Glueing wood to formica

[danielguiod]

I am installing solid wood paneling in my Triton.I've taken everything removable into the shop,stripped off the formica and glued on the wood. now I've come to the forward bulkhead and am wondering if there is an alternative. I know I can get the formica off,even though the bond is still tight, but getting the old contact cement off is a mess. So has anyone successfully glued wood to the finished face of formica? I'm assuming that glueing wood to formica in different than glueing formica to wood. Thanks Dan

[bigd14]

I did this on some countertops to install tile over the top. I first sanded with 36 grit, then scored the heck out of with a sharpened paint scraper. Really tore into it to rough it up. I used mastic which seemed to hold up just fine. You could probably use some kind of liquid nails panel glue or some other type of adhesive.

Doug

[bcooke]

Screws.

Solid wood shrinks and swells. Plywood bulkheads do not. Liquid nails is a flexible adhesive so that might work but screws are still much more secure and allow the wood to move.

[Hirilondë]

I am installing solid wood paneling in my Triton.

Hmmm, what is solid wood paneling? When I think paneling, I think sheets of plywood covered in a veneer.

[bcooke]

I took 'solid wood paneling' to be cuts of wood laid next to one another to cover the space and that is what my post was geared towards.

[JetStream]

Wood veneer with contact cement would be easy

[Al]

It is hard to get contact cement to stick to the shiny side of Formica. I know; I tried when I rebuilt my kitchen counter. I roughed up the existing Formica with 60 grit sandpaper and still was unable to get a good bond. There is a reason Formica advises not trying to bond one piece of Forrmica to another.

[danielguiod]

What I'm using is 1/4" thick X 4" wide mahogany. I think it's similar to what Britton is doing in cherry.

[sail_fix]

I used West System epoxy to glue down a new galley counter top. Maybe a little too permanent (?); in another 20 years the next owner can change it if he wishes...
:(
Original was removed in one piece with lots of thin wedges and steady assault with a heat gun. It was then used for a pattern.

I would have used the normal contact cement, but needed to be able to move the new piece around a sixteenth or so for perfect fit in an area partly under a cabinet. Once located accurately it was weighted down and left for several hours. Looks great - but then I would say that.

BTW, if you rough up that "plastic" surface with a little 60 or 80 grit I betcha the adhesive will adhere OK.

Cheers,
LB

[Mark F]

Hi Dan,

You should be able to use construction adhesive. I used polyurethane construction adhesive to glue 5/16" thick redwood to the interior gel coat sides of an Ericson 23. I first tested by gluing a small piece to a spot and left it for a day. It took a chisel to get it off.

[earlylight]

Dan,

I agree with Mark. I have used polyurethane construction adhesive to glue wood to a surface covered with Formica after roughing up the Formica surface with a 36 grit sanding disc to give the Formica some tooth. It is there to stay! :-)

[danielguiod]

Thanks for all the ideas. I will take some of the Formica I've already stripped of and do some tests with polyurethane glue. Dan