I found a countertop material at Home Depot called Wilsonart Thinscape, a composite material made up of papers and resins. It’s 1/2″ thick and looks like a variety of stones. It is “Easily cut down in size with standard carbide-tipped woodworking tools.”
I’m considering using black Thinscape in the top of a desk I’m making. I would cut a 42″ by 20″ piece. It would have a border of walnut. I’ve never worked with something like this and am uncertain how to attach it to the top of the desk or secure a wood border around it. Nor am I comfortable using my Forrest blade to cut it. Does anyone have any experience working with this material?
https://www.wilsonart.com/thinscape#resources-inspiration
Replies
I've used quite a bit of the Wilsonart and Formica brands of thin plastic laminate, but I have no experience with the thick stuff. I suggest you get on the internet and go to their web site. I bet they have some directions and tips posted there. If not, send them an email and ask for it.
I'm guessing that the best blade would be something like a 80-90 tooth triple chip grind blade like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Irwin-Tools-1807381-84-Tooth-Circular/dp/B008OJJY88?th=1
I also assume that you would use the same contact cement to glue it down.
Personally, I would not use walnut trim. It will just be a long term maintenance item. Maybe you could check around with some contractors that might have some cut-offs of the same material with a wood grain pattern that you could get at a fair price.
Looking at the online info very quickly, I’m wondering if the material is a bit like quartz countertop? Sounds like it might be tough on woodworking blades & bits. You could probably request a sample and experiment. I don’t know what kinds of cutters are typically used in cutting and shaping or if they use water-cooled blades. If you have a countertop shop around who sell Wilsonart product it may be worth checking in with them?
I doubt HD would sell it if it could not be worked as described. My first thought was using a router to create a tongue & groove joint. T on the slab, G on the border. Once you have the corners worked out epoxy on the border. If you don't go too wide with the walnut movement should not be an issue.
I would work outside and use a router I did not care about, mask, ect. The dust will probably be nasty.
What mj said. I wouldn't use my good tablesaw blade. I've got a variety of other blades laying around that I care less about, and I'd use one of those. And if I had a Sawstop, I'd turn off the brake, just in case.
The manufacturer claims that this stuff is compatible with woodworking tools. I would take them at their word. Maybe you don't use your best blade but I bet it's pretty workable with a router,like maybe corian is.
An less expensive carbide blade would probably work fine. Also, a diamond blade isn't that expensive on their lower retail end (the depot or Harbor Freight)and your likely to only use it the one time. I've bought them that way to cut stone and such and they work fine ,they just don't last like the expensive ones. I've cut alot of stone with just a circular saw by the way. Free handing cutting uneven stone I've tweaked blades and in someways I prefer the cheap ones. An expensive diamond blade will bend just as easy as a cheap one and after that they are just trash!
The stuff is only 1/2" and if you mounted a 7 1/4" blade in your table saw it would work.
Being thin like that and being as it is designed to be a counter top material it is probably designed to be glued to a plywood deck . I doubt that on it's own it would span much of a distance. It probably needs some kind of support. There are other products similar to that that are less paper and more actual stone. This seems to be an American version of a product that has been available from Europe for some time.
I've cut a lot of concrete, dry, with a circular saw and a $15 Skil diamond blade. Easy peasy.
Looks to be similar to solid surface material such as Corian and others.
Definitely not acrylic. It is much harder and brittle and chip prone.
It somehow magically mimics stone / quartz. Paper to stone ...sounds like alchemy! Corian is just plastic and pretty much looks like plastic, does rout nicely though.