5. Sheet Press
After shredding the plastic into uniform flakes, the next step in our process is transforming those small pieces into something larger and more versatile: recycled plastic sheets! These sheets are the foundation for many of our products, from furniture to art installations.
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The sheet press process at JunkLabz involves heating and compressing shredded plastic into durable, high-quality sheets. We got our sheet press and molds from citizen scientifc, just like the shredder!
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We begin by preparing a our mold that will shape the plastic into sheets. The mold is designed to produce the right size and thickness for the end product—whether it's for large furniture panels, artistic pieces, or raw material for other creations.
The shredded plastic flakes are loaded into the mold and placed into our press. We heat the plastic to a temperature high enough to melt it without burning, ensuring a smooth, even texture throughout the sheet as the shreds melt together. The mold is also put under slight pressure as it is heated up to flatten the plastic and remove any air bubbles. This pressure ensures that the plastic fuses evenly and results in a strong, dense sheet with no weak points or gaps!
After about an hour the sheet is melted and pressed and we take the mold off to allow the sheet to cool in it. During this stage, we make sure the plastic solidifies evenly so the final product has a smooth surface and consistent thickness by clamping it to one of the work tables at our lab!
​The result is a strong, durable plastic sheet that can be used in a variety of ways! They can be cut, drilled, and built into custom products like furniture and displahyed as art. Each sheet carries the story of its recycled origin, turning what was once plastic waste into something functional and beautiful, meant to stay out of landfills for years to come!