I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table where
they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water absorption or
in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about trying to remove the
laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up area then reapplying the
sheet. My objective is trying to do so without replacing the sheet but
reusing the same sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove
the laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any other
suggestions to repair the table?

Thank you

"Justin Time" wrote in message
...

I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table where
they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water absorption or
in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about trying to remove the
laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up area then reapplying the
sheet. My objective is trying to do so without replacing the sheet but
reusing the same sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove
the laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any other
suggestions to repair the table?

Thank you

=====

Possibly the best would be a heat gun but how old is the item?

--

Eric

Justin Time wrote:
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table
where they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water
absorption or in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about
trying to remove the laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up
area then reapplying the sheet. My objective is trying to do so
without replacing the sheet but reusing the same sheet. Therefore,
anyone know if it's possible to remove the laminate without breaking
it such as a solvent or heat, or any other suggestions to repair the
table?

1. You could probably get the laminate off the table with heat (assuming
contact cement)

2. You could get the glue off the laminate and table with paint thinner
(assuming non-water base contact cement)

3. Sanding down the raised area of the particle or fiber board doesn't mean
it is fixed.

You'd do better just buying a sheet of laminate. You'd do even better
buying or making a new top or entire table.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 07:31:55 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

Justin Time wrote:
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table
where they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water
absorption or in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about
trying to remove the laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up
area then reapplying the sheet. My objective is trying to do so
without replacing the sheet but reusing the same sheet. Therefore,
anyone know if it's possible to remove the laminate without breaking
it such as a solvent or heat, or any other suggestions to repair the
table?

1. You could probably get the laminate off the table with heat (assuming
contact cement)

I doubt it could come off and go back on in one piece, though.


2. You could get the glue off the laminate and table with paint thinner
(assuming non-water base contact cement)

I think that might delaminate it internally.


3. Sanding down the raised area of the particle or fiber board doesn't mean
it is fixed.

No, it doesn't stabilize a destabilized core, but if it was just a bit
of water which raised the termitebarfgrain, it will sand down and
finish just fine. BTDT on my current dining set. Some veneer warped
off from rain and I sanded it down. With several coats of Waterlox
followed (on the top itself) by a coat of Behlen's Rock Hard, it's
very hard to notice that the veneer went away and left termite barf
underneath. I was pleasantly surprised.


You'd do better just buying a sheet of laminate. You'd do even better
buying or making a new top or entire table.

Ditto the idea of starting completely over. Countertop builders have
surplus at a a great price. People come in, pay for something
special-order, then never pick it up. My last piece cost me $8 for
about a 2' x 5' sheet. I think I paid $33 for a half sheet of
Wilsonart Suede to make up my little kitchen countertops after buying
the 12' pre-formed countertop for the sink side.

--
Worry is a misuse of imagination.
-- Dan Zadra

In article ,
Justin Time wrote:
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table where
they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water absorption or
in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about trying to remove the
laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up area then reapplying the
sheet. My objective is trying to do so without replacing the sheet but
reusing the same sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove
the laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any other
suggestions to repair the table?

It will be _very_ difficult to do what you propose to attempt.

You simply don't have enough information about _how_ the laminate is
attached. Absent that information there is no way of knowing _what_
may suffice to attack the adhesive holding the laminate on.

It will also be *very* labor-intensive -- i.e. "time consuming".

Now, _if_ the 'swelling' extends only a *short* distance in from the 'raw
edge', you *might* be able to cut a horizontal 'slit' (the thickness of the
slit being 'a bit more' than the height of the swelling), just below the
surface, and over an area 'somewhat larger' than the area of the swelling;
then inject glue _into_ the slit, and apply some -heavy- clamping pressure,
to force the raised area flat.

If you can't match the thickness of the slit to the height of the swelling,
you may need to use 'void-filling' adhesive -- something like epoxy *with*
micro-balloons in it.

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 07:31:55 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

Justin Time wrote:
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark
oak laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a
leaf for expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of
the table where they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause
by water absorption or in other words, swelled areas. I was
thinking about trying to remove the laminate/Formica, sanding down
the swelled up area then reapplying the sheet. My objective is
trying to do so without replacing the sheet but reusing the same
sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove the
laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any
other suggestions to repair the table?

1. You could probably get the laminate off the table with heat
(assuming contact cement)

I doubt it could come off and go back on in one piece, though.

Depends on how careful he is, shouldn't be all that hard.
____________

2. You could get the glue off the laminate and table with paint
thinner (assuming non-water base contact cement)

I think that might delaminate it internally.

Nope.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 14:12:16 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 2 Oct 2011 07:31:55 -0400, "dadiOH"
wrote:

Justin Time wrote:
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark
oak laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a
leaf for expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of
the table where they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause
by water absorption or in other words, swelled areas. I was
thinking about trying to remove the laminate/Formica, sanding down
the swelled up area then reapplying the sheet. My objective is
trying to do so without replacing the sheet but reusing the same
sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove the
laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any
other suggestions to repair the table?

1. You could probably get the laminate off the table with heat
(assuming contact cement)

I doubt it could come off and go back on in one piece, though.

Depends on how careful he is, shouldn't be all that hard.
____________

2. You could get the glue off the laminate and table with paint
thinner (assuming non-water base contact cement)

I think that might delaminate it internally.

Nope.

WhatEVER.

--
Worry is a misuse of imagination.
-- Dan Zadra

"Justin Time" wrote in message
...
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark oak
laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a leaf for
expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of the table where
they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause by water absorption or
in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking about trying to remove the
laminate/Formica, sanding down the swelled up area then reapplying the
sheet. My objective is trying to do so without replacing the sheet but
reusing the same sheet. Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove
the laminate without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any other
suggestions to repair the table?

Thank you


Getting it off may be the easy part, I cannot imagine that you could put it
back on in exactly the same spot without some miss-alignment, as laminate is
normally applied oversize and trimmed to fit.

EXT wrote:
"Justin Time" wrote in message
...
I have a small dining room table (4 people) with an imitation dark
oak laminate sheet as it's top. It's a split table which allows a
leaf for expansion for two more tables. At the edge of each side of
the table where they meet in the middle, are two raised areas cause
by water absorption or in other words, swelled areas. I was thinking
about trying to remove the laminate/Formica, sanding down the
swelled up area then reapplying the sheet. My objective is trying to
do so without replacing the sheet but reusing the same sheet.
Therefore, anyone know if it's possible to remove the laminate
without breaking it such as a solvent or heat, or any other
suggestions to repair the table? Thank you


Getting it off may be the easy part, I cannot imagine that you could
put it back on in exactly the same spot without some miss-alignment,
as laminate is normally applied oversize and trimmed to fit.

There's the problem. If he tries it, he is going to have to trim down the
table a bit.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico