Bulkhead Formica

I'm covering the main bulkhead with Formica as an experiment, since I expect it to need less maintenance than paint. I'm using Formica Neutral White in matte finish, which a local supplier had in a 5x8' sheet for about $80. I'm using a set of straight-cut laminate shears and a utility knife for most cutting.




The first step was to transfer the tick-stick pattern to the Formica. This is a simple if tedious matter of lining up the tick stick with each set of registrations and gradually building the pattern outline on the material.





















Then comes the cutting, which is a damn delicate process with Formica, which loves to crack and flake if you put too much tearing stress on it. I finally got both sides cut out with only one throwaway piece, which I can use for other stuff anyway.
Later I took the cutouts down to the boat for final fitting, which I did with a utility knife. It's impossible to get a great fit but I managed to get fairly uniform a 1/8"gap in most places. Edges will be covered by trim anyway, so it's not critical to fit the laminate really tightly.