Another Melamine gluing question.

[Jim O'Dell]

Hi all! I was going to do a question of gluing melamine to melamine here, but did a search first and found a recent thread that said to use Roo glue. One poster said to use the clear. Since I haven't gone to look at this stuff yet, is the clear the best to use for this application? Oh , the application ...I am building a new extension table since I repositioned my fence rails today (I now have 52.5" to the right of the blade instead of 36"!!!) I had a piece of MDF, laminate covered on one side, Melamine on the other. I want to double the thickness and need/want to glue it together. I will have to route some of the bottom and edges to fit aroung bolt heads and a cross bar at the end of the rails, and just want to have the extra security of staying flat. Actually the top will be 2 pieces, and the bottom will be 4 pieces. This is some salvage from a built in counter/desk at the last place I worked at.
So, do I need to get a plastic notched trowel to get this stuff spread out evenly? Can I drill and screw the two halves together to help it hold tight while drying? I'm very limited on clamps...let's just say I don't have any, and that won't be stretching it much. And for the edge joints of raw MDF to MDF, use the same glue or switch to Titebond here?
Thanks for your continued help!! Jim.

[John Lucas]

Jim,
You have more questions in that paragraph...but I think we can attack them. First, the Roo glue for melamine is called Roo Clear. Since you are gluing the melamine to another panel of melamine, you dont need to go and find Roo Clear. You can sand both the melamine surfaces and cemetn together. The sanding is for scratching the smooth surface. A panel adhesive (in cartridge form) will work very well...of ir you scratch well, use good ole carpenters glue and use dry wall screws from underside. 1 1/4" screws are perfect for this. As for the edge treatment...there isno white melamine to contend with so carpenters glue or gorrilla glue works fine.

[Rob Blaustein]

Jim,
You have more questions in that paragraph...but I think we can attack them. First, the Roo glue for melamine is called Roo Clear. Since you are gluing the melamine to another panel of melamine, you dont need to go and find Roo Clear. You can sand both the melamine surfaces and cemetn together. The sanding is for scratching the smooth surface. A panel adhesive (in cartridge form) will work very well...of ir you scratch well, use good ole carpenters glue and use dry wall screws from underside. 1 1/4" screws are perfect for this. As for the edge treatment...there isno white melamine to contend with so carpenters glue or gorrilla glue works fine.

I might have been one of the people who suggested Roo Clear (based on previous posts) and it wasn't hard to find--in fact I think that was the only Roo glue they had at Woodcraft when I went to buy some. Here is Roo's page for Roo clear. I used it to construct a tortion box out of poplar with a melamine top and used it for all the surfaces. I figured I had the bottle open anyway, and it would be good for all the applications, so might as well use it. It wasn't all that expensive either compared to the other glues (maybe around $5 for a pint?).

[Byron Trantham]

Jim, I think that sanding to rough up the surface, and using 1 1/4" screws and carpenter's glue would work well. Neither material tends to warp.

[John Gagnon]

I'm building a cabinet out of white melamine. I have a roll of what looks like paper backed melamine 3/4" wide, to do the edges of the doors etc. What would be the best glue to apply it with?

[Jim O'Dell]

John, I've used some before, and it already had the glue on the backing. I just used an iron to activate the glue. Be careful...too much heat will melt the tape. I used some aluminum foil between the iron and the tape...worked fine. This was back in '95, and the tape is still holding. This is on a whelping box that has only been used a couple times, so not a high traffic item. Jim.

[John Gagnon]

Thanx Jim! Unfortunately this tape has no glue on the back of it. The cabinet is for a router table I am building, so it will be a high traffic item too.