Veneer or laminate faced MDF help

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Adamanski

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#195410 19-Apr-2016 15:31

I'm looking to machine some interior acoustic panels for home similar to Decortech in Auckland provide, I have contacts for the machining and also for the acoustic felt baffle behind but just need to suss out the best source of laminated or veneered MDF sheet - does anyone have any experience here?

So far I've tried Impeys (retail of Prime Panels), and Laminex (wouldn't sell direct). Impeys are quoting $166.32 + GST for their 13mm FR MDF with a white laminate, or $121.23 + GST for their non fire retardant MDF, I explained it was for a wall panel so only one side will have a good facing, the reverse will be cheaper laminate.

Gut feeling is this is too pricey and likely retail where I'm looking for trade pricing. Then again this could be what it costs. Does anyone have any experience here?

MikeAqua

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#1535782 19-Apr-2016 16:22

Drive around few cabinet makers and find one that will sell you a few sheets for a small mark up.

Mike

Adamanski

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#1535858 19-Apr-2016 17:32

MikeAqua:

Drive around few cabinet makers and find one that will sell you a few sheets for a small mark up.

Cheers, will try that.

Disrespective

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#1536255 20-Apr-2016 09:11

For what it's worth, Bunnings Trade has 12mm Bestwood malamine (Arctic White) for about $100 excl. GST.

dazhann

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#1536265 20-Apr-2016 09:17

Check your local Carters. I could sell you in Hawkes Bay 12mm arctic white single side on mdf for $90 incl

Dairyxox

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#1536328 20-Apr-2016 10:19

Placemakers (and possibly others) will sell you seratone. Its often used in kitchens, and its thin (about 6mm?) but might do what you want.

MikeAqua

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#1536387 20-Apr-2016 10:45

Also comes in pre-drilled 'peg' board

Dairyxox:

Placemakers (and possibly others) will sell you seratone. Its often used in kitchens, and its thin (about 6mm?) but might do what you want.

Mike

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Adamanski

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#1536423 20-Apr-2016 11:25

Disrespective:

For what it's worth, Bunnings Trade has 12mm Bestwood malamine (Arctic White) for about $100 excl. GST.

Thanks for the tip - there's a bunnings trade around the corner from work so I'll go take a look. Any idea on the difference in durability between Melamine and Laminate - from what I've seen Melamine is a much thinner coating?

mdf

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#1536521 20-Apr-2016 12:47

How big and how many?

As others have said, pretty much all the hardware stores should have/can supply melamine laminated MDF panels (usually white). It is a stone cold b'arch to machine though, as the melamine tends to shatter at the edges. The best results I have involve cutting twice (first through the melamine then the board) and then routing to trim. Though if you design carefully you can often hide the bad cuts.

If you wanted different colours/thicknesses, you could try talking to the kitchen department of a hardware store/the kitchen supplier. They can do a lot more colours and can supply to size with neat cuts. Not the cheapest way of getting it, but perhaps the easiest.

Your other other option could be to get plain MDF and then spray it with an industrial grade coating, something like Resene Uracryl.

Bung

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#1536633 20-Apr-2016 13:53

Adamanski:
I'm looking to machine some interior acoustic panels for home similar to Decortech in Auckland provide, I have contacts for the machining and also for the acoustic felt baffle behind but just need to suss out the best source of laminated or veneered MDF sheet - does anyone have any experience here?

So far I've tried Impeys (retail of Prime Panels), and Laminex (wouldn't sell direct).

Did you call into Laminex or ring? Policies change but I recall the Wellington branch doing cash sales in spite of a sign on the door if the counter wasn't busy. The sign apparently was aimed at the Sat morning shambles.

Adamanski

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#1536660 20-Apr-2016 14:24

Thanks for the feedback, I'm looking to machine almost full sheet-sized panels, then trim down to 2300mm so they will be floor to ceiling, I was hoping to do <10 panels but cost will drive that.

Point taken on the cut edge of the melamine, these will be run on a flat bed CNC router and we've got the right cutter which should avoid any shattering. Would melamine be more likely to chip away at the cut edge if knocked once installed too?

I just want to go with the one thickness and colour, and since we have a window at the end of the hall don't trust my own ability to paint and get a nice flat finish so thought a pre-finished panel would be better - along with the durability a laminate would offer.

I'm hoping someone here might be in the know, would a trade discount on these even be worth chasing? I was talking to a colleague and he thought trade discount on something like this might be as little as 10pc where I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 20-40pc.

Adamanski

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#1536663 20-Apr-2016 14:27

Bung:
Adamanski:

I'm looking to machine some interior acoustic panels for home similar to Decortech in Auckland provide, I have contacts for the machining and also for the acoustic felt baffle behind but just need to suss out the best source of laminated or veneered MDF sheet - does anyone have any experience here?

So far I've tried Impeys (retail of Prime Panels), and Laminex (wouldn't sell direct).

Did you call into Laminex or ring? Policies change but I recall the Wellington branch doing cash sales in spite of a sign on the door if the counter wasn't busy. The sign apparently was aimed at the Sat morning shambles.

Yeh I called into their office in Penrose (Auckland) and was told no cash sales. Did you end up buying anything similar?

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mdf

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#1536678 20-Apr-2016 14:45

Adamanski:

Thanks for the feedback, I'm looking to machine almost full sheet-sized panels, then trim down to 2300mm so they will be floor to ceiling, I was hoping to do <10 panels but cost will drive that.

Point taken on the cut edge of the melamine, these will be run on a flat bed CNC router and we've got the right cutter which should avoid any shattering. Would melamine be more likely to chip away at the cut edge if knocked once installed too?

I just want to go with the one thickness and colour, and since we have a window at the end of the hall don't trust my own ability to paint and get a nice flat finish so thought a pre-finished panel would be better - along with the durability a laminate would offer.

I'm hoping someone here might be in the know, would a trade discount on these even be worth chasing? I was talking to a colleague and he thought trade discount on something like this might be as little as 10pc where I wouldn't be surprised if it was more like 20-40pc.

If you can CNC them, they will be fine. It would take a reasonably deliberate effort to chip the melamine once it's cut I would have thought, but an easy solution would be just to put the cut edge at the top rather than the bottom. You can get melamine strips with an iron on backing to cover up your cuts, but I wouldn't bother in these circumstances.

We had a placemakers kitchen from Peter Hay Kitchens. They were happy to machine me a single panel in the same colour to a specific size I needed to build shelf in the kitchen, and they did a perfect job. It will be more expensive than sourcing sheets and machining them yourself, but on the other hand will be cut to size from the get-go, so much more convenient.

That said, unless there's a particular need for the hardness of melamine, it will be cheaper to use ordinary mdf and pay a painter to paint it. You will always get joints in pre-malamined sheets, but you can virtually eliminate joins in mdf by planing the edges before butting them together.

How are you planning on attaching them to the wall? If you can't rear mount, you can get an okay look with screw cups. But if you really want a smooth look, it will again be easier and cheaper to use ordinary mdf, countersink and fill the screws, then paint.

Bung

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#1536719 20-Apr-2016 15:15

Adamanski:
Bung: Did you call into Laminex or ring? Policies change but I recall the Wellington branch doing cash sales in spite of a sign on the door if the counter wasn't busy. The sign apparently was aimed at the Sat morning shambles.

Yeh I called into their office in Penrose (Auckland) and was told no cash sales. Did you end up buying anything similar?

I called into the Wellington warehouse on a quiet midweek morning and they did do a cash sale.

As far as discount goes I think it is volume based so an individual isn't likely to get much. Where I did save for my project was finding some damaged panels at Placemakers that I could work around.