# Form ply for table top



## geoff_s (Apr 14, 2012)

Has anyone tried using form ply as a router table?

It was on sale at a local supply place so I bought a few sheets today with the intention of using it to build the cabinet for the router table. It's 19mm (I think, didn't actually measure it) and the surface coating is really smooth. There's not glue (that I've found) that will stick two sheets together so 19mm may be a bit thin. MDF is looking the best so far but I thought I'd ask.

_[Form ply, in case it goes by different names elsewhere, is used for concrete form work and is waterproof ply with a phenolic coating]_

Regards
Geoff


----------



## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

geoff_s said:


> Has anyone tried using form ply as a router table?
> 
> It was on sale at a local supply place so I bought a few sheets today with the intention of using it to build the cabinet for the router table. It's 19mm (I think, didn't actually measure it) and the surface coating is really smooth. There's not glue (that I've found) that will stick two sheets together so 19mm may be a bit thin. MDF is looking the best so far but I thought I'd ask.
> 
> ...


Hi Geoff - The form ply I've seen up here looks like it would be an ideal candidate for a table top. I also don't think it would be to thin, and if you were worried about it, you could always use it as the top of a torsion box. Just leave the framing open enough for the router plate.


----------



## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

I suppose if you allready had the material and wanted to double it up with adhesives, you could plane/sand the phenolic coating off of the panels where the adhesive needs to bind to it.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Geoff, if you read the sticky threds in each section of the forums you will find a lot of good information; IE.. the economy router table top built from phenolic impregnated Baltic birch plywood.


----------



## geoff_s (Apr 14, 2012)

Thanks Mike,
Did a search for 'form ply, 'formply' etc but no hits. I did try searching for phenolic but got too many hits as there are a lot of router plates made of it.

Today's job is drying out the shed! It's an old shed with a roof made from second hand corrugated iron so some of the old nail holes, leak. No machinery affected by the leaks but I may have to rethink where I put the router table. That and reading some of the sticky threads again.

Regards
Geoff


----------

