Installing Counter Tops

How To Install Formica Counter tops

First, prepare the surface to accept the laminate plastic:

The best material for this job is plastic laminate 1/16" thick for the flat surfaces. For the vertical surfaces, 1/32" thick can be used. Sanding and cleaning the surface that you are covering is very important. Make sure you remove any paint or varnish. The counter top you are covering is probably made of strong particle board, but standard particle board and even plywood are fine as underlayment for plastic laminates.

Next, cut the laminated plastic:

Using a circular saw, a saber saw, a back saw or a utility knife, cut the laminate material. Make sure the saw blade is very fine toothed. Place5B4 a strip of tape (masking tape or duct tape) along line to be cut on the laminate to stop chipping and to have a line that is easier to see.

If you are using a power saw, cut on the reverse side of the laminate. Since these types of saws cut on the upstroke, cutting from the back will prevent chipping. If use a hand saw, you can cut from the front at a low angle. Make sure you cut the sheets a little wider and longer than you need to allow for trimming.

Then, apply the laminate plastic:

It is recommended that you apply the laminate with contact cement, although you can use epoxy adhesives. Using coarse sandpaper, roughen the surface to be covered. Lightly brush off the residue, or better yet, use an air compressor to blow it off. Be very careful when you lay the sheets. It is important to know that 50 to 75% of the bonding strength of the cement is present in the first contact, so you have to make sure the pieces are accurately positioned before you put them down. On vertical surfaces, you can position the sheets directly on the surface without using any wooden strips or paper.

Now, finish the job:

Once the laminate is positioned correctly, take the dowel rods out one at a time as you bond the two pieces together Using a roller, press down the laminate sheets you have just laid down. Roll the whole surface thoroughly to get rid of any pockets of air and to assure that the plastic sheet is very strongly 59Battached to the surface at all the points of the sheet. If you have a large surface and one piece is not large enough, you will have to make a seam. First, bond the two pieces into place. To finish off the edges, clean the base of the router so that anything stuck on the base will not scratch the laminate. You can usually remove any small debris with a piece of tape and don't need power tools and table for such trivial tasks. Remove any surplus contact cement with acetone. Ordinary polish remover for nails can be used if you do not have acetone.

Concentrating on information about woodworking machinery, the author published normally for http://www.insidewoodworking.com His writings on power tools and table saw reviews can be found on his online sites.