Merino FR+ Fire Retardant Laminate must be bonded with Particle Board / MDF / Plywood with appropriate fire rating. Fire Rated glue is also recommended.

Optimum conditions for use:

High Pressure Laminates should be properly conditioned to the ambient conditions of the surroundings before they are used. For eg., High Pressure Decorative Laminates and the substrate need at least 48 hours to get acclimatised. Provision should be made for the circulation of air around the components.

Recommended conditioning temperature is about 24°C. Laminates should be conditioned at 45% to 55% relative humidity.

Tooling:

Sawing: To avoid chipping, it is important that the saw blade teeth cut into the decorative face.

Circular sawing:

Always provide support to the material near the point of blade contact to avoid vibration that causes chipping. Blades with trapezoid tooth configuration and both tungsten carbide and diamond tip blades have proved to be excellent tools for sawing high pressure decorative laminates.

Routing:

Routing may be done with electric or air powered carbide tip routers. Router speed should be maintained at 16000 to 22000 rpm. It is important to use a router having adequate horsepower to maintain cutting speeds (based on the type and amount of material to be cut). For special edge trimming, very high speed routers are available which produce smooth-edge chip-free work. Sharpness of the router cutters should be maintained.

Edge finishing:

Belt sanders may be used to flush the self-edge before the laminate top is applied. However, care should be taken to direct the sanding operation away from or parallel to the decorative surface.

Protective film:

The protective film where applied should be removed as soon as the application is complete. If the film is left in place after fabrication, exposure to strong lights for a period may cause a pale residue and make it difficult to remove the protective film.

Proper bonding recommendations:

• The surfaces should be clean, dry, and free of oils or other contaminants, such as dust, synthetic particles, and so forth. The adhesive film should have full contact with the surface to which it is applied in order to give maximum adhesion
• The adhesive should always be stirred or agitated before use. Sufficient amount of adhesive should be applied on either or both the surfaces to be bonded. When ready for bonding, the spread film of most contact adhesives will exhibit a uniform semi-gloss appearance over the entire surface of the materials to be bonded. Marked variation in appearance will generally indicate an improper or non-uniform adhesive spread. The substrate can generally be seen more readily through those areas where insufficient adhesive has been applied. If this occurs, re-coating the surfaces should achieve a uniform coating. Double coating the edges with adhesive is advisable because of the higher porosity of the substrate edge
• Sufficient bonding pressure to ensure intimate contact is necessary for an adequate bond. Sufficient pressure should be applied over the entire area using as much pressure as possible without damaging the assembly. Pinch rollers (rotary press) and heavy weighted rollers are ideal for such purposes. Hand rolling should be done from the center to the edges to ensure the removal of all air bubbles. The edges should be rolled twice
• Care should be taken to follow the manufacturer's recommendations concerning the allowable tack range of the adhesive. If assembly is made before the adhesive is dry or after the allowable open time is exceeded, the bond may not have satisfactory results
• Unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer, the temperature of the gluing area and all materials should be maintained around 21°C (70°F) or above
• Experience has shown that when the relative humidity is above 80% at temperatures of 21°C (70°F) or lower, moisture may condense on the surface during drying (known as blushing) and this will prevent an acceptable bond. Hot spray or forced air drying may be used to help prevent this condition
• A gap of minimum 2 mm should be maintained between two laminates while pasting side by side

Storage:

Sheets should be stored horizontally with the top sheet turned face down and a thick hard board placed on top to protect the material from possible damage and reduce the chances of getting warped. Stored laminate stock should be rotated such that older sheets will be used first. Laminate sheets should be protected from moisture, and should never be stored where they may come in contact with the floor or outside wall. Always carry the sheets vertically. Never slide the sheet but, lift it while moving it from one place to another. We recommend that ideally two people should carry a full size sheet as carelessness can damage the decorative surface.

Resistant to Stains:

Merino Laminates are resistant to stains belonging to Group 1 and 2 but may take stains of reagents of Group 3 and 4.Group 3 and 4 reagents should not be allowed to spill on the surface, and in case of spillage should be immediately wiped off.

Classifications of the reagents:

• Group 1: Acetone, trichloromethane, toothpaste, hand cream, urea, alcoholic beverage, natural fruit, fruit drink, meat, vegetable oil, water, NaCl (solution), mustard, soap solution, paint remover (kerosene), phenol and citric acid.
• Group 2: Coffee, black tea, milk (condensed and evaporated), cola beverages, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide (3% solution), ammonia (10% solution of commercial concentrate), nail polish remover, lipsticks, water colour, laundry marking ink, ball point ink.
• Group 3: Sodium hydroxide (25% solution), hydrogen peroxide (30% solution), concentrated vinegar (30% acetic acid), acid based metal cleaners, shoe polish, hair colouring, iodine, boric acid, lacquers.
• Group 4: Citric acid (1O%solution), acetic acid (5% solution).

Cleaning:

• To clean the surface, use a damp cloth or sponge and a mild soap or detergent
• Stains belonging to group 2 such as coffee or tea can be removed using a mild household cleaner/detergent and a soft bristle brush
• If a stain persists, apply a paste of baking soda and water with a soft bristled brush. Light scrubbing, 10 to 20 strokes should remove most stains. Although baking soda is a low abrasive, excessive scrubbing or exerting too much force may damage the decorative surface, especially if it has a gloss finish
• Stubborn stains belonging to Group 3 and 4, which resist any of the above cleaning methods, may require the use of undiluted household bleach or nail polish remover. Apply the bleach or nail polish remover to the stain and let it stand no longer than two minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and wipe dry. This step may be repeated if the stain appears to be going away and the colour of the laminate has not been affected

Warning:

Prolonged exposure of the laminate surface to bleach will cause discoloration. Acid based cleaners will permanently damage the laminates. Never allow these cleaners, or bottles, rags or other items contaminated with these cleaners, to come in contact with the laminates. Wipe such areas immediately and rinse thoroughly with water.

Maintenance:

• Abrasives: Abrasive pads, scouring powders or cleansers may permanently damage the laminate surface making it susceptible to staining
• Harsh chemicals: Harsh chemicals such as oven cleaner, toilet cleaner, or drain cleaner will etch and discolour the decorative surface. High Pressure Decorative Laminates are not designed to resist continual contact with these chemicals. If any of these products spill over the surface remove immediately, rinse thoroughly, and wipe dry
• Hot objects: Even though HPL has high heat resistance, exposure to temperatures greater than 135°C is not recommended. Hence, do not place hot frying pans or dishes directly from the oven or cook top on the laminate surface. As a precaution, protect the surface from heat generating appliances such as pressing irons, toasters, curling irons and electric cookers by using a trivet or insulated pad. Prolonged exposure to temperatures above 65°C may result in separation of the laminate from the substrate
• Sharp objects: Never use knives or other sharp objects directly on the decorative surface. Use of chopping block or counter saver is recommended
• Impact: Even though High Pressure Decorative Laminates have excellent impact resistance, chipping or cracking may occur. Do not abuse the High Pressure Decorative Laminate by dropping heavy objects such as cans, dinnerware, or glasses or deliberately hammering directly on the surface