formica trouble - Woodworking Talk

smontanye · 01-30-2008, 07:03 PM

On sunday i glued up a countertop for my bathroom using mdf and laminate and contact cement. Today i went to my house and i just tested a corner of it by pulling lightly and i was able to peel the whole thing off. Ive never had prblems in the past doing it the same way. Any clue why it didnt stick? i got the heat set to 49 in the house cuz im not living there, think it might be too cold?

skymaster · 01-30-2008, 07:08 PM

sounds like not enuf glue. On the substrate I always use 2 good coats and one on the lam. First coat on substrate usually get sucked into surface and acts more like a sealer. The cold is not helping either

cabinetman · 01-30-2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smontanye

On sunday i glued up a countertop for my bathroom using mdf and laminate and contact cement. Today i went to my house and i just tested a corner of it by pulling lightly and i was able to peel the whole thing off. Ive never had prblems in the past doing it the same way. Any clue why it didnt stick? i got the heat set to 49 in the house cuz im not living there, think it might be too cold?

For solvent based contact cement, a minimum of 65 degrees is required. Warmer if possible.

smontanye · 01-30-2008, 08:25 PM

thanks guys, i guess ill have to crank up the heat and see what happens the second time.

Handyman · 01-30-2008, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smontanye

thanks guys, i guess ill have to crank up the heat and see what happens the second time.

BE CAREFULL WITH THE CRANKING UP THE HEAT. Contact cement funes are VERY VERY Exsplosive. 17 years on a Fire Dept tells me to glue it outside far away from a flame.

stuart · 01-31-2008, 08:52 AM

great advice!

woodman42 · 01-31-2008, 09:03 AM

I have built laminate counter tops for years and my experience has found that including the above mentioned, that your glue has alot to do with adhesion.
I have found that the contact cement that holds the best is Wilsonart.
I have tried Weldwood and Formica brand glues and they just don't hold as well.

smontanye · 01-31-2008, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handyman

BE CAREFULL WITH THE CRANKING UP THE HEAT. Contact cement funes are VERY VERY Exsplosive. 17 years on a Fire Dept tells me to glue it outside far away from a flame.

If im gluing upstairs and the only running pilot lights are in the basement i should be ok wont i? hopfully i can try it out again this weekend

Handyman · 01-31-2008, 10:17 PM

I would do it if I could close off a door between up and down stairs and could open a few windows to ventilate.

I didnt want to scare yea, but I have been to a house where a guy was glueing some flomica in a laundry room with a gas water heater near by. The room had 3 door, one to the back yard, one to the garage, and one going into the house. Well when the fumes reached the water heater it blew all 3 doors off the house and he recieved burns to 80% of his body. I was one bad seen. He lived but he would have been better off not.

I err on the side of caution.