How tough is melamine sheet?

[T42]

I'm about to build a router table and need a good smooth surface for the workpieces to glide on.  I already made a small one using a 2 mm melamine laminate that formed the back of an old kitchen cabinet, but that's all gone now.

I'm thinking of sticking self-adhesive 0.3 mm melamine-coated sheet to 22-mm ply.

Does the team think the surface would stand provide a good low-friction surface and stand up to wear reasonably?  The sheet is available in 200x90 mm rolls so I could always renew it periodically.

[Jurek]

Consider any cutting tools as sacrificial, when it comes to Melamine.
It's bastard hard.
It also needs brand new cutting tools to cut without chipping.
Masking-taping the cut line may help a little here.
Also, the dust produced when cutting it, is deemed highly carcinogenic.
Extract, like your life depends on it.
It has a reasonably low co-efficient of friction, and is robust enough to have softer materials  slid over it on a regular basis.
As long as you are using self-adhesive Melamine, you should be ok.
If you are using wet-adhesive, you'll need to apply a balance sheet to the opposite side of the ply - otherwise it'll most likely bow - there's remains a small risk of bowing when using self adhesive Melamine - even though that doesn't contain as much moisture as a wet glue does.

[T42]

Thanks, Jurek.

Bastard hard sounds about right.

I was going to stick the stuff onto the ply first and then rout the lot together, but it sounds as if routing the ply, sticking on the laminate then cutting it through the hole would produce less dust, if not such a good result.

I'll go buy a roll and see what it's like to work.

[pcolbeck]

That's what a laminate trimming bit for a router is for no?
Stick the laminate on then trim it flush.

https://www.boschtools.com/ca/en/boschtools-ocs/carbide-tipped-laminate-trim-router-bits-22787-c/

Other brands are available

[T42]

That does seem logical.  I was thinking of dust limitation - almost everything I've done has been in solid wood so I have no great experience of laminates.