What Is Plastic Laminate Made Of
This article will go into great detail regarding the composition of laminating film.
What is plastic laminate made of. Contrary to popular belief laminate flooring is not made out of plastic. They re inexpensive durable come in lots of colors and can be installed by do it yourselfers. Now due to innovative manufacturing laminate looks as if it is solid hardwood or stone but is much more affordable. Mix and match solids graphic patterns and finishes.
Formica brand laminate offers a broader range of looks than ever before. Laminates similar to formica but with top surface made of multilaminar veneer and sprayed with resin are called alpikord is made by alpi spa. Raw materials decorative plastic laminate sheeting is made of resins that react with aldehydes during the thermosetting process. In canada it is often generically called arborite because in the post world war ii era that was the name of the company that made and popularized it there.
Plastic laminates are multiple layers of resin soaked kraft paper topped by a patterned sheet of melamine that s subjected to heat and pressure. Manufacturing improvements soon enabled plastic laminate to resist cigarette burns and the material became more attractive colorful and durable spurring its use by manufacturers of kitchen and dining furniture. Then a decorative layer or print film is adhered on top of the core board giving the floor its hardwood or tile look. The first thing you need to be aware of when shopping for laminating film is that a sheet of laminating film is composed of various layers of plastic.
Plastic laminate adhesive or resin is then used to add a decorative paper or melamine top layer. Today laminate is called by many names. The material is a high pressure laminate hpl manufactured under 1 400 pounds of pressure per square inch more than three times over melamine sheets. Consoweld a similar twentieth century product manufactured by consolidated paper of wisconsin.
Plastic laminate is a composite building material made from kraft paper resin and adhesives. Plastic laminate tops may not grab many headlines but they still account for 75 percent of the market. Achieve the look you want for any design challenge or budget. Plastic laminate which also comes in a variety of colors and textures is made from multiple layers of kraft paper soaked in plastic resin and placed into drying chambers.
In the early years laminate looked as if it were made of plastic due to appearance and design being sacrificed for affordability. The next layer is a core board generally made from high density fiberboard or particle board which may also contain melamine plastic resins that help improve the moisture resistance of the core. Multiple layers of kraft paper are soaked in resin then pressed together at high levels of temperature and pressure to form a single sheet. Transform spaces with our modern laminates that are as beautiful as they are durable.