How-to apply laminate

[WadeLanham]

I've used laminate on game cabinets a lot, so I get a lot of questions about it. I love the stuff and have learned a lot of tricks for complex installs that I won't cover here. But this will cover the basics.

You can get the laminate anywhere, Lowe's, kitchen cabinet shops, etc. I usually use Formica brand but I've also used Wilsonart which I think is not quite as durable. Both brands have a regular thickness and a "vertical grade" that is thinner and will only add a negligible thickness to your cabinet. If you need a certain color you'll have to check all the samples which are usually about 2x3 in size and are free (usually). I've used black and white a LOT, woodgrain types once or twice, and once I used an orange Wilsonart for my widebody Mario Brothers cabinet (it was a close match but not absolutely perfect).

The cost: Typically a 4x8 sheet is around $2/sqft or around $45-50 per sheet. Around $100 for both sides of a game and enough left over for the front, usually. Different shops, brands, and finishes vary the cost a little. Usually I don't do whole games, I do the fronts, or smaller sections like seat bases on driving games, etc. Also, I frequently buy scraps from my local shop that keeps a lot of of scraps. So sometimes I can buy only what I need, which could be about $15 for the black front of a classic Atari, for example.

To install it, you need:

1) Contact cement (available at Lowe's, etc.... Formica brand has a water based and a solvent based... I think the solvent based is better but it's a little more serious fume-wise).
2) Router with flush trim bit (straight, with bearing on the bottom)
3) Pressure roller wheel thing (around $20) to press the laminate down
4) Brushes to apply the cement
5) Dowels - Small diameter but long enough to reach across the surface you're covering.
6) The laminate of course.

Prep your surface like you are going to paint it. Part of the beauty of laminate is the surface doesn't have to be perfect, especially if you use the thicker standard grade (it will cover holes with no problem). Vertical grade laminate is far less forgiving, it will cover small holes and will hide more than a decal or thin vinyl, but it won't cover big flaws.

Get everything clean, and apply contact cement to the back of the laminate and to the surface you are covering. Allow the cement to dry. Do a second coat if you need to (not usually necessary, but might be if your surface is porous or really rough). I usually over-apply a bit, but there is a drawback. It will squish out of the sides a bit and then gum up the trim bit or cause shavings to stick to the edges. No big deal, but it will save you some trouble if you don't over-apply it.

Lay several dowels across the surface, about a foot apart. Position your laminate glue-side down on top of the dowels. The dowels will keep the laminate from sticking down. Once that adhesive meets, it will STICK. You will probably not get it off without damage to the cabinet and laminate. Once the position is correct, slide out the dowels one at a time.

After all the dowels are out, use your pressure roller with as much weight as you can muster, and roll from the center outward. I believe the cement says it should have 150psi to stick correctly. Be careful near the edges (lift your weight when you get close) or you might crack the laminate if you go over the edge with force.

Use your router to flush trim the laminate around the surface.

Use the pressure roller again and get the edges.

Clean up - you're done! Hope this helps somebody.

Some example pictures (some already applied, and some in progress):
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/MsPacCocktail/P1010010
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album188/P1010003_001
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album188/P1010005
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/kassiemini/100_3544
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/kassiemini/100_3359
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/mariobros/100_2326
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album180/tfrestore3
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album180/tf
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/album180/tfrestore2
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/VirtuaRacing/100_3303
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/VirtuaRacing/laminate_before1
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/VirtuaRacing/laminate4
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/VirtuaRacing/P1010003
http://usergallery.myhomegameroom.com/gallery/VirtuaRacing/P8010002


Wade

 

[Fudd]

is laminate any different as far as bondo goes. like when you prep your cab by sanding and bondoing can you apply the laminate on top of the bondo without it showing thru or do you still need to prime?

basically what i'm thinking is my mario wb needs bondo on the edges and has current orange laminate. can i bondo and sand flush and then apply new laminate over top the old?

 

[KazooBR]

I wouldn't do anything different if using bono and you don't need to prime it - just make sure it's smooth relative to the top of the existing laminate. The laminate doesn't bend, really, so it has to have a flat subsurface.

And, the roughness really doesn't matter either. You don't need it smooth like you would if painting.

I sanded flat and laminated over the top on my Gorf, just as you describe.

 

[Phetishboy]

Nice, thanks Wade.

 

[WadeLanham]

is laminate any different as far as bondo goes. like when you prep your cab by sanding and bondoing can you apply the laminate on top of the bondo without it showing thru or do you still need to prime?

basically what i'm thinking is my mario wb needs bondo on the edges and has current orange laminate. can i bondo and sand flush and then apply new laminate over top the old?

Don't paint or prime the surface or add anything to it that isn't necessary to fill holes. Paint can cause problems and just get melted in with the adhesive. You can put the laminate right over decals, old wood, bondo, other laminate or vinyl, etc.

Usually if the old surface is very smooth (like the Nintendo factory finish) I will sand it and rough it up a bit first. I had a case once where the laminate didn't stick very well because the old surface was super smooth. Now I always hit it lightly with a disc sander if it's already perfectly smooth. In fact I did that on my Mario for that reason.

Wade

 

[dirt]

has anybody found any that is close in color to a red nintendo cab?

 

[joeycuda]

Wade,

I wouldn't have thought you'd let the adhesive dry, unless you were going to heat it with an iron and melt/re-soften the glue. I know this method is used for veneer in fine woodworking - apply glue, let dry, apply veneer, heat with veneer iron.

What does the Formica laminate adhesive recommend, if it conflicts with what works for you?

I plan on building an exact copy Battlezone mini cabinet at some point and I want to use woodgrain Formica on the sides. I suppose I'd use vertical grade so that it would go well with the t-molding and all of that.

thanks for the info!

 

[WadeLanham]

I wouldn't have thought you'd let the adhesive dry, unless you were going to heat it with an iron and melt/re-soften the glue. I know this method is used for veneer in fine woodworking - apply glue, let dry, apply veneer, heat with veneer iron.

What does the Formica laminate adhesive recommend, if it conflicts with what works for you?

Good question. I've used 3 different types of contact cement for laminate, and all of them have said to let it dry. It doesn't literally get "dry", it just sets up and gets sticky after about 30 minutes or so. Versus fresh out of the can, when it's more like thick paint. If you wait TOO long (like hours) it will lose too much of the tack and you'll have to do a fresh coat to soften it again. This is all covered on the cement can though, of course you should follow the instructions since some might vary.

Wade

 

[joeycuda]

Thanks for the experience and insight.