Vertical versus Horizontal Grade Laminate

Home » Knowledge Base » Knowledge Base Article





	Today's Sponsors: Royce Ayr Cutting Tools RT Machine Co. Safety Speed Cut Sand-Rite Manufacturing Sandman Products Saw Trax Mfg. Sawmill and Woodlot Magazine Schmalz, Inc. Schultz Forming Products SCM Group USA, Inc. SCM Group SCM SDN Contracting Seagrave Coatings Corporation Sears Trostel Lumber Co. Shade Dri Shomaker Lumber Company ShopBot SII Dry Kilns Silvaris Simantech SIS Machinery SK-USA SketchList SlipCon USA, Inc. SnapDragon Associates, LLC SNX Technologies South State Machinery South Texas Moulding Southeast Tool, Inc. Specialtytools.com SprayGunWorld.com NPO BARS Nydree Flooring Nyle Dry Kiln Systems O'Shea Lumber Company Old Mississippi Brick and Heart Pine Company OMGA, Inc. Omnitech Systems Onsrud Cutter Opti-Sand Original Saw Company Osolnik Machinery & Supplies Patton Cabinet Doors Paul Saws and Systems People Logic Software Corp. Pinske Edge Pioneer Lumber Company Planit Solutions Inc. plastiMACH Plogic Solutions Ltd. Pond Cove Paint Porter-Cable Precision Drive Systems Precision Saw Sharpeners Premium Specialty Hardwoods Pricecutter.com Prime Estimating and Software Services, LLC Pro.Woodworker.com Pro100 Professional Hardware & Supply Co. Quality VAKuum Products, Inc. Quick Machinery Company Quickscrews International Corporation QuickScribe QuickWood QuikDrawers Quis Machinery R&R Drummond, Inc. R.A.W. R.D. Billhofer Company Rangate Rawles-Aden Lumber Corp. RazorGage Restoration Specialists Rex Lumber Company Riethmiller Lumber Ritter Manufacturing Inc. Rockler Woodworking and Hardware Roger Shaw and Associates Rose Machinery Routech RouterCAD

WOODWEB DISCLAIMS any and all RESPONSIBILITY and LIABILITY for the accuracy and application of the information below. Readers agree to evaluate the significance and limitations of the information provided, and accept full responsibility for the application of this information. Read More ...

Would you like to add information to this article?
Interested in writing or submitting an article?
Have a question about this article?

Vertical versus Horizontal Grade Laminate

What the difference is, and when to use which. March 14, 2006

Question
What the difference is between vertical and horizontal grade laminate? I have a lot of jobs coming up with 1" - 1 1/2" radiused corners. Can I use the horizontal grade or do I have to buy a whole separate piece for the edge? I use 3M nf 30 water base adhesive, which works great, but will it work on the radiuses?

Forum Responses
(Laminate and Solid Surfacing Forum)
From contributor M:
The basic difference is, depending on who the manufacturer of the laminate is, that vertical grade laminate is about 40% thinner than horizontal grade laminate. If you are making tops, you should use the thicker laminate on all edges. Increase your radius to at least 4" unless you are going to heat and clamp the laminate. If you have to have the small radius, I think you will have to use the thinner laminate.

From contributor R:
My Wilsonart dealer stocks edge strips out of the thinner horizontal laminate. They are about 2" wide and 12 feet long. I use these on my edges when I have to do a small radius. Wilsonart is the only one I know that offers this, but others may.

From contributor S:
The grades work like this: Vertical grade is the thinnest and should be used for cabinets or vertical applications; post forming grade can be post formed into fully formed countertops; and horizontal or general purpose grade, also known as flat stock, is very thick and I personally never order it. We use all post forming grade unless we are doing cabinets or fixtures (then we use vertical). The post forming grade can be easily formed around a 11/2 radius when using a heat gun to soften the laminate. A 2� radius can be bent without heat, and you should never need to clamp it if you are using the right glue. A 11/2 radius is the smallest we go for a radius corner on a top with standard overhang and 3/4 build up.

Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?

KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

KnowledgeBase: Laminates and Solid Surfacing

KnowledgeBase: Laminates & Solid Surfacing: Materials

Would you like to add information to this article? ... Click Here

If you have a question regarding a Knowledge Base article, your best chance at uncovering an answer is to search the entire Knowledge Base for related articles or to post your question at the appropriate WOODWEB Forum. Before posting your message, be sure to review our Forum Guidelines.

Questions entered in the Knowledge Base Article comment form will not generate responses! A list of WOODWEB Forums can be found at WOODWEB's Site Map.

When you post your question at the Forum, be sure to include references to the Knowledge Base article that inspired your question. The more information you provide with your question, the better your chances are of receiving responses.

Return to beginning of article.

Refer a Friend || Read This Important Information || Site Map || Privacy Policy

Letters, questions or comments? E-Mail us and let us know what you think. Be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Contact us to discuss advertising or to report problems with this site.

To report a problem, send an e-mail to our Webmaster

Copyright © 1996-2008 - WOODWEB ® Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission of the Editor.
Review WOODWEB's Copyright Policy.

The editors, writers, and staff at WOODWEB try to promote safe practices. What is safe for one woodworker under certain conditions may not be safe for others in different circumstances. Readers should undertake the use of materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk.

WOODWEB, Inc.
RR4 Box 265A
Montrose, PA 18801

Contact WOODWEB