Counter Tops, Formica / Foam Core board

[Fatdog2]

The Formica separate from the Foam Core counter by the sink, from the heat off coffee pot. I plan on gluing it back down with contact cement to fix it. I looked into new counter tops and the added weight going to solid Core counter top which is much heavier. Here's my findings after searching the web and info off LL Forum. There are other products on market that would get the same results if your looking to purchase or make your own Foam Core board using fiberglass, and epoxy resin.

Lama-light,  http://www.lama-light.com,  supplies the RV and Marine MFR in building lite weight Formica covered counter tops, using fiber board and foam sandwich base material.  Lama-light material weight comparison is listed under Product Info section of their website. It shows how much weight for a panel size compared to solid surface counter tops (Corian).  It looks like the same base material if you look at the installation procedures of adding a American Stone Cast sink. American Stone Cast is another MFR that sells counter tops and sinks.

Kerfkore is a company in Georgia that sells foam core panels to industry and homeowners according to website info. http://www.kerfkore.com/kerfkore-green.html.  The Kerfkore Green is the same versatile Kerfkore product but made with No Added Formaldehyde materials.   I haven't contacted them yet but plan to do so in case I need to replace the counter top base material.

For solid material type counter tops, I found Granitelite.com, American Stone Cast, Formica, and Corian by Dupont. I think LL Corian solid counter top for 21BHS price is over $600 plus shipping. I rather keep the camper lite than add that kind of weight.

[dlb53151]

Fatdog - I am talking to a guy who will sell me a 1/4" thick corian top, so that would seem to solve the weight issue.  But I am concerned that would be prone to cracking since it is so thin.  Thoughts?


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[Merlin]

I'm fairly certain thin Corian by itself would not survive in the RV environment. Would you support that 1/4" material with something rigid?

[Steve Sanders]

It would be messy to do, but 1/2 inch pink foam board wrapped in fiberglass fabric and resin as a substrate under 1/4" Corian might work.

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[Apollo]

The size of these counter tops is so small it doesn't make much sense to try and get creative with 2 or 3 different materials and the complexity of joining them to save a little bit of weight.

Is it really worth all the silliness to save 60 or 80 pounds (totally guessing on the weight) My camper has like 3,000 pounds of carrying capacity so I could put in a 1.5" thick slab of granite and wouldn't make one bit of difference.

This being said I am going to get rid on the counter in my 21BHS because I hate how it juts out into the living area. Will modify the cabinets so they are flat and install the 1.5" thick wood counter top from Ikea. Stain will be dark to match the wood around the slide opening and will under mount the sink for a cleaner look.

The Ikea counter is solid wood and costs $90, all I have to do it cut it to fit the area and cut the holes for the stove and sink.

[Steve Sanders]

That makes sense.

I was just thinking about a motorcycle camper that we used to have. It was all fiberglass with foam board lamination. It worked amazingly well.

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[Merlin]

The size of these counter tops is so small it doesn't make much sense to try and get creative with 2 or 3 different materials and the complexity of joining them to save a little bit of weight.

Is it really worth all the silliness to save 60 or 80 pounds (totally guessing on the weight) My camper has like 3,000 pounds of carrying capacity so I could put in a 1.5" thick slab of granite and wouldn't make one bit of difference.

This being said I am going to get rid on the counter in my 21BHS because I hate how it juts out into the living area. Will modify the cabinets so they are flat and install the 1.5" thick wood counter top from Ikea. Stain will be dark to match the wood around the slide opening and will under mount the sink for a cleaner look.

The Ikea counter is solid wood and costs $90, all I have to do it cut it to fit the area and cut the holes for the stove and sink.

Sure it's worth the silliness!  Most of the mods I do to my camper is for fun and silliness, after all.  My countertop is still holding together, but when I replace it someday along with the sink, I'll probably use some of my boat-building experience to come up with a lightweight, strong concoction that's tough enough for an RV. It'll be fun!

That said, I'd love to see photos of the IKEA countertop when you get it installed. That might be very tempting as a replacement.

[Apollo]

Sure it's worth the silliness!  Most of the mods I do to my camper is for fun and silliness, after all.  My countertop is still holding together, but when I replace it someday along with the sink, I'll probably use some of my boat-building experience to come up with a lightweight, strong concoction that's tough enough for an RV. It'll be fun!

That said, I'd love to see photos of the IKEA countertop when you get it installed. That might be very tempting as a replacement.

Haha, well yeah I've done the silliness route with some things as well but some stuff just isn't worth the cost, time, and complexity IMHO.

Going to make the change this spring. The cabinets are built with the pocketed cabinet screws and then screwed into the aluminum framing from behind. Will be a good project, I am looking forward to having a more usable kitchen area and a little more floor space.

[cramery]

Finding the balance between quality and weight should be the priority. Personally, I prefer quartz countertop. They're low maintenance, and not as heavy as the other materials. They look really nice too.

[Fatdog2]

I tried to spray in some glue on my counter top and the Formica stuck down for a little while but then popped back up from heat, then cooling and humidity. We bought a small dehumidifier to run while camping and using the A/C. In the near future I'm going to pull the counter top and make one out of 1/2 baltic birch plywood and wrap it in 4oz fiberglass and epoxy resin.  I could do a cedar strip like I did making my hollow wood surfboard, that would be different.   

[GrampaKilt]

I put in a 3CM quartzite, taking a weight penalty for the sake of beauty, longevity and cheap like borsch (since the piece was a left over). From what I've researched, weight of a trailer takes a back seat to wind resistance in regards to fuel consumption so much so that a 3900LB Airstream will take no more fuel to tow than my 2500LB 14DB.

That said, I'm for light weight whenever reasonably priced and robust. I really like the IKEA wood solution, but I think the ultimate would be the the corian. If I had found some inexpensive 1/4" corian, I would have used silicone caulking to attach it to 3/4" plywood and deepened the edge profile with a strip of black anodized (or mill finish) aluminum glued to edge of the plywood. Undermount sink? Of course. GK

[Merlin]

I tried to spray in some glue on my counter top and the Formica stuck down for a little while but then popped back up from heat, then cooling and humidity. We bought a small dehumidifier to run while camping and using the A/C. In the near future I'm going to pull the counter top and make one out of 1/2 baltic birch plywood and wrap it in 4oz fiberglass and epoxy resin.  I could do a cedar strip like I did making my hollow wood surfboard, that would be different.

You must do this!