Go to your local Custom Cabinet shop and they can order you sheet formica for your own countertop build or build one for you. Be prepared, sheet formica is not cheap. If your going buy a finished counter put some money in the local small business guys pocket and not the big box. Just my 2c

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

I think you're on the money Jim. Just located a shop in Pensacola that sells sheet Formica. WAY hard to find and $80 for a 3 X 12 piece but that particular surface I believe is by far the best. 26" wide custom counter top is $21 a foot!!! Big savings applying it myself.

Jim,
Are you familiar with the process of applying the formica?

I had a friend help me to cover a table that turned out well. Cut one sheet that was a touch larger than the size of the top. Then, to get matching grain, took the cut material that was hanging off each side to cover each edge.

First use contact to glue the edges to the sides of the table. start in the center and work to the ends, using a roller to remove all air. When the two ends have been glued in place use a router to trim the top , bottom and both ends of the material.
Then, use the cement to glue the sides on the table. Again, start from the center and use a roller to roll to the ends removing all air. Again, use a straight cutting router with a pilot bearing on the end to avoid burning the formica and trim the edges of the sides of the formica.

Finally, use contact cement on both the table top surface and the underside of the formica. Then, laid several dowels on the top of the table to allow the contact cemented formica to be laid over the top and perfectly centered. When, it is perfectly positioned, pull out the center dowels and use a roller to roll down the surface starting from the center and working to the edges. This process will remove any air between the layers.
Once the top has been applied and allowed to dry, use a router with a straight bit to trim the edges of the top, flush with the already applied sides and ends of the table.
Finally, use the router with a very slight curve to remove the razor edge left on the sides of the table top and you will be good to go.

and:

[lumberjocks.com]

Be safe



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2014 01:29PM by roger wilson.

There are better ways to do it than what is described above. Not trying to disparage Roger. Coat the entire surface of the table w/contact cement and coat the entire surface off the formica. Let dry completely. I use old slats from venetian blinds and lay them on the table top every few inches. Position the formica over the slats without letting it touch the table top. Start at one end and carefully remove one slat at a time. Then go over it with a roller to make sure it is well pressed down and then trim with a formica bit in your router.

Bar Coating Clear ??? Not sure how hard it is
3/4" plywood color if ya want
Then the clear coating ???

Bill - willierods.com

Randy,
That is exactly what I said and the way that I like to do it as well.

Be safe

Yep Roger I mis-read your post and missed the dowel Part. My apologies. :<)

Jim, You can buy a full sheet of white masonite which is applied the same way. Its alot cheaper and it takes a beaten too.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Dennis,
What masonite is fine and that is what I use in the dirty shop. But the white is just paint and over time scratches off etc.

However, I do like the white masonite for the rough and tough shop because the white makes things easy to see. For the heavy work table, on which I use it, I just use a few brads around the edges to attach to the heavy bench.

Then, when the top gets beaten up too badly, I pop off the top and nail on a new top. For this part of the shop it works very very well.

So much easier to see things on a white bench and the tough clean surface is easy to keep clean.

Be safe

I built some kitchen cabinets years ago and have a pretty good recollection of the way Formica installs. I do like the dowel/slat idea, specially on a 10 foot piece. Now all I need is the time to make an 80 mile round trip to pick up a piece.

Thanks for the all the suggestions gentlemen...this is exactly the kind of help I hoped I would get by doing this. And, please don't be discouraged if your ideas don't show up...I am working with a lot of "other" limitations on this project!

Jim,

I used some counter tops I found at a local home improvement center that had some small defects so I got them at a discount price and the base of the benches are inexpensive 2 door cabinet organizer, some with a drawer. I installed spacers under the counter top to adjust the bench height until the benches felt right to me. I used some PVC pipe as legs to support the back of the benches.
Also something else to think about is the chair your going to use, I use a office type chair that can be adjusted up or down this way you can adjust your height to your bench to what you need.

[WWW.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

I use a 12' counter top with two - three drawers file cabinets as supports on each end. I also support the counter top with two pieces of steel to eliminate any bowing in the counter top.

Chester

May your line be tight and your beverages be cold!