Can this counter top be saved?

Larry The stuff was originally sold as a wall paneling that was easy to keep clean and inexpensive to purchase, it was made by different companies. The biggest problem that it had was it absorbed moisture entering from the back causing expansion, which caused it to bow if it wasn't glued solidly to a wall. Trailer makers found that it could be glued to a piece of plywood and edged with a aluminum strip creating a fairly durable inexpensive surface. A lot of this was used in kitchens and bathrooms. I have heard it referred to by many names such as tile board,slick board, paneling, but I think it's tech name was melamine panels it is still available today but they have made some technical advances to it making it a more durable product. But still not Formica quality.

Evirotex Lite is a good resin for this, it's used for coating bar tops and such, and stays flexible so it doesn't crack. You can get it at art stores. You just have to take precautions to avoid bubbles in deeper pours, which is easy. I've been considering using it on my counters, poured over the same tiles I have on my floor.

Wonderful vintage hardware store!!

I think you're stuck with the scratches. If a piece is really lifting, you can try to glue it; be very careful not to crack the laminate. Several shades of yellow paint, along with some white a maybe a tiny bit of red and brown will allow you to mix and match. Paint all the flaws and try to swirl with the pattern. I used acrylic paint from the hobby shop; little bottles of greens, blue, white, etc...

After removing the edge trim, Gorilla glue toothpicks in the old holes. I use stainless screws to re-attach the trim. Very easy.

We followed the resin instructions on the can. IT TAKES TWO. One mixes, the other pours. (cottage cheese containers come in handy)Use masking tape around the table edge to capture the resin. It really wanders. You'll need a torch in case it bubbles, you run it over the surface. Ours ended up with a few bubbles but it looks pretty good.

It took a whole can of resin to do the table, but it was badly warped. You might consider buying two sets of the resin/catalyst just in case. You can always return it if unopened. Also, it takes days for it to cure, so be prepared to cover the table to keep dust out.

Feel free to email me if you need more info.

Resin bubbles are killed by CO2, whether from a propane torch exhaust (held well beyond flame-touch range, you only want the blowing effect, not the heating), or simply breathing on the surface. And the more violently you stir the mixture, the more bubbles form. The deeper the pour, the longer they take to work their way to the surface, and the more times you have to go back and re-attack them.

And if you use any two-part resins, whether fiberglass, envirotex or anything else, make sure to mix it in one container, then pour the mixture into another container before pouring on the project. The container you mix in always has unmixed stuff left in it. If you pour from that container, you'll get uncured, sticky, wet spots.

Well I started thinking maybe I could split a sheet of yellow cracked ice with someone, then I called for a price. Just the sheet 4x10 is $450.00, wow, can't believe that. I only need less than
half but for $ 225, I'm just speechless.

I took another look at the table top, it's in rough shape. I still may try to paint it, see how it comes out, but I'm also thinking about using my floor tile and maybe an inlaid pattern. I thought this was my creative idea, but now that I look back at the thread I realize it was cowcharge's. The color of the floor tile is almost the same exact shade of the counter. I going to try to find the formica for the counter and if I can't find enough, maybe do this to the table.