Bench top router table laminate

[Born2bye]

Hello all

i am thinking about building a bench top router table, many of the online videos show people bonding a laminate or Formica type material to their top, any idea’s please on where this type of material can be purchased in the UK

thanks

 

[Spectric]

There are also some using material such as Valchromat and other types of MDF and you can also get Phenolic covered sheet material. One Stop Timber Merchants Ltd | Phenolic Plywood Cut to Size

 

[TRITON]

That phenolic stuff is usually quite pricey. I covered my extended bandsaw table and drill press table in Formica laminate sheet.
Been a while since i bought some and thought its not cheap usually(Still about 1/2 the cost of phenolic), you can usually find it in 4'x2' sizes or offcuts(dependent on you knowing what size you need) for a fair bit cheaper.
On the bandsaw table i made to increase the table area, i used a slightly textured surface as its less friction. But I've no idea what that is called exactly.
Best fixed with evo-stik 528 industrial. Though standard evo-stik impact contact adhesive is probably just as good, and its best to use something like a seam roller to get it stuck down hard.

 

[Pedronicus]

I found an old Formica covered ply kitchen table on Freecycle which I will be repurposing for my router table in due course.

 

[Jones]

You can use a contact adhesive for Formica and you need to on verticals but on the flat a resin , either epoxy, resorcinol or urea formaldehyde makes it a much simpler job and you get time to do it right. Standard sheet is 1.5x3.0m ,there are cheaper imitations and I'm sure a search will find people doing smaller pieces.

 

[user22161]

I bought some Formica on ebay recently, available in various sizes. Used Evostick solvent free contact adhesive, easy to apply evenly by brush or roller.

 

[alan895]

For mine I used a free offcut of kitchen worktop but even just a simple piece of MDF or plywood with some sort of protective finish applied would likely do the job.

 

[Johnwa]

I made a router table for my 1/4" router. I just used melamine faced chipboard, it's been going fine for about 2 years now. Kept in a cold, damp garage no sign of warping or twisting and the timber still glides across the surface.

 

[Distinterior]

I've got quite a few sections of 38mm kitchen Laminate worktop offcuts that you could choose from,.....but I'm a bit far away from you!!
I think the minimal lengths I have are 1000mm.

 

[williams1185]

try looking for plastic laminate suppliers near you they usually have offcuts to sell

 

[baldkev]

I bought a couple of sheets of 12mm phenolic ply to reboard my tower scaffold, worked out about 50 quid a sheet.... so by the time youve bought formica, glue and messed around, you might as well buy phenolic.... at least phone around locally and see what you can get. Tell them you are trade

 

[NickVanBeest]

I used Tufnol Whale for my router bench, works great! (Tufnol Sheet | Direct Plastics Limited)