can cause uneven edges and profiles.
 
I cannot think of an instance, either first hand or related to me, where chipping was a problem with routing HPL, high pressure laminate, of which Formica, is a brand name. Even when flush trimming with an overhang that exceeds the diameter of the cutter.

That said, a helical bit (one that has cutting flutes at an angle to the shank) does a nicer job and does present less risk to the operation.

Further, I have seen a striking countertop detail where a solid wood edge was used and a routed chamfer intersected with the HPL, revealing the black substrate with a pin stripe effect. I have heard no reported instances that this affected the durability of the edge with regard to either chipping or peeling.

Carol
formerly AKA the Router Lady - author "Router Joinery Workshop"
sold a bunch of routers and bought a lathe - new toy!
 
Hi Jon,
I think you will be okay doing it the way you have planned. To add the oak after the p lam is on makes for a tough flushing up (at the joint) oak to p lam. :eek:
Just a tip for a decorative edge........band a piece of ply with 1 1/2" solid stock of an accent color,( accent to the color of the p lam you intend to use) for example red oak or walnut or maple. Sand the joints flush. Band the edges with p lam. cover the top with p lam. Rout the edges with the router bit of choice, You may want to make several passes at increasingly deeper settings. Never seen a better p lam corner. It is a real high light to an otherwise dull and problematic area. See this drawing ...from "Paint"
p lam edge.JPG
Shaz
P.S. Sharp... is advisable:D
 
jon, you`ll be fine......i`d go with your original idea as i read it.....the edge is burried in the fillet above the r/o......if you try to apply edging after laminating you`ll have potential water damage/sealing issues.....tod
 
Most all of my counter tops I use oak as a face. Applied on front of the substrate, 3/4x 1 1/2

Then I apply formica, flush trim off.
Then chamfer, backing the router up for the first cut, then forward [proper direction] to make a clean cut.
I do it this way to keep the Oak from splittering.
Never had the laminate to chip out.
I like that little black racing stripe that shows afterwards.:)
 
I just did this on my first project and was sweating-it too. All the work/money that goes into the top and the final step has the possibility to make everything unusable. It was surprisingly easy and it came out great. Just make sure to:

1) have the laminate glued down to whatever trim is under it so that the laminate doesn't flap.
2) have a SHARP bit on hand for the routing that is bearing guided. Whiteside is the way to go here.
3) Do not take off too much material at a time, especially with the harder woods. Taking off a little at a time will also enable you to get used to your cutter and the materials you are working with
4) Go the right direction so as to not climb cut the table top (Counterclockwise around the outside).

You'll be fine, just go slow until you are comfortable.

Best Regards,
Justin
 
Thanks for all the replies and good advice. I guess I'll make some sample pieces identical to the finished top so as to practice and eliminate some of the anxiety I'm already experiencing. Does anyone know of a good source for shear cut roundover bits?

By the way, here is a shot of the table top so far. It is about 4 feet by 8 feet. The structure is poplar with 1/4" MDF edges. Next step is to put the MDF substrate on top, and the oak ply on the bottom.
 

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Jon

That looks like a great project! What will the base be?

Thanks for the pics, keep them coming!

Jay
 
I just did this on my first project and was sweating-it too. All the work/money that goes into the top and the final step has the possibility to make everything unusable. It was surprisingly easy and it came out great. Just make sure to:

1) have the laminate glued down to whatever trim is under it so that the laminate doesn't flap.
2) have a SHARP bit on hand for the routing that is bearing guided. Whiteside is the way to go here.
3) Do not take off too much material at a time, especially with the harder woods. Taking off a little at a time will also enable you to get used to your cutter and the materials you are working with
4) Go the right direction so as to not climb cut the table top (Counterclockwise around the outside).

You'll be fine, just go slow until you are comfortable.

Best Regards,
Justin


Welcome to the family Justin :wave:
 
John,
Don't sweat it. I've done exactly what you are describing, with more detailed moulding bits and formica.

My tips working with laminate:
A. Use "Formica Brand" water based adhesive. This is the easiest to apply, and is FAR stronger (although less forgiving) then DEP or any other brand contact cement. No smell, water cleanup. Awsome holding power, even in high humidity. It does cost a little more...but it's very much worth the upcharge.

B. Remember that TRIM bits are designed to make "trim" cuts. When roughing the formica to size, try to leave only about a 1/4" or less overhang. Don't sweat it if it's a little more...but less is better/cleaner. Or in your case, add your oak trim first - then apply the laminate, gluing it down to the top of the oak trim as well as the substraight. You can route it directly after the laminate is rolled out. There is no waiting / cure time with laminate adhesive. Once each face is dry to the touch (should be a hazy-clear) you're ready to rock & roll. If any glue area still looks like skim milk, you have more minutes of waiting to do. There is no rush. The open time of this stuff is something like 3 hours.

C. Absolutely use setup sticks - lots of them. These scrapwood "spacers" keep the laminate from touching the substrate. They should be at LEAST 3/4" high. Align the laminate on the sticks, and working from one side to the other, remove the sticks one at a time, rolling out the air pocket towards the open edge.

If the laminate does make contact in the wrong place at the wrong time... you're pretty much SOL. I have made up my share of brand new swear words when such a mishap should occur. None that my 7 yr daughter would recognize if she would be in earshot. ;) They are helpful.

D. Finish the edge using 320 grit and a sanding block. Easy does it. You just want to break the sharp edge of the laminate. If it needs more work, a few strokes with file followed by 320g does a good job.

Have fun with it. And keep the leftovers. I've lined more then a few shop/utility drawers with leftover formica.

Oh...one last thing... MDF is good substrate, but I found particle board even better. It has more pores to anchor the adhesive. Bottom line, It just holds better & longer. At least that's my experience.
 
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One of my tops with the wood treatment, 45 bevel, taped off for finishing.

Sometimes the front edge gets lamanite, and the bevel cut revells the wood
 
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Nervous about Formica - UPDATED

Well, after getting some good advice here, I did the formica yesterday and had no problems with the process. Here are some pix of the top. The entire table should be done and ready for delivery in a couple days. Thanks again to all those who pitched in with their pointers...Jon
 

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