Where to buy melamine

[Russ Filtz]

HPL >> Melamine. A good quality laminate will be tougher than melamine which is pretty soft. For cheapo drawer, shelves, etc. it's usually fine, but for something nice or countertops, etc., I'd stick with HPL, but it will be more expensive.

[Maurice Ungaro]

China has a lot of it. They use it in dog food.

[Mike Sheppard]

I needed a sheet of 1/4" and got it at Toledo Plywood Co, about 100 mile round trip. I don't know if they ship.
Mike

[David Keller NC]

Mike - For your entertainment center, get the melamine or formica already adhered to MDF or plywood (a specialty sheet goods supplier is the best place - they should have either substrate and a range of colors).

While you can laminate formica or melamine onto a substrate yourself, it's not an easy thing to do correctly (I've tried it). Unless you have a press or a vacuum bag system, it's tough to get it down straight and bubble-free, and the glues that they use at the factories is far superior to the contact cement usually sold to individuals.

And - you will need a fine-cut blade for your table saw and/or circular saw, preferably one specifically made for HPL work (Forrest sells one, as do Freud and others). Chipping this stuff is very easy.

Also, make sure your dust collection system is up to snuff. The chemicals used to make HPL are nasty, and the dust is micro-fine, abrasive and hazardous.

[Chris Harper]

... and the glue does not work, unless you are gluing melamine to melamine.

Nancy,

I'm under the impression that melamine glues are suitable when glueing particle board to melamine, or in other words for the typical butt joint.

Is this incorrect?

[Curt Harms]

I did a couple book cases using Borg Melamine/particle board. I did get chipping when cutting it in one trip. I found that if I made 2 passes, one with the blade about 1/16" high just to score the melamine then a 2nd pass to cut the rest of the way through it worked great. Obviously not a technique for large scale usage but it worked fine for a dozen or so cuts. Sort of a poor man's scoring blade setup.

HTH

Curt

[Mike McCann]

Everyone thanks for your input. I was able to find someone local who carries the 1/4" x 4' x 8' black melamine. If any one is interested it is at the following place. It is around 30 bucks for the sheet.

Flagg, Inc.
9195 Seward Road
Fairfield, OH 45014
Phone: 513-874-5900