Laminate
A laminate is a product in which one or more surface materials is added to a base layer or substrate to protect it or to enhance its aesthetic appearance or performance. Depending on the purpose of the product, the surface layer may be fabricated from a range of materials which may themselves be referred to as laminates.
Laminates may also be formed by built up layers of the same material, such as cross laminated timber, or glulam.
Construction products that incorporate laminates or the laminating process include kitchen surfacing materials, laminate flooring, cladding, furniture, laminated veneer lumber and so on.
Types of laminate processes and materials include:
- Ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). As a dual laminate, ETFE can be bonded with FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic or fibre-reinforced polymer) as a thermoplastic liner. This is then installed in pipes and tanks for corrosion protection.
- Continuous Pressure Laminate (CPL). CPL is a combination of sheets of paper or fibres and layers of resin that are compressed at high temperatures for a relatively short period of time.
- High Pressure Laminate (HPL). HPL is similar to CPL, except that it is compressed at high temperatures for extended periods of time.
- Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL). TFL is a decorative surfacing product sometimes referred to as melamine or low pressure laminate.
- Fibre Reinforced Laminate (FRL). FRL is a wall and door surfacing product.
- Glass reinforced plastic (GRP). GRP is a composite laminate material that consists of glass fibres used to reinforce a plastic (typically a polyester resin). It is also referred to as glass reinforced polyester, fibreglass, glass-fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP), fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) or fibre reinforced polymer (FRP).
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