How to Install Melamine Sheets
Melamine sheets are thin particleboard panels with a melamine coating that allows the manufacturer to mold the panels in a large variety of surface shapes, from a smooth shiny surface to the look of ceramic tiles or natural stones. Installing the sheets is a simple process, requiring little more than cutting to fit followed by adhesion to a flat, unbroken surface. Once in place, the panels are easy to maintain, cleaning much as any plastic surface does, with soap and water. ' Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Sponge
- Cleanser
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Melamine sheet
- Straightedge
- Utility knife
- Kraft paper
- Iron
- Plastic smoothing blade
Instructions
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1
Clean the surface you intend to attach the melamine sheet to with a sponge and a cleanser formulated for that type of surface. Rinse with clean water and then allow the surface to dry for an hour or two.
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2
Measure the surface to which you're applying the melamine sheet using a tape measure.
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3
Transfer the measurements over to the melamine sheet, adding about 1/4 inch to each edge to allow room for fitting and trimming after application. Mark the sheet with any necessary cutting lines with a pencil. Use a straightedge to keep cutting lines straight on the surface of the sheet.
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4
Place the straightedge along the marked line and cut the panel to fit using a utility knife. Check the fit of the cut sheet against the application surface, making sure there's enough of the sheet to cover the surface and allow trimming afterwards for a perfect fit.
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5
Plug an iron into a nearby electric socket. Set the iron to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it enough time to reach the set temperature.
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6
Position the melamine sheet over the surface. Place a piece of kraft paper onto the melamine to protect the iron from the plastic melamine film. Iron over the melamine, using the heat from the iron to activate the adhesive spread along the bottom of the sheet. Remove the iron from the melamine and turn it off. Remove the kraft paper.
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7
Run a plastic smoothing knife over the melamine to press the sheet firmly onto the surface and remove any air bubbles trapped beneath the sheet. Allow the melamine to cool to room temperature.
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8
Trim away the excess melamine along the edges of the surface with a utility knife, and allow the melamine to sit untouched for 24 hours to give the adhesive time to set fully.
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Tips & Warnings
Glue melamine sheets without an adhesive backing to surfaces by brushing contact cement on both the rear of the melamine sheet and the surface. Allow the cement to dry to a tacky state, and then press the two surfaces together to stick the sheet securely in place.
