veneer core melamine or eq?

[mark downing]

Is anyone aware of a 3/4" white prefinished plywood or veneer core white melamine? It will be used for a row of 7' tall storage cabinets. We are hoping to avoid the 3 coat painting process as much as possible. The cabinet shelves will hold heavy items so regular melamine will deflect. Also, the cabinets will have flush doors that we are hoping to edge band with iron on tape. There is sure to be some touch up painting, hopefully a small amount.
Thks

[Brian Tymchak]

Home Depot shows a melamine ply on their website. Link. (https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-x-48-in-x-8-ft-EB1S-White-High-Pressure-Laminate-Plywood-Melamine-Board-520386/202088943) I don't recall ever seeing it in the stores though.

[Walter Plummer]

We get "Finnished Plywood" from Harbor Sales in Maryland. https://harborsales.net/Home/ProductList.aspx?ProductTypeId=173&FilterType=Finnished. It has white melamine faces over multi-ply birch core.

[Zachary Caldwell]

Depending on how many sheets you need, you can get melamine layed up on a plywood core, such as Armorcore or 7 ply. Also, depending on where you are located may be able to find the white one off the shelf somewhere.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I recommend aluminum edge strengtheners available at most cabinet supply shops.

Here is one brand, just as a sample, I've never used this one, just to give you an idea.

I use this stuff for el cheap Home Depot and Ikea cabinets that I find really cheap or free from Craigslist,

https://www.orangealuminum.com/shelf-stiffener-fits-3-4-cut-length-8-clear-anodized-oa5479-8a.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwqvyFBhB7EiwAER786U0BLrgw_N5M mEN3wrwE4DFQSoQTkmFnLZN_wIw3XqZDooYKmvlsdBoC9MoQAv D_BwE

[Jamie Buxton]

Do you really need white? You can buy plywood prefinished with clear finish darn near anywhere, and matching iron-on veneer tape. It will be easy to source the material, you get the structural advantage of plywood, and it will look better than white.

[Jim Becker]

A "real" sheet goods supplier should be able to provide you with what you want.

[Mike Kees]

I have tried out about three different products like you describe in the last two years. I build cabinets for a living and wanted the strength of plywood core melamine. I have tried one that looked like baltic birch core and another that had a first layer of MDF sandwiched just under the melamine layer and plywood in the middle of the core. I now use Panolam brand melamine. The wood core products sound great but I had issues with screw holding ability (edges would spilt occasionally) and most of all the uniform flatness/thickness of sheets was not nearly as consistent as quality melamine. Quality melamine is strong although heavier than wood core products. I use a glue called Rooclear made specifically for melamine and then screw my boxes together as well as drawers. I source all my material through two cabinet wholesalers. If you want the plywood core stuff maybe contact a couple cabinet shops in your area and buy through them.

[Mike Kees]

I would also recommend getting a cabinet shop to edge band your doors for you if you go that route. There is no comparison to the strength of the bond of edge banding installed with an edge banding machine that heats its own adhesive compared to using the pre- glued tape with an iron or one of the hot air units using pre-glued tape. The edge tape itself is also much better/durable.

[Jeff Roltgen]

A "real" sheet goods supplier should be able to provide you with what you want.

As long as you're willing to buy a full lift of 30 sheets:p

[johnny means]

I would also recommend getting a cabinet shop to edge band your doors for you if you go that route. There is no comparison to the strength of the bond of edge banding installed with an edge banding machine that heats its own adhesive compared to using the pre- glued tape with an iron or one of the hot air units using pre-glued tape. The edge tape itself is also much better/durable.

I'm certain that the application choice has almost no bearing on the quality of the edge banding. I can buy the exact same quality edging from the same manufacturer with or without glue. I can also apply it equally as well as any machine, if not as fast. Sloppy wedding can also be done with a poorly masons or set up machine. The issue is with low quality borg edge banding, which like most other big products is garbage.

[mark downing]

Thanks for all the input guys.
Jamie, I've used tons of the pre finished maple ply but this job calls for white.
I will look into to the Panolam product.
Regarding edge banding, there is a nearby shop...I may delegate.