You can buy a HPL laminate that's thinner and less expensive than the vertical grade of a Formica type laminate. Most of the manufacturers carry it. It could be called 'cabinet liner', or a 'backing sheet'.
It's more durable than a Melamine coating, which is just a chemical application to a substrate. Melamine is a low pressure laminate. It's not a sheet goods application. IOW, you can't remove it, like an HPL laminate.
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