how flexible is laminate for countertops?

[pahutski]

I have installed the cabniets and have decided to build a custom countertop. I would like to use a nice laminate from Wilsonart. But my wife insists that we have a bullnose edge to the countertop. I thought that I could lay the 3/4 inch heavy duty particle board, mount it to the cabinets, cut the correct U-shape, and rout the edges so that the corners have a rounded edge. I thought then that I could mount(glue) the laminate sheet on top of the counter and bend them over the smoothed rounded edge. When I brought this up to the laminate distributor, he didn’t think this would work because the laminate is/would be too brittle??? to bend over the edge. How flexible is laminate? I was told it comes in rolls (so how brittle can it be???) Can I make a bullnose edge with the laminate? I see it all over the place at the big name hardware stores so either it is molded that way or there is someway to do it. Please, please help. Thanks!

[riverhawk]

if you try to make your bullnose edge your gonna break it as you will never be able to make the hpl(high pressure laminate)get the radius you want
It will break long before you get-er-done. Unless of corse you have a mold thats heated to bend the hpl. We do this type of thing at work and have heat blankets in molds to get the hpl to bend and the hpl is molded right along with the ply at the same time using glue heat and pressure.

[riverhawk]

The hpl is commonly sole in 4X8 foot sheets tho special orders can be made, usually if you ship a sheet it is rolled up and taped. Also if it gets wet and lays it tends to warp and get even more brittle. By the way wilson art is a very good hpl and they have about a million colors.

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