laminate refacing

[goldfinch]

We are looking at buying a used bus conversion. The bus is in great shape and is low miles. However, the interior is tired. One thing I dislike intensely is the dated fake woodgrain plastic laminate on all the cabinets, dinette, couch, window trim and closets. There is a LOT of laminate. As near as I can determine it is laminated to good solid plywood. All drawers and doors operate well and nothing is warped. The laminate is good quality. It isn't just paper. It is just ugly.

Before buying this thing I would like to have some kind of an idea of how much it will cost to relaminate much of the interior of a 40 foot bus. And who might do that kind of work. Any ideas of where I could look or who I could ask?

Thanks for any ideas you might have.

[boatless]

Been there done that. Look up "FormWood Industries" on the net. They have veneer products with PSA,(pressure sensitive) backing. This product is excellent. I stained it prior to attaching it to my surface. Then put on the final finish. It is thin enough to bend around corners with the grain. In fact I as able to bend it 90 degress around a radius. The drawers are another issue. I made new drawer fronts then stained to match. This is not a difficult project. Take your time and make patterns. Good luck.

[goldfinch]

erniee wrote:
what brand of coach is it?

It is an MCI bus conversion by Hoffman. So, weight of the final product is not an issue. 🙂

I am OK with spending 5 to 10 thousand on it. I am not OK with spending 25 thousand. I'll check with cabinet shops.

[loulou57]

If it is laminated with something like a formica you can paint or remove and replace.

If you paint, make sure you buy paint especially for laminate or it will just come off.

My hubby is a carpenter/ cabinet builder. He has relaminated many businesses including banks. This is not something you want to do yourself if you have no experience. A table top is simple anyone with minimum experience can do but when you have small areas, corners etc it is a different thing.

You will be looking at a few thousand to have it all replaced. Make sure you talk to a shop that does a lot of lamination. Most do just plain counter tops and do not have the experience.

Too bad it is not a lightweight wood laminate...that would be easier to fix.

Good luck, keep us informed, I am interested in the outcome.

[erniee]

what brand of coach is it?

[robatthelake]

There are some high quality Paint products that could be used to bring that interior up to date!

Sherwin Williams among others has a great selection of colors.

Like any paint job correct preparation is the key to success!

[Deano56]

you would need to check with a cabinet shop in your area. You also could order new drawer and door fronts, stain and clear them yourself. The face frames and end panels would have to be veneered then finished.It will be costly by a professional, but if you are handy you might tackle it yourself. Another option is that you could sand them and do some faux painting or just paint. I could easily see it being 5K-8K to have it done professionally unless you find someone with a 1 or 2 man shop