sub enclosure re-finishing

[madmax]

I have a sub enclosure which is covered with the same stuff kitchen counter tops are made of. It is in very good shape other than it is scratched up. My question is whether or not I can buy the sticky sided wood veneer and apply over the present finish. I'm thinking I could stick on this new veneer, cut the sides off with a razor blade, stain to my liking and put some sort of varnish or something over it. Is any of this reasonable? What stuff would I use for the finish. I don't know squat about any of this.
madmax

[amulford]

you could put a veneer over it, but stay away from the "sticky one side" stuff. The glue isn't very good and will not last.

If you want it to look good, then get the quality stuff. if you do the job large or small, do it right or not at all.

Look up a DIY site about wood veneer. It's actually pretty easy to do.

[madmax]

After checking prices today it looks like it will cost around $80. That might be a little too high for this particular job. I think the cash would be better spent on my next sub. The REAL one.
madmax

[VR3]

13 dollars at Parts Express...

2 foot by 12 foot I think for Vinyl -- looks great. I used it on the Pioneers when I redid them - granted we didnt do a good job on them, but if you know how to do a good job -- it looks great. lol.

Just a thought.

[faster100]

are the corners rounded or squared? It wouldnt be a good idea to go over the old stuff, Its not as easy to veneer as one would think, you really need a router to get a perfect edge cut off.. Unless it s a higher dollar sub that you want to refinish, i don't think its cost effective to do nor will the outcome be better then what you have if you have never done it before that is, I would re-think your options, or think about removing the old vinyl before you move forward, all and all it will be alot of work, specially if your not planning on keeping it, BUT if its a fun project then by all means dial up parts express and get the stuff they carry and try it out..

[jcaut]

I think Sid's on the right track on this one.

I've used the vinyl from PE, at least the black and the cherry varieties, on several speaker cabinets. If it suits your decor, the cherry looks really nice. It's fairly easy to apply, and I don't think it would be a problem to apply over the existing laminate, as long as it's smooth and stuck well. Imperfections in the surface WILL show through this stuff (especially the black) so if the scratches are deep enough to feel, you would probably need to fill them. I use body filler. Last, I've found that it's much easier to go around corners if they're slightly rounded. It also improves the durability of the vinyl on the corners, if the edge underneath is not so sharp.

I think it's still on sale for $11-something per 10ft x 2ft roll. Might be worth a shot.

Jason

[Tour2ma]

Max,
You talking about the Corean material Dupont makes? If yes, the stuff has some interesting insulating properties and makes great armboards for TT's.

Please post a pic if you can...