Is Melamine Plastic Laminate

Melamine panels and plastic laminate used to build cabinets office furniture and display counters and white boards are often referenced interchangeably but the two materials are slightly different.

Is melamine plastic laminate.

Melamine laminate is a hard resin commonly used as an overlay for building materials like mdf or plywood. Although different enough to be considered a separate option melamine is technically a laminate product. In its most basic form melamine is an organic compound that when combined with formaldehyde forms a durable thermosetting plastic. Such resins are characteristically durable thermosetting plastic used in high pressure decorative laminates such as formica melamine dinnerware laminate flooring and dry erase boards.

Melamine is commonly used for interiors of cabinets and is far less expensive. Let s talk about melamine. This plastic is then added to a paper base to form the laminate that covers a variety of materials and household objects. In its butylated form it is dissolved in n butanol and xylene it is then used to cross link with alkyd epoxy acrylic and polyester resins used in.

Just like laminate melamine is made using paper and resin but the melamine costs less to produce. Technically speaking melamine is the glue used to saturate the layers of paper transformed into a solid plastic surface through thermal fusion. It s what you get when thin paper is applied at 300 500 psi on a substrate board. Low pressure laminate also known as pre finished board or melamine is a thin single melamine paper bonded directly to a substrate usually craft wood or particle board.

Also called high pressure laminate this is popular among common people by the name of formica to make this laminate a very high pressure of 1400psi is used over 6 8 layers of kraft paper. Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde also shortened to melamine is a resin with melamine rings terminated with multiple hydroxyl groups derived from formaldehyde this thermosetting plastic material is made from melamine and formaldehyde. These papers have been glued together and finally a melamine plastic is pressed at the top. Also called direct or low pressure laminate.

Melamine is a type of plastic found in many reusable plates utensils and cups. Plastic laminate is typically available in more colors and patterns than melamine and for that reason is very commonly specified for the exterior of commercial cabinets. Melamine can be combined with formaldehyde and other agents to produce melamine resins.