Plastics

Plastics

Pressed, Cast, & Engineered: The Plastic Era

Plastics

• Plastic materials are cheaper alternatives to high-end materials; immitating their appearance but with different properties!
• Plastic's most notable property is its ability to be formed or molded into various shapes & products.

Index

1. Thermoplastics vs. Thermoset Plastics

Thermoplastics

Thermoset Plastics

2. Real Talk About Fake Materials: Identifying Plastic Materials

Pressed to Impress: It's Plastic Laminate

Lightness & Luminosity: It's Acrylic

Molded for Modern Living: It's Solid Surfaces

Quartz + Resin = Revolution: It's Engineered Stone

3. Manufacturers

Thermoplastics vs. Thermoset Plastics

What's the difference?

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics: easy to shape, mold, & recycle due to their ability to be melted down. Common thermoplastics found in interior products/materials are:

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
• Carpets
• Most widely recycled plastic
• Polypropylene
• Textiles
• Polyester
• Fibers
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
• Floor covering & wallcovering

Thermoplastics such as water bottles, household cleaner bottles, etc. are easy to recycle.

Thermoset Plastics

Thermoset Plastics: harder to recycle; typically ground up and used as fill Common thermoset plastics found in interior products/materials are:

• Polyurethane
• Carpet
• Finishes such as coatings & sealants
• Phenolics
• Resins
• Melamine
• Flooring products
• Epoxy

Thermoset plastics are harder to recycle

POLYGOOD

Real Talk About Fake Materials

Identifying various plastic materials

Pressed to Impress: It's Plastic Laminate

when the budget is tight but you want the look of a high-end material

ABOUT

PROPERTIES

USES & INSTALL

MAINTENANCE

Lightness & Luminosity: It's Acrylic

the lighter weight alternative to glass

ABOUT

PROPERTIES

USES & INSTALL

MAINTENANCE

Molded for Modern Living: Solid Surface

a cheaper alternative to stone

ABOUT

PROPERTIES

USES & INSTALL

MAINTENANCE

HI-MACS VIDEO

Quartz + Resin = Revolution: It's Engineered Stone

looks like stone but with greater properties

ABOUT

PROPERTIES

USES & INSTALL

MAINTENANCE

3Form

Formica

Manufacturers

Corian

Caesarstone

IceStone

Polygood

LX Hausys

Lumicor

Wilsonart

Questions?

Maintenance

• Shallow scratches can be buffed out
• Avoid cleaning products with amonia as this will leave a cloudy residue on the acrylic's surface.

Uses & Installation

• Often used for countertop materials
• As a countertop, can be worked similar to wood to create ornate edges
• Can be molded from same piece as countertop for sinks, soap holders, etc.
• Thermoplastic solid surfaces can be heated and molded to create unique forms
• Can be used for vertical surfaces; applied to substrate and adhered

Maintenance

• No sealants required
• Easy upkeep with standard household cleaners

LINK

Maintenance

• Regular maintenance is required to avoid staining
• Avoid harsh chemicals and cleaning tools that could scratch the surface
• Damages that occur to plastic laminate are often permanent, so be mindful of where you are applying this material to
• i.e.; kitchen countertops are risky

Solid Surfaces

• A nonporous material that is often a thermoplastic.
• It is often composed of minerals, pigments, bound with resins such as acrylic or polyester.
• Can have limitless color options available

Plastic Laminate

• Layers of craft paper fused with resins/plastics under heat and pressure into a single surface
• Uses a photo film layer to mimic the appearance of various materials such as wood or stone. Can also be a solid color or patterned appearance.

• Various thicknesses for different applications; horizontal will be thickest plastic laminate

Engineered Stone

• Composed of natural quartz with polyester resins
• A nonporous material often used in place of natural stone for its enhanced performance values compared to many natural stones.

Engineered Stone's Properties

• A nonporous, durable material
• Can be more durable than some natural stones
• Scratch, heat, and stain resistant (although not impervious)
• Colored-through

About Acrylic

• Acrylic as a clear thermoplastic that can have color introduced to it in the forming process
• Plexiglas is an acrylic material

Plastic Laminate Properties

• Finished gloss level or textured
• Forming vs. Non-forming
• Forming made from melamine which allows it to bend, then heat set unlike non-forming
• Polyester vs. Melamine resins
• Polyester: stain & chemical resistant
• Melamine: hard & scratch resistant

Uses & Installation

• Mostly used for countertop applications due to its properties
• Will not be adhered to a substrate, rather can be installed for floating (not adhered), or use mechanical fasteners

Solid Surface's Properties

• If a thermoplastic, can be molded & formed
• Colored-through
• Fairly heat & water resistant
• Dimensionally stable

HI-MACS INFO

Maintenance

• Surface can be buffed out if any scratches occur that are not too deep
• Regular household cleaning products are usually safe to use
• Often does not require a sealant as the material is naturally nonporous, making clean up easy.

Uses & Installation

• Plastic laminate must be applied to a substrate; often wood-based like MDF
• It is important to note seaming when installing plastic laminate.
• Avoid areas where heat & moisture play a large role
• Avoid seams in the middle of the installed surface

Acrylic Properties

• Soft material; can scratch easily
• Transparent
• Can be backlit
• Similar to glass but half the weight & more impact resistant

• Large sheets are easy to fabricate
• Special formulations offer UV protection
• Thicker acrylic products = more durable

Uses & Installation

• Use in place of glass in many applications
• Seams can be chemically fused for minimal appearance of transitions
• Depending on application, thickness of material; acrylic can be free-standing for installation