How to bend Laminate

[fRED mCnEILL]

I'm building a kitchen countertop. It is 1 1/2 in. thick (2 layers of 3/4 plywood) with laminate on the top. The edge will also be laminate (90 deg edge) The sink is a farm sink and the edge of the countertop is cut to match the curvature of the sink. The rear corners of the sink cutout (the front of the sink is exposed so there is no countertop at the front) have a radius approximately that of a soda can.

How can I bend the laminate so it will fit into the curved corners? I tried using a propane torch and I'm sure if I work slow and am careful it will work but is there a better way. How do the pro's do it?

Thanks

Fred Mc.

[Sean Segraves]

A torch will work, and you are correct that you will have to work not only slow, but continue to move the torch not to burn the laminate. You would have a little easier time with a hot air gun. But moving continuously still applies. You have another alternative though. Make a few calls to counter top companies in your area. Larger companies may have a machine that will bend laminate around tight corner. The machine is called a "post forming machine." There is also a type of laminate that bends easier than most laminate. You have fewer choices in bending laminates. They are constucted similar to bending plywoods, with all the ply's aligned in one direction. You have a few choices. Good luck.
Sean

[Byron Trantham]

Sean is right, a heat gun will work fine. You can find them at the borgs. I did this once with fair success. I suggest you cut a 2" strip and prep it to apply to a sample curve. This will give some idea of how long the gun has to be applied to start the bending before you commit to the final project. If you melt or break it you haven't lost anything. Good luck.

[Roger Everett]

Fred:
A heat gun is what I use, never tried a torch , and I wouldn't be temped to. Keep the heat gun moving and don't get in to big a rush. You can bend as you go, but it heats up the contact too much and takes forever to cool down and hold. Best is to put some hash marks on laminate and substrate, heat , bend to your substrate--get it all ready -- then do you glue up, putting the laminate back on, using the hash marks to put back on to exactly where it was when you did the bending, using the roller as you go -- then just do the triming.
On thing that is important is to get it on straight and even, as if it starts to go up or down it will be a problem as you get farther along. What I do is put substrate on a flat table ( workbench ) with some 1/4" ply underbeath, and laminate riding along bench, do corner and work out to both ends.
I use std. ( The thicker-- countertop ) laminate and find a 1 3/4" rad. makes a good looking rounded corner. The corner is best made using template and long flush bit to make the corner, as if corner isn't perfectly 90 degrees to top, laminate will run up or down as you go out.

Roger

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I've used a heat gun and even a hair dryer for larger radii. However, I wonder if a torch could ignite the contact adhesive if it is the solvent based type....egats!

-Jeff :)

[Bob Swenson]

fRED- Bending laminate is about half of the thickness of regular
Laminate. When I need to do a tight curve I mark the pre cut piece
At the area of the curve and thin the laminate with a router.
Use any flat cutter and cut away the back about half the thickness
In the area of the curve. Piece of cake.
bOb:rolleyes:

[Steve Clardy]

Here's an ouside pop can radius.

No need to heat the laminate.