Cabinet material

[surferdave]

Hi All
new and first post. I did search but could not find what I was looking for so sorry if its been asked and answered.

I am building out some cabinets, door panels and the box on the back side door of a ford e350 van with barn doors. I went to homedepot to find the material but no luck. From what I have seen on actual sportsmobiles and other vans its a plywood with a Formica or similar material veneer or laminate. Other then some cheap particle board type stuff no one there had a clue. Where can I find this? Do I have to laminate it my self? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[gnty]

Not sure when Sportsmobile changed but they used MDF at least back 10 years ago, i have my interior here in pieces, literally. More currently they use a type of plywood with MDF core, to me makes no sense.
You should be able to find some baltic birch ply locally. We are building some right now using 5/8" 11 ply baltic birch.

I have looked and really have not found any source where you can buy pre-laminated plywood. Only in chipboard stuff that you don't want to use.

Where are you located?

[surferdave]

So you get Baltic birch and laminate it yourself? What is the laminate material?

Any idea where to buy both? Home Depot didn't have any such things that I saw

[1der]

Surferdave - where are located? Please consider adding location to your profile. Thxs!

If you are in SoCal there is a place to get the Baltic.

[SteveInLA]

In 2010 when my Sportsmobile was being built, the term "ArmorCore" was mentioned when I inquired about the cabinet material and I am pretty sure that is what was used. It is a combination core of wood and MDF and was pre-laminated. Sportsmobile stocked a few colors. Today when I Google ArmorCore, I find this: https://www.statesind.com/product/armorcore. It seems to be the manufacturer's website. Most search results for ArmorCore turn up a bulletproof paneling material so maybe contact States Industries to see where it is available in your area.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, try contacting Anderson Plywood. They may not have ArmorCore, but man, do they have cool stuff. You could get great ideas there for sure.

[wadewaydo]

I built my cabinets and laminated them myself, with Formica sourced from a cabinet shop. I had them lamininate my countertop and it came out much better.

[Taylor3633]

Not sure where you are located but here in MT I source my laminated ply at Intermountain Wood Products. Any commercial grade lumber yard should at least be able to point you in the right direction.

[boywonder]

Consider using at least cabinet grade birch plywood....readily available many places.

Upping that a notch, as already mentioned is Baltic birch ply.....comes in many thicknesses and many sizes come in 5x5 or 4x8 sheets. Very high quality, lots of plys.

If you go to a real lumberyard (not Lowes or Home Depot) they will have at least cabinet grade birch ply....suitable for applying a laminate ("Formica") to....the cabinet grade stuff usually comes in two grades....stain grade (A side is clear, B side usually has "footballs" where knots where) and paint/laminate grade (both sides like B side above, cheaper).

Home Depot sells Laminate.....go to the kitchen dept. they have sample coupons to look at colors, etc. Real Lumberyards also typically sell laminate...it also comes in 4x8 sheets.

And finally there is the cheap stuff....vinyl covered particle board...."melamine"....I would skip that.

[surferdave]

Yes I'm on socal

Will add to profile

[LosAngeles]

Was just at Sportsmobile

I believe the stock cabinet material they use are "Armacore" (not sure on spelling)

highly water resistant strong stuff.

I liked the optional light "Diva" color (new to them) and it is fancy 8 ply laminated plywood. Also tough stuff.

john