# Gluing plastic laminate without using contact cement?



## jgtimp (Oct 19, 2014)

I live in California, which has recently changed the allowed specs on contact adhesive so that they no longer work. Weldwood, for example has a new non-flammable version for California with no VOC's, and all reports say that it doesn't stick. Ordering online is futile because other states are barred from sending the real deal to California. Are there any other adhesives that are suitable for bonding plastic laminate to plywood, particle board or MDF? Will yellow carpenter's glue work? I'm frustrated. Thanks for any help!


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## mako1 (Jan 25, 2014)

There are plenty of low VOC contact adhesives on the market.I'm sure your not the only one in CALI trying to make a countertop.Check with some of the local shops and see what they are using.
Yellow glue will not work well.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Yellow glue would work if you can keep it clamped for months. What happens is it glues around the edges and stays wet in the middle. You can use hide glue or better a resin glue however neither is practical for large sheets. The water based contact cement can be made to work if you coat the laminate and wood and let it dry overnight and then put a second coat the next day. If you have an edge such as MDF that will soak up the adhesive it might take three coats of glue as a sealer before you actually glue the laminate down.


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## Tim G (May 10, 2012)

This works very well. I've been using it for years. Just roll it or brush it on both sides. Let it dry completely the make contact. I actually prefer it over the old school contact cement. Easier cleanup. And the oder doesn't make people run for their livesLOL.


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## woodbadger (Oct 20, 2014)

I've used the waterbase contact cement for years. Much safer,especially for use in customers homes. We would roll on to laminate and substrate,let it dry then apply a second coat. The cement goes on white and clears when dry. We even used fans to keep air moving, as weather and humidity effects drying time. I did have some days with high humidity were we had a devil of a time getting it to stick. Seems force drying on those days effected the "open time" for glue to adhere to itself. That only happened a time or two,over a decade or so.
Don't be afraid to use the stuff....old solvent stuff was/is deadly.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

The waterborn contact cement works perfectly well. I have used it on several occasions. The key is to follow the instructions. On porous material like particle board I give it two coats. I apply the second coat after the first coat has dried completely (usually somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour). What is really important is getting real pressure on the bond after you have brought the laminate and the base together. When the instructions say use a J roller, that's what it means. You are never going to get a good bond with a mallet and a block of wood. It's about the pounds per square inch.
Here is a really good summary of what is important: 

http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/contact1.shtml


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## verdesardog (Apr 2, 2011)

As some have said water based does work fine, I have found that while applying the laminate to the substrate, using heat while rolling makes the bond better....


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