Formica and non-contact glue

[Jacob]

I want to inlay Formica i.e. shape it to fit in a cut-out.
Contact glue no good as it doesn't allow you to position the thing.
What non contact glue would be good for Formica?
I guess it would need to be 2 pack but maybe ordinary PVA would do.
It's to replace the lost leather on a little old writing table .

PS I'll do a test piece with PVA and report back.

 

[HOJ]

I don't know if it is a specific product for use with Formica, this is what my pal uses, for the interior panels on the Broads cruisers he builds:
Tensor bond

 

[Jacob]

I don't know if it is a specific product for use with Formica, this is what my pal uses, for the interior panels on the Broads cruisers he builds:
Tensor bond

Thanks for that and looks like a good one.
I'll try ordinary PVA though as short pressing time not a priority. 24 hours is good enough for me!

 

[Jacob]

Found this interesting page: How Long Does Wood Glue Take To Dry, Set and Cure?.

 

[Chrispy]

I use both pva and cascamite no problems so long as you roll out the glue evenly and can press them well.

 

[Jones]

I think the website does give details of suitable glued. I have used two pack resorcinol and powder UF ( cascamite) successfully in the past.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for replies - seems to be no problem
Got this from Ipswich plastics:
"PVA wood glue will bond Formica to wood.
You will have approximately 20 minutes to make adjustments before it tacks off.
PVA only works under high pressure, so you will need to keep it pressed with something heavy for 24 hours."

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I seem to remember one of our esteemed posters writing that the optimum pressure for PVA is way, way in excess of anything a home user could provide.

 

[Jacob]

I seem to remember one of our esteemed posters writing that the optimum pressure for PVA is way, way in excess of anything a home user could provide.

It was Richard! Wood glue
100lbs per square inch works out at 60 tons per square yard! Got a feeling my little table would collapse!

 

[Droogs]

Vacuum bag it while gluing up and this will give enough pressure for the PVA to work. Though depending on the substrate I would use either cold hide glue or Aerolite etc (or any other non Polyvine brand) and give the back face a good 120grit keying first to provide a good mechanical lock as well as a chemical one.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

https://www.maragon.co.uk/glue.html#Init

 

[Droogs]

That's a pretty good price @Phil Pascoe

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's good stuff.

 

[Gerry]

You can apply a coat of PVA to both surfaces and let it dry before bringing the parts together. You can then use a hot iron on the formica to activate the glue.

Gerry

 

[Sgian Dubh]

It was Richard! Wood glue
100lbs per square inch works out at 60 tons per square yard! Got a feeling my little table would collapse!

Yes, as you say Jacob, it was me that related that information from the technical guidance provided by Franklin, the manufacturer of various adhesives.

For your information, it may be useful, I've successfully, many times, bonded high pressure laminate to a ground with both PVA type adhesives and urea formaldehydes with the aid of a heated bag press; heat, ~60ºC, means the bond is created in minutes therefore you can bond several sheets of laminate in an hour. Without heat, it just takes longer for the adhesive to cure. I've generally preferred to slightly roughen the surface of the ground in a cross-hatched pattern using very coarse abrasive paper in a hand-held sanding block or, preferably, a toothing plane, especially if bonding laminate with the types of adhesive I've mentioned to very smooth shiny surfaces, e.g., MDF. Slainte.