Hi, All. I'm thinking of building my next pair of floorstanders from a material called Paperstone. It's a countertop material made from compressed recycled paper infused with a proprietary resin. The reasons I'm interested are that it's nearly twice as dense as MDF, it can be worked with carbide woodworking tools, and it would not require additional finishing (paint, etc.). I've previously built veneered MDF cabinets and also solid hardwood cabinets from quartersawn mahogany. I've tested my tools on a Paperstone sample, and my router, table saw, and sliding compound miter saw were successful. I'd use interior Baltic birch bracing set in dados.
Has anyone used Paperstone? The company says that speaker boxes are a "somewhat common application" for Paperstone, so I'm guessing that some commercial builders are using it.
Has anyone used Paperstone? The company says that speaker boxes are a "somewhat common application" for Paperstone, so I'm guessing that some commercial builders are using it.
I've been very curious about using a similar product, Richlite, and was admiring samples again just a few days ago. Cost has kept it beyond my reach unfortunately. I'll check this product out to see how they stack up
I have used both to make a couple speakers and it makes a very solid and heavy cabinet. Epoxy to hold together, carbide saw blades and go slow and it cuts well. It is pretty heavy and shipping is stupid expensive. I was lucky to find a local cabinet shop that has some Paperstone and Richlite countertop left overs. If I were to do again I would focus on just the baffle or use 1/4" over plywood or some such configuration to save money.
My secret source located in Washington state has blem and off size sheets for a bit cheaper:
Green Countertops Direct
https://www.greencountertopsdirect.com
R
My secret source located in Washington state has blem and off size sheets for a bit cheaper:
Budget Panels List
Green Countertops Direct
https://www.greencountertopsdirect.com
R
I wish I lived closer, I could save on shipping. They also have a Paperstone faced Baltic Birch type plywood too. I have successfully veneered the surface of Paperstone but if you find a color you like it takes a finish well too.
R
R
Back in the late 90's, just after moving to WA, we met and became friends with an older hippie couple. This was well before I had any interest in the product, but the gal was the daughter of the fella that founded the plywood company that spawed Richlite and Skatelite. Skatelite is used for skate parks/ramps/half-pipes (the X-games etc) and comes in quarter inch thickness. It might be worth looking at for composite panels. The Pro-Slate is the most expensive @ $275 per 4x8 with the natural colored Pro version being about $210/sheet