Roller for small peice of laminate?

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Rhythm House Drums

New User
Kevin
I just picked up some 3/4 Baltic birch some red oak for supports and some thicker counter laminate. Yes, I'm headed towards a router top. :). I've not done laminate before, but picked up some 3m super 90 spray. Also saw some 3m 98 contact cement, but had heard of the 90 so got that.

The overall size before I cut it down is 24 x 30. I don't have a roller, should I get one? Any alternatives? I have some 3/4 MDF also... Should I lay this on top and put some weight on it? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
 

toolferone

New User
Tom
Get a scrap of wood you can hit with a hammer. Move the wood around the laminate as you hit it with the hammer.
 

gfernandez

Gonzalo
Corporate Member
Can't speak about the spray, but when I did my router table, I used contact cement and have never had an issue with separation. Tip for the cement, after placing it on the router table top, use small dowels every foot or so on top of that, put laminate over it, position and slowly remove each dowel one by one. Better placement than just dropping it on top and hoping for the best. One the laminate touches the cement, it will be next to impossible to move.
 

g0a

Joey
Senior User
Do NOT USE spray adhesive for the laminate.
Best bet is weldwood contact cement

Comes in a can , roll it on
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
+1 contact cement

I usually lay 3/8" dowels on the cement (after it tacks!) every 6-8". The 'trick' is the first edge. Don't try to make it a perfect edge, but leave a little overhand all around, You'll trim it flush with a router after it's pressed down.
 

Rhythm House Drums

New User
Kevin
Thanks for the replys. I've read lots of people use the 3m super 90 for this, it's made for laminate tops. What's the downside to using this opposed to contact cement that would be rolled or brushed on? Also, I planned on putting the top on the plywood then cutting to size on tablesaw. Should I cut the wood to size first and then trim the laminate off with router?
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
+1 contact cement

I usually lay 3/8" dowels on the cement (after it tacks!) every 6-8". The 'trick' is the first edge. Don't try to make it a perfect edge, but leave a little overhand all around, You'll trim it flush with a router after it's pressed down.
+1 on contact cement, dowels and overhang. The roller is helpful, and you can get it at the Home Depot for $13. Tom's suggestion of a scrap of wood works too. For larger areas, I found it useful to take a piece of 2x4, round over the long edge with a 1/4" bit, and then use it smooth the laminate. You want to work from the center to the edges, to squeegee out any air.

Contact cement stinks, it's a pretty nasty solvent. But it works really well.
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
block of wood and hammer as suggested above works well. Contac cement is all I use for laminate. you are going to want top and bottom covered with laminate to help keep things flat. cutting with the tablesaw after laminating can be problematic. the back of the blade can lift small chips in the laminate surface. cut top first. cut laminate bigger than needed and trim with router. I do the edges first then rout top and bottom flush. then lightly sand top and bottom. then laminate top and bottom routing after each application. I then either use a laminate file or a 7* router bit with bearing to finish the edges. set the depth carefully. your fingernail will tell you when it's just right.
 

g0a

Joey
Senior User
The downside on 3m 90 is that the adhesive is not long lasting or strong enough


Contact cement will rip the laminate before it releases. Been there and learned the hard way
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
Only use contact cement.

Contact cement needs to be warm enough when you use it, so have a heated shop or wait until the weather improves. Also keep it away from open flames like a gas water heater. Very flammable vapors that drift towards the floor.

- Ken.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
All I use is spray contact, havent had a single problem is over 20 yrs with it :} Rough cut your laminate plus 1" in ALL dimensions, 2 coats on the substrate (ply.mdf ) and 1 coat on the laminate, Dowels,pipe,any kind of "rollers" between surfaces, lay lam on top, feel the edges and get the lam as close to centered by feel, start at one end KEEP THE FREE END HIGH as you press the lam down slowly, pull on dowel at a time and work your way across. Trim excess with router and flush trim bit, use a good bastard file to lightly break the sharp edge and wally u r done.
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
The 3M spray will be fine for the laminate that's what it's made for. I worked at Kenworth building trucks for a few months and used it to adhere plastic to metal. 3M 90 is basically spray contact cement, spray both surfaces, wait about 30 seconds or so then stick down the laminate.
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
The 3M spray will be fine for the laminate that's what it's made for. I worked at Kenworth building trucks for a few months and used it to adhere plastic to metal. 3M 90 is basically spray contact cement, spray both surfaces, wait about 30 seconds or so then stick down the laminate.
Thanks Rick. I know 3M has another spray (70?) that is suitable for laminate, but it requires clamping (which is far from ideal for a router top!). Good to know the 90 product addresses that.
 

blazeman45

Steve
Senior User
Borrow the wife's wooden rolling pin to press it since it is a small are. Will work fine!!! Don't tell her though!!! Lol
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
It really isn't necessary to spray both surfaces as 3M 90 isn't really contact cement but I found that for the best bond, a light coating on both surfaces works best. The tricky part with that method is that you need to wait just the right amount of time to stick them together, at the point where the glue is tacky but not gooey or dry.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Instead of dowels, I have used slats from a discarded venetian blind. This puts the laminate closer to the substrate and less chance of moving things as you are sticking them together.

Roy G
 
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