Plastic Laminate Help:

[Don Selke]

Need advice on plastic laminate instillation. I have to install new plastic laminate on a existing counter top covered with the same material only a different color. Normally I would remove the existing top and plastic laminate and install a new top to the cabinet. The existing top is screwed and glued to the existing cabinet and removal is not a option, it would destroy the existing cabinet.
I was thinking of screwing 3/8 particle board to the existing counter and covering it with the new plastic laminate. This would raise the top 3/8" including the plastic. I was told that a second option would be to use a belt sander and rough up the existing plastic laminate and glue the new top down over the old.
The cabinet is in a reception area and is a standard counter top with square edges, nothing fancy.
Third option would be to use a heat gun and remove the existing plastic. Please don't tell me I have to do this.
Thanks for the help:

[Wes Bischel]

Don,
I had the same problem with my kitchen counter. I put 1/4" MDF down - glued with construction adhesive and screwed down. The glue might have been overkill, but I didn't want a "hollow" sound to the counter.
That was over 10 years ago - lots of use with no failures.

Good luck,

Wes

[Norman Hitt]

Don, if the existing laminate is glued down solid to the countertop with no loose spots, just clean it good with a solvent to be sure there is no wax or other coating that would prevent the laminate glue from bonding well, and then use 60 or 80 grit sandpaper in your RO sander to rough up the surface to allow the laminate glue to bond well. Do NOT use the water based laminate glue for this application, use the original laminate glue (solvent based). You could probably use a belt sander, but it would be much harder to control, IMHO, to keep the surface flat with no gouges.

[Steve Cox]

Gluing over the existing laminate will work with a couple of caveats. The old laminate must have a smooth surface. A little texture is okay but if there is anything heavy it will telegraph through. If the laminate you are putting on top has a gloss finish I would run a test piece because there may be some imperfections that telegraph that you couldn't see with the old surface. I have used 3M fastbond 30 water based contact cement for applications like this with no problems. Rough up the old stuff with 60 grit and you'll be good.

[Don Selke]

Thanks for all the reply's and I think I will try the sanding technique over the existing material, sure will save me a lot of work. The existing surface is very sound.
I knew I would get the best advice here on the creek

[Wes Bischel]

Don,
That should work fine - the only reason I went with the MDF was due to my concern over delamination due to hot pots etc. I doubt a reception desk will have that problem.

Wes