Laminating and Solid Surfacing

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stained wood edge laminate counter

5/18/13       
chad Member

I'm making some desk tops for a customer out of a dark walnut style Formica laminate. They want the edges to be real walnut stained to match 3/4 x 1 1/2". Just wondering the best approach to this.

1 - prefinish walnut strips and attach
2- attach raw wood, flush route edge and finish
3- some other way

I mostly worry about getting a pretty seamless edge where they meet and one slip and it's all over. I'm sure there are some experts out there doing this.
Thanks for any ideas.
Chad

5/21/13       #2: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
Bruce H

I'd install the wood, lay the laminate and finish after. I wouldn't be willing to stain it though, clear finish. If they wanted a different color I'd use a different wood. you could stain it but it would be a real PIA, IMOP.

5/22/13       #3: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
chad Member

Thanks Bruce.
That seems to make sense if I want a complete laminate top and just the edge wood.Though I wonder if laminating over the wood would pose issues with expansion.
I posted a simple image of what I was thinking of and where the problem lies. Getting a perfect flush edge where the wood and laminate meet. This version must be harder.
Thanks Chad

Click the link below to download the file included with this post.

laminate.pdf

5/22/13       #4: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
chad Member

After thinking about it, maybe using a scrap piece of laminate as a guide to raise the solid wood piece above the substrate would work on this.

5/22/13       #5: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
Bruce H

I don't do any laminate edged tops, all mine are wood. I put the wood on first and laminate over it then bevel the edge with a 22 degree laminate bit, sand and finish. I turn my tops upside down and spray from the back so I don't have to mask the laminate. I have done hundreds and hundreds of tops this way. For me this is the best quality because there isn't a glue line in a vertical plane for water and crap to get into.

I wouldn't consider doing the laminate the way you have it drawn, been there done that. if you think you must put the wood on after the laminate then at least put a 5 degree bevel on the wood edge so you don't have file/fit the whole 3/4" edge. As I said, that edge wouldn't come up for discussion. After you have done a few tops that way you won't be doing them that any more either. Water and crap will get into the glue line, the wood will expand, the finish will get rubbed off the edge and in time it will look terrible. Did I mention I wouldn't do it that way?

5/23/13       #6: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
chad Member

Thanks a lot on that description Bruce. That really sounds like a great way to do it now that I know the process. I will not be doing it the other way. It sounded like a nightmare from the get go. Thanks for the explanation too, really helped.
Cheers
Chad

6/10/13       #7: stained wood edge laminate counter ...
Ed Strahota  Member

Website: http://www.blackbros.com

I'm with Bruce on a countertop application... however, if you're doing fine furniture I feel you need to apply the wood flush to the laminate surface, so that the wood edge speaks for itself. The best way to trim that edge is to buy (they aren't cheap) a flush trimmer from Hoffmann. They sell the best unit on the market! See link below...

Hoffmann trimmer


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