laminate question/idea - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

dtheriault · 09-01-2003, 06:05 PM

so my brother works in a high school and the desks take a beating getting carved up and all.

when it's really bad they toss the desk and get a new one.

why hasn't anyone created a blank laminate sheet for students desks with a peel away adhesive on the back? you could buy the blank for 5-10 dollars, slap it on and save $.

i looked everywhere online, but couldn't find anyone with this solution.

where could he or i go to find these or how would i go about finding a place to make them. would i go to a cabinet shop or a laminate shop?

Tirian · 09-02-2003, 07:12 AM

I would think that there is too many variations in size to make this a practicle mass market idea.

Also when doing laminate, you often cut the piece oversized, so that it must be trimmed after installation. The reason for this is the adhesive gives you one chance only. If you get it crooked, it's on there period.

Best idea it to ask your local supplier of laminate if they'd pre-cut some pieces to size, just larger than the desks. Get some glue and a laminate trimmer for installation.

jbrooks544 · 09-02-2003, 04:48 PM

Tirian is correct on all points. I think schools are frequently not on a very "common sense" course when faced with old furniture and buying new, etc. There isn't much room for your kind of common sense these days. The amount of regulations regarding every thing in schools makes it too risky, etc. to fix things that are probably not in current compliance (ergonomics, fire codes, toxic ingredients, etc. etc.). Also, even if they did get stuff fixed how would they get it "certified" that it is in compliance? In the end it is better to just chuck the old and buy new. Heck, it's only tax dollars anyway...

A little laminate trick I discovered: high heat can act to "release" contact cement that normally glues down laminate. I had a sink cutout sitting close to a wood stove in the shop and the glue melted and released the laminate. This could be very useful in cases of costly laminate mistakes or for re-doing worn tops with good underpinnings. You could use a regular heat gun and work the top off from one edge. Then, put on a new top. Like Tirian said though, larger than the base and trim flush with router and then file by hand. Is your glue legal for schools? Is the old desk up to code, etc.....

dtheriault · 09-03-2003, 05:38 AM

yeah thanks both really good info for working with laminates. i hear what you're saying jbrooks. my brother told me that they have an incoming freshman with latex allergies. they had to turn in all of their latex gloves and latex bandages... they just threw them away, from the first aid kits in every room. (over 120 rooms: student population 3,000) plus none of the students will be allowed to bring latex ballons on campus for birthdays.

i feel bad for the latex kid i'm sure he must have had a scary situation to have his parents so worried, but what a waste of money and the kids are going to go nuts about the ballon thing.

shakran · 09-04-2003, 04:24 PM

The problem with this idea is that if you secure it to the desk with an adhesive that will release easy enough to replace the laminate without destroying the desk's surface, it'll be too weak to resist the stupid kid who can't resist ripping stuff apart.

Stilts · 09-09-2003, 10:29 PM

Heck, why even take off the old laminate, take a belt sander to it to rough it up and relaminate over the top of it. There's also glue that comes in a propane bottle that you spray on. It costs over $250 per bottle, but you'd be able to do tons of desks with it, and it's way easier than any other method I've ever used.

dtheriault · 09-10-2003, 04:29 AM

i thought i had posted this already, but my brother and i found a web site that sells just the tops. not the laminate part... the entire top. they have different sizes and materials and we can buy tops for anywhere between 8-20 dollars.

then we unscew the old top and slap a new one on.

great information guys. this folder and the computer folder rock.

09-01-2003, 06:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
dtheriault Psycho Location: maybe utah	laminate question/idea so my brother works in a high school and the desks take a beating getting carved up and all. when it's really bad they toss the desk and get a new one. why hasn't anyone created a blank laminate sheet for students desks with a peel away adhesive on the back? you could buy the blank for 5-10 dollars, slap it on and save $. i looked everywhere online, but couldn't find anyone with this solution. where could he or i go to find these or how would i go about finding a place to make them. would i go to a cabinet shop or a laminate shop? __________________ "Remember, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen." -Homer Unless you are the freakin Highlander, what is the point in learning how to fight with a sword?

09-03-2003, 05:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
dtheriault Psycho Location: maybe utah	yeah thanks both really good info for working with laminates. i hear what you're saying jbrooks. my brother told me that they have an incoming freshman with latex allergies. they had to turn in all of their latex gloves and latex bandages... they just threw them away, from the first aid kits in every room. (over 120 rooms: student population 3,000) plus none of the students will be allowed to bring latex ballons on campus for birthdays. i feel bad for the latex kid i'm sure he must have had a scary situation to have his parents so worried, but what a waste of money and the kids are going to go nuts about the ballon thing. __________________ "Remember, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen." -Homer Unless you are the freakin Highlander, what is the point in learning how to fight with a sword?

09-10-2003, 04:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
dtheriault Psycho Location: maybe utah	i thought i had posted this already, but my brother and i found a web site that sells just the tops. not the laminate part... the entire top. they have different sizes and materials and we can buy tops for anywhere between 8-20 dollars. then we unscew the old top and slap a new one on. great information guys. this folder and the computer folder rock. __________________ "Remember, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen." -Homer Unless you are the freakin Highlander, what is the point in learning how to fight with a sword?

09-02-2003, 07:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tirian Addict Location: Canada	I would think that there is too many variations in size to make this a practicle mass market idea. Also when doing laminate, you often cut the piece oversized, so that it must be trimmed after installation. The reason for this is the adhesive gives you one chance only. If you get it crooked, it's on there period. Best idea it to ask your local supplier of laminate if they'd pre-cut some pieces to size, just larger than the desks. Get some glue and a laminate trimmer for installation.

09-02-2003, 04:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
jbrooks544 Addict	Tirian is correct on all points. I think schools are frequently not on a very "common sense" course when faced with old furniture and buying new, etc. There isn't much room for your kind of common sense these days. The amount of regulations regarding every thing in schools makes it too risky, etc. to fix things that are probably not in current compliance (ergonomics, fire codes, toxic ingredients, etc. etc.). Also, even if they did get stuff fixed how would they get it "certified" that it is in compliance? In the end it is better to just chuck the old and buy new. Heck, it's only tax dollars anyway... A little laminate trick I discovered: high heat can act to "release" contact cement that normally glues down laminate. I had a sink cutout sitting close to a wood stove in the shop and the glue melted and released the laminate. This could be very useful in cases of costly laminate mistakes or for re-doing worn tops with good underpinnings. You could use a regular heat gun and work the top off from one edge. Then, put on a new top. Like Tirian said though, larger than the base and trim flush with router and then file by hand. Is your glue legal for schools? Is the old desk up to code, etc.....

09-04-2003, 04:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	The problem with this idea is that if you secure it to the desk with an adhesive that will release easy enough to replace the laminate without destroying the desk's surface, it'll be too weak to resist the stupid kid who can't resist ripping stuff apart.

09-09-2003, 10:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stilts Tilted	Heck, why even take off the old laminate, take a belt sander to it to rough it up and relaminate over the top of it. There's also glue that comes in a propane bottle that you spray on. It costs over $250 per bottle, but you'd be able to do tons of desks with it, and it's way easier than any other method I've ever used.