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30in laminate countertop w/reclaimed wood

5K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  woody4249 
#1 ·
I would like to install a countertop to make an office room of the basement of my new house. While I could purchase OSB backed countertops from the local big-box store, these are only 24 inches...the standard kitchen countertop width. I need a 30 inch countertop for my audiovisual equipment. I can find sheets of unbacked laminate that are 30 inches wide all day long at big box stores which works fine.

Now, I have an old office deck that was in bad shape that I disassembled. I ended up with 3 sections of wood that are 30 inches wide...a 60 inch long (this was the surface), and two 30 inch long (square) (this was the two side) sections. I want to join them all together with some bracing and cabinets underneath to make a continuous laminate countertop using a long 30 in wide X 10 foot piece of laminate that I can buy from a nearby home center. Will this work, or will I run into issues with cracking or uneven surfaces in the future joining the sections of wood together
 
#2 ·
How thick is the wood you will be using? Sounds like you have a good plan. I don't know what kind of tools you have or anything, but do you know how you would like to join the pieces together? Since you are covering it with a solid piece of laminate, maybe just some clamps and glued dowel rods would be the easiest for a DIY job. There's a lot of wonderful cabinet makers that visit this site, I'm sure someone will have a better solution. Good luck !
 
#5 ·
Yep, the stuff is actually particleboard with a oak veneer on top of it now that I've gotten it apart. The boards are 3/4 inch thick, so I think that is definitely thick enough to use. Being particleboard I don't think is going to be too much of an issue. After all, that's the stuff prefab countertops are made of too. I am probably going to join the pieces together by simply putting another piece of construction grade plywood underneath and screwing them together. The joints will be underneath the supporting cabinet sections I am going to have the whole thing on anyways. I'll have some pictures tonight.

The concept is that I will have the big section in the middle, and the two smaller sections on the ends of the countertop. Underneath, there will be two storage cabinets on either end with an AV equipment rack in one. a portion of the back of those will be open for wiring and cables to travel through to the equipment in the AV rack.
 
#7 ·
The problem is the 'veneer'. If this was a knock down or flat pack desk like sauder woodworking or the like, that veneer is actually paper. Even if it's actually a veneer of wood, getting the new to stick to it may be an issue.
You'll have to sand and I'd wager you'll go thru it in spots. Then you'll have to fill it in. Big pain

Then if it does all adhere, you'll still be relying entirely on that subtrates' bond to hold your new veneer.

That said, if you have realistic expectations about its durability and longevity, I see no reason not to proceed as you described.
 
#8 ·
A few pieces of salvaged particleboard are worth very little and won't save you much. The 3x12 plastic and the glue would cost you $100, the particleboard about $38,
Here in Florida we can get 10 lin ft of 30" deep counter for $20 a lin ft at a "Top Shop"
Check your yellow pages and save yourself the hassle.
Mike
 
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