Contact Cement

[Michael Lutz]

I was using contact cement to attach laminate to the top of my router table. I couldn't get it to stick. I put it down and rolled it inplace, but noticed that the edges were not sticking. I was able to pull off the laminate. I had put on two coats of cement and it was dry to the touch, so I thought that they would just stick together. I didn't exceed the manufacturer's recommendations of 2 to 3 hours of working time. Was the cement to dry? I was using the water based Weldwood contact cement.

Thanks,

Mike

[Roger Lance]

Michael....I've only used the regular contact cement - not the water based - but the following should apply...coat both the table top and the underside of the laminate and wait until they are both tacky to the touch...not dry...and I would suggest that you use some sticks to separate the two surfaces as you adjust the location of the laminate to the top...pull the center stick out and gently push the laminate down to the top and then work out from the center to the edges...once these two surfaces touch, that's it, there should be no way you will be able to move/adjust them...I'm sure you are making the laminate oversized to be trimed by a router after drying...might be a good idea to then laminate the bottom of your top to keep it flat...but if both surfaces are tacky, your problem should be solved.

[Jim Mims]

Like Roger mentioned, did you put contact cement on both surfaces?
Contact cement only sticks to itself. The only other cases I can think of when it doesn't stick is if the surfaces aren't clean, or the cement is old.
- Jim

[Howard Acheson]

I too, would question as whether you applied the cement to both surfaces. Generally, one coat is all that is needed for the plastic laminate because it is not absorbed. However, the wood substrate typically needs two coats.

Now, I was involved with a shop that did hundreds of plastic laminate jobs. We only used solvent based contact cement unless we were working directly in a customer's home. It they insisted on low odor, we had them sign a release where they recognized that the adhesive could fail. The only call-backs we had were when waterbased contact cement was used. Some argue that the newer waterbased formulations are much better--and they might be--but I still only use solvent based.

[Michael Lutz]

The cement was new, surfaces were clean, and I did both sides. I am going to call the manufacturer tomorrow. I tried it again and it did not work again. I am fed up with this stuff.

Thanks,

mike

[David G Baker]

Michael,
This is not an answer to your problem with the contact cement but when I repaired cameras and had to replace the leatherette on the camera bodies it was very important to have as thin a coat of cement on each piece as possible.
With the long working time it sounds like you are using a different type of contact cement from any that I have used. The work time was more like 10 minutes for the cements I have used.
The guy that laminated my counters in my remodeled kitchen used a spray on product and his working time was also in the neighborhood of 10 minutes.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For small surfaces (router table top sized) the spray cans are the way to go. Just remember that any over spray will have to be cleaned up, so mask off areas carefully.

[Tom Klass]

Mike,
I used the same product as you did on a kitchen counter top, can you say garbage!!!! I ended scraping it off the lam. and sanding the sub-base then use the solvent base that I'm use to using. Held and still hasn't lifted any where, been down for 7 - 8 years. I won't use any of weldwood products any more just due to the hassle I had with that job. For the small job either buy a quart or go with the spray can, dry to the touch stick it down.
good luck Tom

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I bet you waited too long. try re applying the glue again.
Don't wait so long.

[Gary McKown]

Was the substrate by any chance MDF? If so, I would think waterbased CC wouldn't do anything more than make a mess. Perhaps same-same with chipboard, OSB, etc.

BTW, when I built the RT, lam over MDF, I read somewhere and then verified that it took three coats of solvent-based CC on the substrate to form a good bond.

[Michael Lutz]

Cliff,

I tried several different time frames. I think the stuff just doesn't work. I am going to test it once more with two pieces of scrap plywood. If that doesn't work, I will scrape the stuff off the laminate and probably use the spray stuff. The solvent based stuff would not be a good choice for my basement shop.

Mike

[Paul Girouard]

If you have a good heat gun , a blow dryer will not be hot enough , you could try heating them , both at once and rolling it.

What brand is it? If it's was not purchased from a cabinet shop or flooring shop , it's more a home owner / crappy glue. All the stuff the Borg sells is crap , they took all the "good stuff" out of most lam glue due to EPA / lawyer / lawsuit issues.

The water bornes can be pretty finicky about humidity , time etc etc. When it's hot and dry they dry fast , if it raining out it can take 3 or 4 times longer to "get ready" to stick dry.

Good luck.

[Joe Chritz]

Solvent is fine inside. It isn't open long enough to really be an issue. In fact i just walked in from scribe fitting a small top (24"x24") that I just did with some 1 year old contact cement from the borg.

If you could pull it off then there is something wrong with the cement. I have never been able to seperate it after it touches without killing the laminate. Occasionally I would get edges not adhering well if I wasn't careful on getting enough down or the top wasn't fully flat. Especially with a hardwood edging.

I haven't used the waterbase stuff but I assume it is the same system as solvent. Once it isn't sticky to the touch assemble and roll down well. Generally if the material doesn't adhere it is too dry or not dry enough. That's lots of help isn't it?

Good luck

Joe

[Doug Rogers]

I use the spray on adhesive. It is sprayed on with a nozzel that is similar to a paint sprayer. You can adjust the spray width so there is very little overspray. It goes on quick and is dry before you are finished coating both pieces. A small tank last forever (almost). It won't come apart after it is stuck together.

Once you open the tank, do not close it. Turn the flow off with the nozzel. Tighten the adjusting knob so the trigger will not move. Take the tip off the gun and store it in lacquer thinner. Put the tip back on when you are ready to use it. Open the adjusting knob and start spraying. Quick, easy, effective and very little clean-up.

Doug Rogers