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Probably one of the most incorrectly interchanged words in the furniture industry - melamine, laminate & veneer. Understandably so if you consider how all three can look so deceptively similar.
When it comes to commercial furniture, the topic will most likely pop-up when having to pick work-surface tops, although it’s not restricted to just desking. We’ve broken down the three materials below so you don’t find yourself scratching your head in confusion :
Melamine
Also called direct or low-pressure laminate. It’s what you get when thin paper is applied at 300-500 psi on a substrate board. Technically speaking, melamine is the glue used to saturate the layers of paper transformed into a solid, plastic surface through thermal fusion.
In general, Melamine is cost effective due to its manufacturing process. It’s also available in a variety of colors and finishes. However, it fails when moisture or water is involved. The board it is bonded on also had voids at the end, thus necessitating an edge-banding to cover the area. Melamine is a great option if you’re looking to value engineer products that are meant to have up to a 5 year lifespan.
Probably one of the most incorrectly interchanged words in the furniture industry - melamine, laminate & veneer. Understandably so if you consider how all three can look so deceptively similar.
When it comes to commercial furniture, the topic will most likely pop-up when having to pick work-surface tops, although it’s not restricted to just desking. We’ve broken down the three materials below so you don’t find yourself scratching your head in confusion :
Melamine
Also called direct or low-pressure laminate. It’s what you get when thin paper is applied at 300-500 psi on a substrate board. Technically speaking, melamine is the glue used to saturate the layers of paper transformed into a solid, plastic surface through thermal fusion.
In general, Melamine is cost effective due to its manufacturing process. It’s also available in a variety of colors and finishes. However, it fails when moisture or water is involved. The board it is bonded on also had voids at the end, thus necessitating an edge-banding to cover the area. Melamine is a great option if you’re looking to value engineer products that are meant to have up to a 5 year lifespan.
