# Tile on Formica



## KermieB (Jul 27, 2012)

I've got a client that wants me to replace a Formica counter top of wet bar with a 1" Vinnini glass tile. Normally, I just rip off the old top and build a new one, but this wet bar is part of a very expensive and detailed wooden cabinet in a home library. The top was put on and then the cabinet was built on top of the Formica.

The tile is about $40 ft2 so it has a really good rubber/vinyl backing. I'm thinking about using a 100 % silicone and smearing it on in a thin layer and adhering the tile then grouting. I used silicone about a month ago to hold this same tile to a wooden backboard to build a mirror for this woman and when I tested it, you almost had to break the tile to get it off the wood. But that was silicone on wood.

The bar top is about 8 ft2 total so we're not talking about much and it's a wet bar which won't get daily use. 

Anybody ever tried something like this?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I plan to roughen up the Formica with an 80 grit paper.


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

The cuts on the tile ?. Cove base glue ?.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

why don't you use thinset?


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

KermieB said:


> The tile is about $40 ft2 so it has a really good rubber/vinyl backing.


Glass tile with rubber backing? :blink:


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

guessing the glass is see thru hence the backer? how about applying 1/4" backer board


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

I know someone that did something like that on a house he was going to sell. It was that painted ("polished") marble from the box stores. Don't know how that turned out for the long term though as the new owners probably redid that bathroom.

Silicone is used a lot in stonework and if one 'messes up' (no filter evasion there,  ) you have to break the piece to get it out after it's set. Relatedly, you could do bondo 



festerized said:


> how about applying 1/4" backer board


How will he attach the hardibacker? Then cover the side elevations?


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

Tinstaafl said:


> Glass tile with rubber backing? :blink:


Sometimes it's put there so how it's set isn't visible from the front.
Also, some thinslab and veiny stone has it.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

grind, glue & screw, don't know never tried but would like to know if it would work


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

That would work, but you just broke the surface of the formica and now have gone into particleboard. Hardibacker is just to provide a stable substrate relative to water/moisture. Dump a glass of water on a formica top and it'll sit there until it evaporates...unless there's a break or a (damaged) joint nearby. No need for any backer here. But I've never done this myself....just thinking.....


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Personally don't think I'd try it for a customer. Even sanding laminate and re-laminating over is not as strong as lam glued to substrate. Done a lot of Lam over lam as cost alternative to new and the removal headaches.

Heat gun should take up the laminate in less than 2 hrs, maybe even 1/2 hr on an 8' top. Normally I'd pull out the lacquer thinner squirt bottles and de-lam that way. :whistling a little hard on finished cabs under.

Then what ever 'normal' method blows your hair back for setting the tile.


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## KermieB (Jul 27, 2012)

Texas Wax said:


> Personally don't think I'd try it for a customer. Even sanding laminate and re-laminating over is not as strong as lam glued to substrate. Done a lot of Lam over lam as cost alternative to new and the removal headaches.
> 
> Heat gun should take up the laminate in less than 2 hrs, maybe even 1/2 hr on an 8' top. Normally I'd pull out the lacquer thinner squirt bottles and de-lam that way. :whistling a little hard on finished cabs under.
> 
> Then what ever 'normal' method blows your hair back for setting the tile.


You didn't read the first post. Removing the laminate is not an option.
Durock or Hardie is not an option because there is a mirror back and there's no good way to do a finish trim.

I'm not sure thinset, even fortified will bond well enough to a laminate. That's why I came here... to see if anyone has done that before. I have no reason to ever have tried to use thinset on laminate. 

I have a friend that builds laminated modular furniture and he's told me that he would never do laminate on laminate.... that it wasn't worth the risk. I'm surprised you said you did. 

The backing on the tile feels like a silica type mesh.

The backing on the glass tile is the standard foil adhered.


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

KermieB said:


> You didn't read the first post. Removing the laminate is not an option.
> Durock or Hardie is not an option because there is a mirror back and there's no good way to do a finish trim.
> 
> I'm not sure thinset, even fortified will bond well enough to a laminate. That's why I came here... to see if anyone has done that before. I have no reason to ever have tried to use thinset on laminate.
> ...


Never recommend lam over lam. But if the the large corporate customer says do it, because it's a few grand less than the alternatives .... I'll do it. As far as I know they have held up. The bond is up to half the strength, initially. Even after aggressive sanding. If the edges are properly finished/filed helps a lot.

The real point being not much sticks well to it. Silicone may be your best bet. Like I said I wouldn't. >I'd< take up the laminate. It's your job, your customer, your choice and I respect that.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

You may be over-thinking it... 

Why don't you cut the top out around the top structure that is sitting on it and replace with a new substrate with a jam saw/jig saw (for corners)? Use some left-over laminate to protect top structure...

The 1/4 - 1/2" leftover material around the top structure will be hidden by the tile...


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

you have a few options.

Eco prim grip by Mapei or TEC's multipurpose primer. Then choose the corresponding manufacturer's thinset for the material.


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

I gone over sound formica back splashes with Flexbond or Megabond several times without issue. Generally it travertine, ceramic or porcelain. 

I do scarf it up with serious grit, but make sure it's fully adhered!


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

Just thinking out loud here. A urethane adhesive would probably work well, something like Bostiks Best. I've heard of it being speced for tile before but never seen it myself. Another option, although expensive, would be something like Schluter Kerdi Fix. Sticks to anything like mad. Sika makes one similar (as do others I'm sure).


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

I've used ultra-set, but don't recommend it for other people..... 
Plus, just looked it up and it seems like now they have some sort of granules in it or something.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

If we're going to go goofy and add onto the top... minimize it and liquid nail a sheet of 1/4" BB and tile away... 

You have different options here... Just get 'er done and make some money... :thumbsup:

Let us know what you decided to do, how it works out and it don't count without pics...

.


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

Another idea. Rough it, prime it, install a peel and stick crack suppressant membrane, and install tile with proper thinset. Mapei, Protecto-Wrap, Greenskin, etc.


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## ee3 (Feb 10, 2006)

bond a piece of Nobleseal down with Noblebond EXT then set tile to membrane with Thin-set..


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

that ought to take care of all the options. Did we miss any?: laughing:


we agree it can be done. And no arguing??? This isn't the CT I used to know.


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

olzo55 said:


> that ought to take care of all the options. Did we miss any?


Carpet glue. There, I think we now have covered all the questions other than.....'will he do it? And if so, how?'.


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