Using Formica on interior / advice?

[vquinlan]

Hi, Am a DIY begineer. Am doing total refit, have ripped horrible old yellow formica from galley. Ply under in good enough condition, so what to do now. Came across Formica.
Anyone out there used this - is it ok to work with I will have to 'cut out' holes for sink etc - will it crack? or is it soft and easy to work with? Any other ideas? Nedd similar for heads area (nothing think) ideally a very waterproof 'wallpaper'? Bulk head also require something as carpet was stuck to these!! Have ripped off plan to use maybe some type of paneling the type you would get in B&Q and then paint of stain. Also pulled off a type of flooring vynil which was very 60's, wood not good enough to sand and stain, possibly paint - this may be too slippy? Could add a non slip ... or look for similar modern type of vynl flooring. Any advice much appreciated. Boat is Bruce roberts 43ft, plan family of four to livaboard... Thanks

 

[vyv_cox]

Formica is excellent to work with, hard and strong. It can be cut by scoring with a diamond cutter before snapping, or can be sawn using a diamond blade in a jigsaw. When covering a top and edge it's best to chamfer the corner to avoid tearing in use.

For flat or lightly curved walls and bulkheads UPC wallboard is excellent, easy to work with and looks good. Here's the heads on my little motor sailer recently refurbished using it.

 

[billcole]

A laminate cutter in a router works very well for formica. Cut all your holes in the wood underneath first, and then after laminating the formica on,make a small hole just big enoughto get the router cutter through, and then just follow the edge of the wood with the bearing of the laminate cutter. Really easy and gives a first class result

Mural mousse from Hawke House might fit your "waterproof wallpaper" bill. It covers imperfect surfaces quite well, and also seems to go slightly soft and stretchy when it's first had contact adhesive applied, so can be quite forgiving if you don't quite cut the size right, or have a slight compound curve to cover.

 

[saltylegs]

See link below for last winters project.
Galley is actually "balance laminate" which usually goes on the reverse side of formica covered boards and is not as glossy as formica but was a perfect match to the other laminate on the setee fronts and was only £11.00 per sheet 8' by 4'. as per above use diamond cutter or diamond disc and router for cutting in place.
The head liner was vinyl from Dunelm Mill, about £6.00 per linear metre (about 1.3m wide ) glued directly to 4mm ply.
The flooring is 12mm marine ply varnished and then cream self adhesive stripes applied followed by about 7 coats of varnish.


http://s1143.photobucket.com/albums/n630/saltylegs/

 

[VO5]

As a point of interest, does B&Q stock Formica ?

 

[saltylegs]

No you have to go to the authorised stockist so usually abour 80 quid a sheet

 

[vyv_cox]

As a point of interest, does B&Q stock Formica ?

Homebase do small sheets, 2 x 3 ft, at £30.

 

[vyv_cox]

Where did your 'ballast laminate' come from? Google doesn't recognise the term and I can find no other reference in several formica suppliers' websites.

 

[Tranona]

Also worth seeking out a kitchen worktop manufacturer as they buy laminate in rolls and may well sell you some either cut from the roll or offcuts. I got enough to do both sides of a cover for the cooker for a fiver - very close match for the existing pattern as well. Yellow Pages is your friend - there 2 such manufacturers in the Bournemouth area, so probably one at least in most cities.

 

[ribrage]

Hi, Am a DIY begineer. Am doing total refit, have ripped horrible old yellow formica from galley. Ply under in good enough condition, so what to do now. Came across Formica.
Anyone out there used this - is it ok to work with I will have to 'cut out' holes for sink etc - will it crack? or is it soft and easy to work with? Any other ideas? Nedd similar for heads area (nothing think) ideally a very waterproof 'wallpaper'? Bulk head also require something as carpet was stuck to these!! Have ripped off plan to use maybe some type of paneling the type you would get in B&Q and then paint of stain. Also pulled off a type of flooring vynil which was very 60's, wood not good enough to sand and stain, possibly paint - this may be too slippy? Could add a non slip ... or look for similar modern type of vynl flooring. Any advice much appreciated. Boat is Bruce roberts 43ft, plan family of four to livaboard... Thanks

Is the roberts steel ? If it is, had you considered using ordinary house hold tiles ? my galley and heads are tiled, just make sure you use a flexible tile adhesive instead of the ordinary stuff , works a treat , looks good , easy to clean, easy to do.

 

[Blue5]

Where did your 'ballast laminate' come from? Google doesn't recognise the term and I can find no other reference in several formica suppliers' websites.

I think the correct term is balancing laminate, or it was last time I bought any.

 

[sailorman]

Foamalux might be a cheap alternative

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fo...E6qO0AWBsMHqBA&ved=0CF8QsAQ&biw=1600&bih=1135

 

[vyv_cox]

I think the correct term is balancing laminate, or it was last time I bought any.

Ah, yes. Google recognises that one. Thanks.

 

[VO5]

Homebase do small sheets, 2 x 3 ft, at £30.

Thanks for the tip Vyv. You are a gem as usual.

 

[saltylegs]

Ah, yes. Google recognises that one. Thanks.

Yip sorry about that, its balance laminate.
I am in N.I. and got mine from Irvine and Sellers on Duncrue street Belfast.
nice thing about it is you can roll it easliy and shove it in the back seat of the car, not as hard wearing as formica but I am happy with it so far as it was a good match.

 

[sailorman]

Yip sorry about that, its balance laminate.
I am in N.I. and got mine from Irvine and Sellers on Duncrue street Belfast.
nice thing about it is you can roll it easliy and shove it in the back seat of the car, not as hard wearing as formica but I am happy with it so far as it was a good match.

when i used to run a joiners shop we used any old stock laminate as a balancer
it is better if the same thickness as the top laminate. we used to hot press with cascamite

 

[vquinlan]

Formica is excellent to work with, hard and strong. It can be cut by scoring with a diamond cutter before snapping, or can be sawn using a diamond blade in a jigsaw. When covering a top and edge it's best to chamfer the corner to avoid tearing in use.

For flat or lightly curved walls and bulkheads UPC wallboard is excellent, easy to work with and looks good. Here's the heads on my little motor sailer recently refurbished using it.

Your heads looks great! Exactly what I'm looking for, thanks for advice. I had to look up 'Chamfer'.. I have sourced Formica, but have to go to Dublin for it, intend to do Galley with it. Where did you source UPC wallboard? Is this easy to get? Thanks again for advice.
Vera

 

[vquinlan]

thanks for advice - have router, sounds like the way to go for sink. Just browsed 'Hawke house' lots of materials there, hadn't seen this site so thanks for heads up. Hard to get access to the right materials here in Ireland. Vera

 

[vquinlan]

Yes she is steel, no I hadn't thought of tiles as had assumed this would be too much of a 'skill' to get right ... but I might look at the option. Vera

 

[vyv_cox]

Where did you source UPC wallboard? Is this easy to get? Thanks again for advice.
Vera

Sorry slip of the finger there, should have read upvc. Here's one supplier http://www.ipsluk.co.uk/hygienic-wall-cladding.htm but mine came from a small plastics firm in Haverfordwest. It seems to be quite widely available.