How to Laminate Kitchen Counters
Laminate is a thin coat of material--sometimes treated wood veneer, more often plastic--that sits on top of a particle board or plywood frame to provide the surface for your kitchen counter. Laminating (or relaminating) your kitchen counter isn't a simple task, but you can do it with the right material and planning. You can go right over previous laminate if it's not coming up. The biggest challenge is working with contact cement, which is actually a self-bonding chemical glue and can be tricky stuff. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Power sander
- 80-grit sandpaper
- Tape measure
- Laminate sheets
- Jigsaw
- Newspapers
- Contact cement
- Brush
- Laminate roller
- Router with laminate bit
- Six or eight 1-inch wooden "dowel'' rods (about 3 feet long)
Instructions
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1
Run your sander and 80-grit paper over the existing countertop, buffing off all the shine and gloss. Make sure the current surface is solid and secure. Sweep off all the dust.
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2
Measure each span of the countertop that's going to be laminated. Transfer those measurements to your laminate sheets. Use your jigsaw to cut out the pieces, making each one about 1 inch bigger all around than the measurements you marked.
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3
Lay the cut pieces of laminate face-down on spread-out newspapers. Coat the backs of them with contact cement, using your brush. Coat the countertop surfaces in the same manner. Let all the surfaces dry according to the instructions on the contact cement packaging (generally about 10 minutes). Note: The cement will appear dry, but it will bond instantly with other surfaces that have contact cement on them, so make sure the pieces don't touch.
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4
Hold the long, narrow laminate piece for the front edge of the countertop in front of the span where it's going to go. Get it straight and properly positioned, overhanging the top and bottom by about an inch, then press it to the surface. The cement will "grab'' immediately. Run your laminate roller along the piece to completely secure it there.
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5
Use your router with laminate bit to trim off the overhanging laminate, running the router along the edge of the countertop on the top and bottom of the lip.
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6
Lay your wooden rods on the top of the counter, facing front to back, about one every foot. Set your large top piece of laminate over the rods, so they prevent it from touching the surface of the counter. Position the piece properly, then carefully slide the rods out from the middle, pressing the laminate down to the surface as you do. Run your roller over the laminate where it's touching the surface. Work your way toward the edges, pulling out rods and rolling over the laminate, until it's all attached.
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7
Use the router to trim off the overhanging laminate at the edges.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear eye protection when using the router.
