How to Install Laminate Counter Tops

Before installing laminate you must buff the surface with a sander,

Laminate sheeting for a counter top comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, but the installation process is always the same. You sand the counter top surface and make it flat and dull, secure rigid sheets of laminated plastic with contact cement (a special glue) and then trim the excess laminate along the edges of the counter top for a tight fit. You can install laminate directly over a wood-base counter top frame, or over existing laminate, provided it's in good shape and not loose or peeling anywhere.

Things You'll Need

• Hand-held power sander with 80-grit sandpaper
• Tape measure
• Laminate sheets
• Jig saw
• Contact cement with brush
• Laminate rolling pin
• Power router with laminate bit
• 6 medium-sized dowel rods, about 3 feet long

Instructions

1. Use a power sander to buff the shine out of the existing counter top surface, whether wood or laminate. Clean off dust.

2. Measure each section of the counter top and mark the measurements on your laminate sheets. Add 1 inch all around to each section on the laminate. Cut out the sections with a jig saw.

3. Spread contact cement on the back of the laminate pieces and on the counter top. Let it begin to set for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Affix the laminate to the counter top, starting at the farthest point forward (generally, the front edge of the counter top). For each piece except the large top section, hold the piece in front of the counter top, position it correctly and then press it to the surface. Hold it in place for a moment and run the roller over it to secure it.

5. Run a power router with laminate bit along the edge of the counter top to trim off the excess.

6. Lay dowel rods over the counter top surface, from front to back, about a foot apart. Set your main top piece of laminate on top of the dowel rods and position it correctly. Remove the rods from the center, pulling them out and pushing down the laminate. Press it down with the roller, smoothing it out. Trim the edges with your router.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear eye goggles when cutting your laminate.