Owner builder - new to forum (1st post)
Not want to hijack Earl's thread but isn't melamime another name for laminated boards there are quaite a few names around for laminated products polytec is just another laminated product to me.
Browse Forums Kitchen Corner Re: Are melamine kitchen doors better than laminate???? 23Jan 20, 2011 1:18 pm grinder isn't melamime another name for laminated boards there are quaite a few names around for laminated products polytec is just another laminated product to me. Some people will argue that it's all semantics, but I still maintain that there is a distinct difference between laminate and melamine coated boards. A board with a laminate finish has had the laminate applied in a separate process, normally by a third party. Laminate, such as the large thin sheets sold by many large suppliers, also known as High Pressure Lamimate or HPL, is approximately 1.1mm thick and is extremely robust - yes, the laminate itself is made from paper, melamine, formaldehyde and phenolic resin, the same as for melamine boards but the finished product and applications differ. These days it is used almost exclusively for benchtops where a very hardwearing surface is required. Another reason for using laminate is that it can be Post Formed, or rolled around a shaped edge on a board as it is stuck down, which allows for seamless edge treatments, again highly desirable in wet area usage such as benchtops. Due to the cost and labour of laminating boards this process is rarely used anymore for domestic vertical applications such as doors and boards which tend not to require the same durability as benchtops. Melamine coated board is a very thin layer of coloured and/or patterned paper and plastic that is bonded directly onto a large sheet of board at the time of manufacture - the process is very similar to creating a laminate except the board takes the place of the laminate's backing. The finished product tends to be lighter and less durable than a laminated board but is ideal for many vertical applications. Due to the bonding process it is extremely difficult to separate the melamine coating from a board and when attempted there is a greater likelihood of some of the board coming away with the melamine. If this is attempted with a laminated board it is easier to delaminate or peel away the laminate covering. When I (and most of my industry colleagues) talk about laminate I mean the product that is mostly used on benchtops and when I talk about melamine (or "colourboard") I'm talking about coloured sheets of board that are cut to size and edged to be used as doors and boards. Many people outside of the industry still refer to all coloured boards as laminate and this often leads to confusion about what colours and patterns can be used for doors when they come to me with a laminate colour chip asking for a kitchen in that finish. Hence, for me, the importance of distinguishing these two materials ****** in being able to specify the correct material for the correct application. Cheers, Earl Overhead cupboard door size in Kitchen – which is better and reason please… 0 132 brokers will also be in a position to get you a better rate than the advertised rate most times. 6 7575 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair At a bit of a loss on this one - we're thinking the original owners never removed the protective laminate covers from their kitchen cabinets after installation and in the… 0 6330 |