How to Do Laminate Tops

Laminate kitchen counters for a refreshing new look.

Laminating a kitchen countertop is an effective way to redecorate an area space with a simple touch. Using plastic laminate on the counter can instantly give the finish a new, smoother look. Completing a laminate project is a moderately challenging do-it-yourself job, but it can be done with patience and a little bit of skill. Purchase a sheet of plastic laminate and all other tools from a local home depot to get the job done.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Sander
• Wood putty
• Tack cloth
• Measuring tape
• Sheet of plastic laminate
• Precut laminate edge strips
• Trim router
• Contact cement or nonflammable laminate adhesive
• Roller
• 4 to 8 dowels
• Fine tooth flat file or 300-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Prep the countertop; hammer in any protruding nails and fill counter cracks with wood putty. Sand the surface with a belt sander and a medium-grit sanding belt to smooth and level the surface. Wipe away surface debris with a dry tack cloth.

2. Measure the width and length of the countertop. Purchase a sheet of laminate that will have a slight overhang on all sides. Buy precut laminate edge strips for the countertop sides.

3. Cut to size the laminate according to the countertop's dimensions using a trim router fitted with a 1/2-inch carbide-tipped straight cutter.

4. Apply nonflammable laminate adhesive, preferably contact cement, on the top of the laminate board. Pour a moderate amount of cement in the middle of the laminate and use a roller to evenly cover the entire board.

5. With your roller, apply a layer of cement adhesive to the countertop in vertical strokes. Allow the paste to dry, as directed on adhesive label on both laminate and countertop surface.

6. Use between four to six dowels -- as spacers -- to position the laminate correctly on the countertop. Space them out at least 8 to 10 inches from each other. Make sure the laminate and the countertop do not touch when dowels are in place.

7. Roll laminate adhesive on the underside of the precut edge laminate and apply it to the sides of the countertop.

8. From the center of the the laminate, pull out the first dowel. Add pressure to the center of the laminate with your hand, to compress the laminate to the countertop. Repeat the process of removing the dowel, pushing down and out onto the laminate-countertop, working your way out from the center until all dowels are removed.

9. Push down hard on the laminate with the roller to compress the laminate board down into the countertop, starting from the center and working your way out, until all areas on the laminate have been covered by roller.

10. Trim the laminate overhang areas with a trim router. Clean the edge of the laminate countertop with a file or 300 grit-sandpaper. File the edge downward to prevent edge chipping.

References

• This Old House: How to Laminate Countertops
• HGTV: Laminate Countertop Redo