The Fabrication Issue

The AWFS Fair is next month in Las Vegas, so this issue of The Source will focus on installation tips and some technical aspects of our products.  First, we'll throw you a bit of a curve and discuss how laminate doesn't need to be applied to flat surfaces.  Second, we'll take a look at edgebanding and interesting alternative edge finishing techniques for your tabletop and casework projects.  And to thank you for being a subscriber to The Source, we're inviting you to participate in our special promotion: if you're planning on attending AWFS, print this newsletter and be sure to stop by Lamin-Art booth #1323 to receive your free gift!

Real Laminate Has Curves

The first thing you'll probably notice when you visit the Lamin-Art booth (#1323) at the AWFS Fair in Las Vegas is our curves.  Our exhibit showcases 8 feet tall tubes covered in our high-pressure decorative laminate.  Our intent when designing our exhibit was to not only show large sized samples of our products, but also to encourage outside-the-box thinking when it comes to using decorative laminate.  Backdropped against stark white curved fabric walls, these 6 and ten inch diameter tubes not only illustrate our commitment to outstanding colors, realistic-looking woodgrains, and amazing textured laminates, but demonstrate how laminate can be utilized in not-so-flat applications such as column wraps or curved panels. 

Visitors to our booth often ask if you need Post-Forming grade laminate to achieve the effect.  The answer is no.  In fact, readily available Standard and Vertical Grade laminates are quite pliable, and can be cold bent for larger diameter applications (7 to 12 inch diameter depending upon grade).  With the addition of heat, you can achieve even tighter radii (.625 to 4 inch diameter depending upon grade).  For more detailed information on bending tolerances for our high-pressure decorative laminates, consult our online "How-to" guide.

Taking the Edge(banding) Off

Edgebanding is often used in casegoods and furniture applications in order to create the illusion of a solid surface, as well as get rid of those unsightly "brown lines" at the surfaces edge.  Although edgebanding is a convenient option for finishing off the surface, it often results in a very "commercial" appearance.  For a more sophisticated look, consider specifying one of these finishing options:

• The Miter Fold Technique: simply undercut the material using a routed bit to bevel the edge of the laminate to a sharp 45 degrees.  This technique is particularly effective when working with wood print laminates or our Veneer-Art pre-finished real wood veneers to achieve the appearance of a solid piece of wood.
• The Solid Edge Technique: use a piece of solid wood of the same species as the wood print laminate or Veneer-Art item you have chosen in order to "blend" the surface to the edge.  You can even try a contrasting wood species, wide edge or an ornamental, finely carved molding for different effects.
• The Self Edge:  Rather than specifying a separate edgebanding material, simply use the same laminate on both horizontal and vertical surfaces.  Many of our products have a similarly colored core, so the resulting color contrast between the laminate and their edges is minimal.

See examples of these and other great finishing techniques at the AWFS Fair in Booth #1323, or download our How to Create Unique Edges guide.

A Better Wood

One of the major concerns of the Green Building movement is the amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are emitted by building materials.  In the case of wood and wood veneers, this is of particular concern because of the need for stain or varnish to be applied to raw wood products.  Lamin-Art's Veneer-Art product line, a pre-finished wood veneer, addresses many of these concerns.  

Instead of printed decorative papers, Veneer-Art is manufactured with sheets of real wood veneer that are applied to the same HPL phenolic backing and impregnated with the same melamine resins as our standard high-pressure decorative laminates.  The result is a sheet that is easy to install with the standard tools and adhesives utilized when working with high-pressure laminate, as well as a surface with unmatched durability and a natural feel.  In fact, a special manufacturing process allows for the natural texture of the wood to come through even with the application of the melamine resin, so you don't have to compromise beauty for durability.

Conventional veneers require finishing after application in order to achieve a particular color or add durability and sheen.  It is a process that is often time consuming, expensive, and in some cases frustrating when a certain look or color consistency cannot easily be achieved.  Veneer-Art comes pre-finished, eliminating those added costs and hassles.  It also has the added benefit of eliminating VOCs and other toxic fumes released during the finishing process.  Like our high-pressure decorative laminates, Veneer-Art has been tested for formaldehyde emissions and found to be below the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit of 0.75 parts per million.

The result is a high-performance wood veneer that is durable enough for high-wear applications like tabletops, store fixtures and architectural doors with the added environmental benefits of low VOC emissions.  Be sure to check out Veneer-Art online or in Booth #1323 at the AWFS Fair.