A Solid Choice Basics of solid surface materials and their fabrication, and why shops are adding them to their product lines. July 20, 2002
Laminate and Substrate Movement A question about what might cause melamine laminate to pull loose from a countertop leads to an in-depth look at the materials involved. April 18, 2006
Solid Surface for a Steam Room Ceiling? Be cautious, but not scared, about using solid surfacing in a non-warranteed application like a steam room. December 28, 2006
Cracks at Sink Corners in Plastic Laminate Tops in a science lab show cracking at sink corners. Info here on movement issues, and on chemical-resistant laminate material. April 11, 2008
Should Solid Surface Joints be Invisible? With some solid surface materials, joints are highly visible because the material is "directional" or otherwise non-uniform. April 20, 2011
Working with Water-Based Laminate Adhesive Roll out with a low-nap roller, and don't let the glue or a new countertop freeze. The good news: no odor or headaches. October 28, 2005
Sourcing Exotic Laminate Cabinetmakers discuss how to find unusual and interesting laminates, including distinctive patterns and glow-in-the-dark laminate. February 12, 2009
Shrinkage and Laminate Seam Tightness As a wood-based product, laminate changes dimension in response to variations in ambient moisture. This can create gaps at joints or seams. April 4, 2011
Blemishes on Granite Countertops What seems like a mar or mark might be the natural look of stone, or it could be residue from a spill. In any case, granite is hard to touch up. October 2, 2005
Production Gluing of High Density Plastic Laminates This article describes the gluing of high density plastic laminates (i.e. Formica, Debar, Nevamar, Micarta, Pionite and the like) to plywood, lumber core, and particleboard core panels - 1998
Taches sur les comptoirs en granit Ce qui ressemble à une tache ou à une marque peut être l'aspect naturel de la pierre ou bien être un résidu d'un déversement. Dans tous les cas, le granit est difficile à retoucher. 2 octobre 2005
Melamine Versus Plywood for Kitchen Cabinets It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but one that sets off a thoughtful exchange of views about workability and performance in this thread from the Cabinetmaking forum. June 28, 2005
Laminate Application Basics Tips on adhesives and trimming for a newcomer to plastic laminate work. December 30, 2005
Mixing Solid Surface Brands If you combine sinks and countertops from different makers, will warranties (and adhesives) hold? April 14, 2005
Sustainable Adhesives for Laminates Recommendations for "green" contact adhesives for use with laminate material, and a closer look at the details of the rules. October 3, 2011
Countertop Materials: What Does the Market Want? Countertop and cabinet contractors discuss the current popularity of stone, solid surfacing, laminate, concrete, and green recycled composites as of mid-2009. February 14, 2010
Melamine Chipping Is it the bits, the feed rate, the material? Pros troubleshoot a case of melamine chipping on a new CNC unit. June 30, 2005
Countertop delamination After five years, why is an HPL countertop delaminating? October 2, 2001
Substrate for Laminating Cabinet Doors Plywood cores are not recommended for laminate cabinet doors (MDF, particleboard, or plywood-core MDF are better). July 26, 2010
Getting Rid of Scrap Laminate Suggestions for putting excess laminate into the hands of someone who might need it. September 17, 2014
Melamine Quality Issues Cut-price melamine from the big-box DIY stores doesn't match up to professional-grade material, say the pros. December 28, 2005
Copper Countertop Tips Copper is tricky to work with. Here are a few thoughts on using it for countertops. April 17, 2009
Biscuit joining vs. tie-bolts Is it possible to join post-form tops and shop-built substrate with biscuits? June 24, 2001
Bit Life in High Pressure Laminate How many sheets should you be able to cut before a bit wears out? Comparing carbide with diamond, and a discussion of feed rates and settings. July 3, 2005
Poor Adhesion After Edging MDF Why has the edge come off this MDF? Maybe it's the glue, maybe it's the method... May 10, 2005
Solid Surface as a Shelf Nosing An architect's query sets off a spirited discussion of using solid surface material for shelf nosings. Appropriate adhesives, durability, and movement rates are issues (and yes, it has been done before). June 10, 2006
A Solid Choice