Discuss So, what do you know about laminating stuff? on IKEAFANS.com. We're Personalizing the IKEA Experience. So, what do you know about laminating stuff? - Post here about your modification project details or questions. Share ideas and take some away - mods are cool!.
Okay, basically I understand that laminate is a thin sheet of something that somehow gets stuck onto some formation, like a countertop or even a cabinet. But beyond that, I'm clueless.
How this relates to "modifications"? Well, (I blame Susan ) but I got to thinking last night, why couldn't I buy my cheap ARLIG doors as planned, and then take them to the fabricator that is doing my coutnertops and have the doors laminated with Formica's Wenge Woodline?
Would this work? Would it be less expensive than buying Lilejstad and hoping that I could fashion a decent slab door for whatever corner cab I selected?
Before I call up my Formica people and sound like a crazy woman, I thought I would run it by you.
But oooh, dark wood. Stainless. Shiny glass stuff. Floating shelves. Villeroy & Boch New W@ve dishes. Ahhhh.
When you use a laminate you will most likely be securing it with a contact cement. The way it works is you spread it on both surfaces, wait a bit for it to get tacky and then EXTREMELY CAREFULLY position the laminate above the underlayment taking care not to let it touch. Once it touches, it's adhered instantly, hence the term "contact" cement.
The usual way you position the laminate is to lay wood strips or dowels vertically along the underlayment, picket fence style, lay the laminate on top of that, position it and then ease out the dowels one at a time starting from the center and working your way out. The laminate will be larger than the underlayment and will require trimming with a laminate trimming router bit. You will also need a brayer type roller to completely press down the laminate.
Post formed edges are rolled edges and require a bit more expertise. I imagine your countertop guy will be concerned with the edges and whether they can be finished adequately with a laminate.
First, I am hearing that this is not a 100% crazy idea. This is encouraging!
Second, knowing my patience/attention to detaillevel this is clearly a professional job .
Third, I have a spare ARLIG door which I suppose I could bring over there and see if they could laminate it. The ARLIG has an eased edge, rather than the square edge of a true slab.
Fourth, maybe I could have the kitchen of my dreams without having to fiddle around too much.
Well, you ARE crazy, but noone around here would tell you that, because then we'd all be suspect as well!
Tigger
and I have done many a nutso thing in the name of getting what we want for cheap. Have you seen my opus on the soaptone tile countertop? :shock: So, nuts or not...we'll keep humoring you.
Do you know what the sheet cost on the Formica is? Depending on how the cost compares, you might consider real wood veneer. I found a company that uses real wood in a laminate that's flexible for shaping around curved edges. You may notfind Wenge, but you could probably use another dark wood to the same basic effect. Mahogany or Walnut...? There's also a gorgeous wood that I saw on another veneer site -- Cocobolo.
How many doors/drawers are we talking about?
Susan
*Edited to change soapstone tile hyperlink to correct one.
And are you still considering a combination of Numerar and wood?
As far as I can tell, Numerar comes in the 30" deep drawers, 15" & 18" shallow and deep drawers, 15" x 24" & 18" x 24" base cabinet doors (requires a drawer above). So, you should be covered except for your 15" x 30" doors.... I can't tell from the catalog if there are any Numerar wall cabs, henceI can't say with any certaintythat there are 30" doors. BUT, there arecover panels for 30" and 39" wallcabinets available, so you'd think.... Call. I'd call.
Could you use the 15" x 24" Numerar door with a drawerNumerar above instead of the 15" x 30" door? Even if you're doing a pull-out pantry, I'd think you could use the 24" high door for the pantry unit and just put a drawer above it. No?
Or, how about this....reverse the inspiration picture. Put the slab front Liljestad on all of the top (shallow) drawers, then use the Numerar stainless doors and drawers below. Eh?
Yes. That is the layout (how did you do that?) I'm still debating doing the bank of 15" cabs in all drawers, though.
I could do the sink base in Numerar, but honestly, I'd be fine with all wenge. I mean, who wouldn't? My dad says that a square edge is easier for them to laminate. After he rolled his eyes about another kitchen question, that is.
Whew...wait a minute. I got so worked up looking at the Numerar in the catalog that I forgot where we were. I guess what I was getting around to is that you can do your sink base (IF it's 30") and your 30" base in Numerar and any of your 15" or 18" drawer fronts. Then, use the laminated/veneered Arlig on the bottoms...all of your the 15" and 18" x 24" doors. Or, you could scrap using the drawers on the tops and go with 15" x 30" laminated/Arlig doors...but I think the effect would be somewhat choppy as opposed to sleek.
If nothing else, this is a lesson in creativity and the flexibility of the component system! I'd never thought about using a drawer at the top and then the 24" high door front on a pull-out below. This could work out well for folks wanting to do a trash can setup, I'd think.
Anyway...you can tell your father it's all my fault. What's the pricing like on the Wenge Formica?
Well, if I recall correctly, all Formica (aside from the "etchings" finish that looks like granite, etc.) is the same price point - and I think that was $7 a linear foot. But I also seem to recall that this is "list price" and fabricators have some flexibility. For example, my "published price" of my countertop was a smidge over $600, but the fabricator returned it at far less than thatfor the final quote.
I would definitely change my countertop selection from the Beluga Beige,
btw
. Maybe to champagne papyrus. Have to see some new samples. Although my other swatch is a very grey taupe called "tatami mat" - which looks super with chocolate brown. With a warm cream on the walls it might be very nice. Although I still see the dark cabs with a lighter countertop material.
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) but I got to thinking last night, why couldn't I buy my cheap ARLIG doors as planned, and then take them to the fabricator that is doing my coutnertops and have the doors laminated with Formica's Wenge Woodline? 
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