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Planning to fab about 26′ of plastic laminate counter tops with oak nosing attached with biscuits. Which is better for the substrate: MDF, partical board or plywood. MDF uses less formaldehyde than pb and comes in 49″ sheets, though is about 25% more in cost. I can’t seem to find a flat sheet of plywood (except oak, but that’s not an option). My first choice is MDF, so is there a reason not to use it here?
Thanks in advance, SWright
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Plywood is a poor choice for laminate base. I always used industrial grade particle board, that comes 49x97, before MDF came around. (Industrial is much better than underlayment grade for which I never found a use). Now I think MDF is the material of choice.
*I agree with Mike; MDF by choice, PB if those extra nickels are really important. Sometimes you can get 30" blanks of PB (the postformers use them; gives you enough for an edge or backer for the nosing, and a backsplash, without odd sized offcuts from a 4 x 8).I've seen plywood 'throw' off p/lam from wood movement.
*have only used "industrial flake". is there anything i should know about MDF b/4 i try it? SW> are you going to try and register the nosing to the top, or over lay the lam onto the nosing and then rout the top edge of the lam and nosing? i've done both and seem to have better luck with the latter. only one caution, if the routing blows out the wood, you be screwed. take the little bit at a time route for the rout. best of luck to ya.
*There is about 3 grades if flake board.. M-1, M-2 & M-3.. M-2 is what I use.. Mdf is too heavy & flexable for me & more expensive. L. Siders
*I've never bought any but one of the architectural wood suppliers I use stocks 5x10 and 5x12 PB for layin' up plam on. I saw several units of it just the other day (how'd you like to pack those around by yourself!) I'm not sure if it is just a high density PB or MDF but it might be worth looking into. - jb
*Jim, one of our suppliers stocks 5'x12' x 1 1/4''. I wouldnt want to pack that around by myself OR with somebody [which BTW is the only time I drink nowdays, when I'm by myself or .............] I'll go with the majority, 1st choice mdf, 2nd industrial pb. They are both smoother than plywood, wont delaminate, and I understand they have an expansion-contraction rate very close to p-lam. I have also seen the grain telegraph thru some colors of p-lam when useing plywood. Thats my substrate and I'm stickin to it. Chuck