# Has anyone used formply instead of melamine?



## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

I was in my local Bunnings the other day to price some melamine and saw they had 1200x595x17mm formply boards. These had a very glossy finish and looked like they would be more water resistant and easier to clean than normal melamine. 

Just wondering if people have used these to build enclosures and what they thought/think of the product?


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## coastal-shagg (Mar 12, 2014)

RedFox said:


> I was in my local Bunnings the other day to price some melamine and saw they had 1200x595x17mm formply boards. These had a very glossy finish and looked like they would be more water resistant and easier to clean than normal melamine.
> 
> Just wondering if people have used these to build enclosures and what they thought/think of the product?




Sure have, I just finished a 4 tear 4ft wide enclosure with the stuff. works a treat and more water resistant then melamine.


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## JAS101 (Mar 12, 2014)

iv never herd of it , is there a price difference melamine ?


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## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

It is $17.98 for formply. It comes in one colour, black. It is more expensive than the white melamine but comparable to the black or woodgrain melamine which is $24.25 for a 1800x595x16mm. 

It is used in the construction industry and is rated for exteria use. I could find no health warnings against it from a quick google search other than normal warnings when using plywood.


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## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

They look very neat coastal. Did you have a problem with the edges chipping like can sometimes happen with melamine.


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## insitu (Mar 12, 2014)

i have had issues with the sides chipping when using a circular saw so i just use normal ply without the external coating as i paint over it anyway to seal the gaps between joins


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## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

[MENTION=39927]insitu[/MENTION] how many teeth does your saw blade have? I use my circular saw to cut melamine and found it had only a bit of chipping.


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## dragonlover1 (Mar 12, 2014)

a mate of mine was a formwork carpenter and he built some stands(not enclosures) for me about 15 years ago and still going well even though 1 has been outside for 6 years or so


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## Ramsayi (Mar 12, 2014)

Lots of people use 18mm ply.A good looking way to finish it is by lightly scorching it before sealing.


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## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

I'm actually looking at using it for a rack, in my quarantine rooms. I just liked the glossy finish compared to the melamine one, more than anything. I saw it and was curious. 

My other option I am tossing up is building out of solid pine stained and varnished to match my existing furniture. 

I'm also wanting to build another 4x2x2 ft enclosure, but that will be white melamine with an oak timber front to match and stack on the others.


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## insitu (Mar 12, 2014)

I have no idea how many teeth my saw blade has, although im sure there are many ways to cut it without splintering the coating, but i paint my enclosures black anyway so i just buy the cheaper ply, im sure for a rack form ply would be quite suitable (possibly more so than regular ply), i use ply with all my enclosures because personally i just hate melamine


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## The_Geeza (Mar 12, 2014)

Fine tooth and high rpm will not cause chipping


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## meatman (Mar 12, 2014)

I use it for all of my banks. I find it better up here in the tropics with humidity. I just paint the exposed ply black


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## eipper (Mar 12, 2014)

I have a cage I use for crocodiles (huge water tank inserted), form ply is the timber that the water area sits in and also makes up the cladding and land area... its soaked daily with no issue. (its been running for 6 yrs)


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## Umbral (Mar 12, 2014)

I built a 3 bank out of it and will never go back to melamine, no saging, cleans more easily, looks better and doesn't cost that much, what's not to like.


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## coastal-shagg (Mar 12, 2014)

RedFox said:


> They look very neat coastal. Did you have a problem with the edges chipping like can sometimes happen with melamine.



Yea it did chip but only slightly. I got the blokes at bunnings to cut it for me as I don't own a table saw. Bit hard to cut perfectly straight with a circular saw.


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## RedFox (Mar 12, 2014)

Thanks everyone. I'll give it a go. 



coastal-shagg said:


> Yea it did chip but only slightly. I got the blokes at bunnings to cut it for me as I don't own a table saw. Bit hard to cut perfectly straight with a circular saw.



I've had some good and bad experiences with getting bunnings to cut to measure. I prefer to do it myself now to mostly avoid dispointment, swear words and frustration. To get a straight line I use a fence.


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## Umbral (Mar 13, 2014)

I didn't have any issue with chipping at all with my cheapie compound saw.


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## aus_jason (Mar 13, 2014)

With melamine if you cut the laminated coating first with a knife and straight edge , when you make your cut with the saw it will stop the splitting along the edges.

Sent from my ZTE T83 using Tapatalk


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## RedFox (Mar 13, 2014)

Yep I score the melamine, put masking tape over the top, lock the fence in, then use a fine tooth blade with my circular saw. I found there was still a little bit if chipping but nothing too noticable.


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