laminates and adhesives

[grokcam]

Hi, actually have 2 different questions. Does anyone know of formica-type laminates suitable for the interiors of external deck cabinetry for hand and vacuum layup applied to marine ply? Also, any brand recommendations for 2 part polyurethane glues for hand and vacuum layup of divinycell and marine ply table top panels. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

IMO, the problem arises if moisture gets behind it. Since nobody else has responded and my input is what you have...I would completely seal the ply with epoxy first. Several coats. I think that I have mistakenly been advising Joubert plywood as the one with antifungal glue. The correct one is Shelman and it is worth the effort. If ply is partially coated, blocking moisture from escaping, I believe it to be worse than not being protected at all.

[Greybarn]

We typically use contact adhesive for gluing Formica to plywood. The only thing you will need to do is seal the end grain with some epoxy.

[grokcam]

Thanks for the info guys, I was concerned as I haven't had much luck finding laminates approved for marine use and formica themselves made sure I knew that their product isn't appropriate for marine use or even for application to plywood regardless of its use in the real world. I can't blame them for covering themselves I guess.

[missinginaction]

Hi grokcam,

I used HPDL (high pressure decorative laminate) from Wilsonart on the interior bulkheads of my Silverton restoration. The HPDL was used strictly inside the cabin and on the inside faces of the plywood panels that make up the rear cabin walls. My boat had Formica laminate applied in 1973 at the factory and it was still securely attached to the plywood when I disassembled the boat in 2006 So it stayed on for 33 years! Of course the old Formica was that dark woodgrained stuff that people liked in the 70's. I replaced it with a white mat finished product over all new plywood. I just used Weldwood contact cement and a laminate trimmer to make up the panels, but I applied a double coat of cement to the laminate and a triple coat to the plywood. I sealed the edges with epoxy as graybarn noted and coated the outside face of the panels with epoxy and painted with Interlux Perfection. I'll attach a photo that shows the laminate on the inside of the rear cabin wall and one that shows the interior cabinat faces which are all laminate coated.

Regards and Merry Christmas!

MIA

[mitiempo]

Some years ago I had a boat with laminate in the interior that was originally applied with contact cement. In place it was lifting and not at edges but the center portion of the bulkheads. The boat was 15 years old at that time. I believe this was because of moisture.
Since then I have used epoxy almost exclusively to attach laminate to plywood. Not quite as fast and you do have to weigh it down overnight but I believe it gives superior results. I spread epoxy liberally on both surfaces and then place them together. I also seal the edges of the ply with epoxy. I have done this to some partial bulkheads in the galley of my current boat, leaving a few inches at the hull/bulkhead intersection for glassing the bulkhead to the hull. I used Hydro-Tek BS1088 ply for this.
Brian