Water based contact cement?

[Dave Cav]

Can anyone give me any feedback on water based contact cement for laminate? Our pantry shelves are standard contractor grade white melemine, about ten years old and the front edges are wearing. My wife is complaining that she can no longer get them "clean enough". She wants them laminated. Unfortunately the shop is in the 40s right now. I can run the furnace and get it up into the high 50s or low 60s but I don't like to use regular solvent based contact cement in an enclosed shop with the furnace running for obvious reasons. So, is the water based stuff any good?

The alternative is to go to the lumber yard and buy a new set of shelves which will be good for another eight or ten years....

Thanks
Dave

[Victor Robinson]

I've used the DAP Woodweld for my router table (laminate to mdf). Easy to apply. Couldn't have asked for more.

[Jim Andrew]

Years ago when they first started selling the water base contact, it was no good. But now, that weldwood works great. I always used the solvent base, fumes are horrible, and it's flammable, so glad there is a good alternative. The great thing is, it goes much farther than the flammable. One quart is probably equal to at least a half gallon of flammable.

[James Baker SD]

I just used it to glue walnut laminate to baltic birch ply and ash frame pieces. Some of the work I did a few degrees below the recommended minimum temp (58 when it said 60). So far so good, but its only been two weeks so I cannot say anything about the durability, but I am pleased with the initial grab. And my lungs appreciated the less toxic (not non-toxic) fumes, or should I say my respirator organic vapor cartridge had to work a little less.

James

[John M. Cioffi]

Dave,
I've used waterbased contact cement before, although not under your shop conditions and have had great success. I built a cabinet with a slide-out shelf under the top and laminated it all over plywood. This was several years ago and nothing has moved yet. I didn't skip on the coating though. I put it on as generously as possible. It has been sitting in a very cool basement since then and is still perfect. Hope this helps.

[Ole Anderson]

I have used the Wilsonart version with great success. Many years ago I was helping my dad build some tables for the lunchroom at work. We used laminate, but were working in a small basement. Well, the gallon can of contact cement spilled and did we ever have fun cleaning it up. Hmmm, that could explain a few things...

[Dan Hintz]

Not to play devil's advocate here, but... can't she wait a few months for it to warm up? I mean, countertops that don't scrub perfectly white wouldn't make me waste money buying pre-made just so I could get it done a few months earlier...