Glue for laminate counter tops?

[Denco]

Does a special adhesive have to be used when glueing laminate counter top material to wood or will something like liquid nails work? Appreciate it in advance. (I have so much to learn, it seems).

[chopnhack]

They make special glues for HPL (high pressure laminates - modern day formica). Wilsonart sells something call 600 iirc, I think I saw it at BORG. They also sell contact adhesive in a spray can.

[cabinetman]

Use a solvent base contact cement. This is available at the home centers.

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[sciguy]

Ditto to Cabinetman's post.
That's what I used a couple of years ago when I added a large island to my kitchen.
Good luck with your project.

[Bruce Cohen]

Anything But Liquid Nails

Does a special adhesive have to be used when glueing laminate counter top material to wood or will something like liquid nails work? Appreciate it in advance. (I have so much to learn, it seems).

Denco,
Never, never use Liquid Nails, unless you really want to lose your sanity.
Contact cement is the way to go. Brush on (no foam brushes, they dissolve), Paint roller for a large application.
The spray stuff sucks, as it gets all over the place and really makes the fumes dangerous. Remember to wear a good respirator when brushing the stuff on, or instant buzz. Also it's mucho flammable, so no smoking or pilot lights or open flames. Do both sides, the laminate and the substrate, let dry to slightly tacky and use dowels between the two. Cause once it touches, that's all she wrote.

Bruce

[jking]

Use a solvent base contact cement. This is available at the home centers.

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Do you prefer the solvent based over the waterbased contact cement? The waterbased has less odor, but, I'm curious if you or anyone has seen a performance difference.

[Skaning]

Have used the waterbased one time, never again.

[RAFlorida]

+1 with Skaning.

As Mike posted, that is your best bet. Also go with Bruce post about the dowels. That way you can line up the formica with out pulling out your hair trying to get it in place. 'cause once the contact cement meets the contact cement on the substrate, you're whole day is shot!
Also, Bruce warns of flame and such. It does ignite with a powerful blast if you ain't careful. Good common sense will get you the desired finished project. Good luck and post a pic of you project.
PS, my experince with the water based stuff just doesn't hold up. It seemed to develope air pocktes after a time.

[eccentrictinkerer]

+1 with Skaning.

Will never use water-based contact cement again.

I've had 100% success since I started giving both surfaces two coats of cement each. Be sure to let the cement 'flash off' before bondng.

I had a stack of old venetian blind slats handy when I did my last job. Worked slick.

[cabinetman]

Solvent base is the only way to go. You can apply the glue with a spreader, but that can leave high and low strokes where there is overlap. Your best bet is to pick up a roller cover for a 9" paint roller especially dedicated for adhesives. The home centers have them.

The back of the veneer only needs one smooth application. With substrates if the cement is applied correctly, only one application is needed. The problem with two applications, is that the second application has the propensity to pull up on the first.

Before setting up the dowels, check both the back of the mica and the substrate for ANY debris. When using the dowels, when ready to pull them out, start in the middle, and slowly slide out, and gently touch down the laminate. This will position the piece from moving. Then from that area work the dowels from the middle to the ends while pressing out the air. You can use a "J" roller to press down the laminate, or the edge of a block of wood pressed down hard, or a block of wood pounded with a hammer.

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[jking]

Interesting. I've used the waterbased contact cement with success in the past. Maybe I just got lucky.

[Stytooner]

Solvent base is the only way to go. You can apply the glue with a spreader, but that can leave high and low strokes where there is overlap. Your best bet is to pick up a roller cover for a 9" paint roller especially dedicated for adhesives. The home centers have them.

The back of the veneer only needs one smooth application. With substrates if the cement is applied correctly, only one application is needed. The problem with two applications, is that the second application has the propensity to pull up on the first.

Before setting up the dowels, check both the back of the mica and the substrate for ANY debris. When using the dowels, when ready to pull them out, start in the middle, and slowly slide out, and gently touch down the laminate. This will position the piece from moving. Then from that area work the dowels from the middle to the ends while pressing out the air. You can use a "J" roller to press down the laminate, or the edge of a block of wood pressed down hard, or a block of wood pounded with a hammer.

.

Word for word the way I do it. +1