Posted by Kitchen Design

Laminate Benchtops / Countertops

Laminate benchtops / countertops are manufactured by gluing the laminate (normally 0.8mm thick) to a particleboard or MDF (medium density fibreboard) substrate (the substrate usually being 32mm thick). The laminate is bonded to the substrate with either a contact adhesive or a water based PVA based glue.

Rolled edge laminated benchtops (or postformed benchtops) are made the same way as above but with an extra step involved in the manufacturing process. The benchtop and laminate is placed in a post forming machine. The post former has a strip heater along its length and this heater heats the laminate at the bend point.

When the laminate gets to the right temperature it starts to bend. The post former clamps the softened laminate to the substrate and the laminate is then allowed to cool.
Squareform or tightform laminated benchtops are made the same way as postformed benchtops but the laminate used is generally thinner.

A squareform benchtop is normally bent around a 5mm radius. 0.8mm laminate cannot bend aroud such a tight radius and will crack or fail. The thinner laminate used in squareform benchtops will easily conform to these tighter radii.

Tags: benchtop, countertops, Kitchen Countertops, laminate, medium density fibreboard, particleboard, rolled edge, substrate, tight radius