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Unconventional Laminate Application

Nuke | Posted in General Discussion on July 31, 2010 05:37am

Morning All!

I bought a 5′ by 12′ sheet of Wilsonart Designer White laminate. I bought this sheet as an experiment based on information I read from home theater DIY folks. Apparently, this material has some properties, while intentional or not, provide for some potential application as a projection surface.

Specifically, the application is an inexpensive projection screen. Because this is an experiment, I need to create a non-permanent frame for the laminate material that will keep it flat and not allow for any natural stresses to bend or create waves in the material’s surface.

The laminate orientation, as you can imagine, will be up-right and mounted on a wall, but I need to know what kind of light-weight frame to construct to mount this material on. First thought would be a wooden frame using 1x material, but even the more expensive material at local big box stores seems to have waves or twists along the length when you start considering 12′ lengths.

Also, because the shear size of the laminate sheet, which is do not wish to trim down, the weight is already a consideration. As such, I am open for suggestions. And no, the wife will not let me just glue the sheet to the wall–even if it were to be permanent.

Reply

Replies

  1. bd | Jul 31, 2010 06:00am | #1

    WAG

    Just a wag, LVL???.....the stuff is flat & straight. Resaw to 1x size?

  2. calvin | Jul 31, 2010 07:13am | #2

    Nuke

    Laminate is a material that screams buckle.

    With the perimeter held fast and tite to the wall, the middle of the sheet will bow.

    Period.

    If your frame included some extruded ribs on the backside-it might flatten out and stay that way.

    Better yet would be a solid backer with stiffening ribs, and glue the lam to that.

    1. User avater
      Nuke | Jul 31, 2010 10:47am | #4

      I actually ran across some Owens-Corning rigid foam insulation board this morning at HD. No, not the 1/2" stuff, but a whopping 2" thick. I might chop down three sheets to cover the entire laminate surface, using spray-on adhesive. I'd then use a couple of 1x pieces of wood at top/bottom of back to keep the resulting composite hanging off the wall.

      Should be light in weight, which is a big concern. If this experiment works, it'll save me $$$ from spending $1-2K on a new projector screen. And paint is not an option for me. This particular laminate was a big surprise to the DIY HT folks interms of spectralphotometry performance.

      And I make the wife happy at spending $ and not permanently mucking up the walls.

      1. calvin | Jul 31, 2010 11:46am | #5

        Make sure.........

        The contact adhesive is compatible with the foam.

        There is spray cont. adhesive that is sold for the plastic drywall trims to apply b/4 mudding up.

        That might be the stuff to use.  BUT-should spray some on the foam and see b/4 spraying on the lam.

  3. Clewless1 | Jul 31, 2010 09:52am | #3

    You should use projection screen paint. I understand that is available.

  4. Shep | Jul 31, 2010 12:30pm | #6

    How about making the frame out of steel studs. Maybe the 2x3 size.

    they're light, straight, easy to work.

    Maybe the way to build it is to make the frame out of the steel studs, add a layer of foamboard for the laminate backer, and then glue the laminate on top of the foam.

    The steel studs would keep the foamboard stiff and straight. You may need a couple of studs in the middle to keep any bows from developing.

  5. sapwood | Jul 31, 2010 12:42pm | #7

    Consider incorporating the lam into a torsion box like construction. Lay it up: laminate/2" foam/backer laminate.

    If a shop in your area has a vacuum bag press that size it would be an ideal way to assemble and glue up the stack of material. With the foam insides it will be light weight yet very strong and stiff. No need for an exterior frame.

  6. Scott | Jul 31, 2010 01:01pm | #8

    I do a fair amount of work doing presentations with projectors, sometimes with proper projection screens and sometimes not.

    The one thing that a proper screen does is eliminate glare from certain viewing angles. White boards (the kind you can write on with markers) are notorious for this glare, which inevitably spoils the viewing experience for some people. I suspect that glare could be a problem with laminate too.

  7. sapwood | Jul 31, 2010 05:21pm | #9

    not true

    If he glues up a balanced panel with laminate on both sides of the foam it will come out of the press flat and stay that way till the cows come home. 

  8. k1c | Aug 01, 2010 03:09pm | #10

    Because this is experiment, how about drill 1/8" holes about 6" apart, then thread wires into this then secure each wire to 12 feet 2x4.  Then stand the whole piece against the wall with some brace sticks on angle.  Laminate should hang flat against the wall.  Wires should also hang from the wallside of the 2x4 so the laminate can hang flat.  If this does not hang flat and tries to bow out then maybe one piece of 8 foot aluminum square tube (choose the straightest)  clamped to the top of laminate may help.  This is cheapest try I can think of beside thumb tacking the laminate to the wall.  Hope it helps.

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