Gluing Laminate counter top ** Project Finished!! **

Greg Cook

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Tokiwadai, Japan
I'm remodeling my computer area, including new counter tops on the desk and side counter area.






I removed the old dirty scratched white top and am putting on a new top that resembles a light stone.





I used a special adhesive, liquid...strong...smelly...with fair success.I had to apply several coats, as the plywood top seemed to suck it up as fast as I applied it




I am ready to put the long side counter top on, and would appreciate any hints, tips and advice on getting it on better than the desk to, which has a few areas that are not completely gleed down.
 
You need a J-Roller to press the laminate to the substrate. You need to work it down tight from end to end to avoid "bridging" in the middle.

http://www.ravsupply.com/home/rs1/page_366

For some reason HD didn't carry J-Rollers when I needed one. They sold the laminate, the contact cement but not the J-Roller. The HD "assistant" said roll over it with your car - that'll do it. I just borrowed a friends.

Good luck

Jim
 
Yea, HD didn't have the j-roller when I did mine either. I took a piece of 2X material and used some of the spray contact glue to adhere a piece of felt and used it. I could even beat on it with a rubber mallet to make sure I got good adhesion.

Greg, if you haven't done this, when you get both pieces properly covered with the contact cement, use some thin strips of wood, dowel rod, of even venition blinds that have been destroyed and taken apart. Anything that you can use between the 2 surfaces. Put the laminate down on the surface with these pieces between them, then you can move the top around to align it. I started in the middle, pulling a couple of the dowels out. Use the j-roller there to get good adhesion on that spot, then choose a direction, pulling a couple pieces of what ever you use out, and rolling from the part that is adhered to the part that needs to be adhered. This process will keep you from getting air pockets. Also, MAKE DARN SURE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CHIPS OF WOOD OR OTHER TRASH ON EITHER OF THE TWO SURFACES!!!!! you don't have to ask me how I know that, just see my postings of my router table top. Unless you would like to countersink a penny into your table top too. :rofl:
Be sure to do the edges first, then the top over the edges. Oh and let the piece be too big for the space and let it hang over. Just use a router and trim bit to cut off the excess. Not easy to do if the piece you are covering is stationary and you can't get to all sides. But scribe the piece you can't trim later to fit, then trim the other sides that you can get to. Hope this helps. Jim.
 
I'm remodeling my computer area, including new counter tops on the desk and side counter area.






I removed the old dirty scratched white top and am putting on a new top that resembles a light stone.





I used a special adhesive, liquid...strong...smelly...with fair success.I had to apply several coats, as the plywood top seemed to suck it up as fast as I applied it




I am ready to put the long side counter top on, and would appreciate any hints, tips and advice on getting it on better than the desk to, which has a few areas that are not completely gleed down.

Hi Greg :wave:,
I am always impressed with your go getafterit approach.:thumb:
#1 Dry fit the plastic. Looks like you did a good fit on the desk top!
In places where the router will not rout, due to a wall obstructing, when glued down, trim you plastic closely during the dry fit.

#2 Once you are pleased with your dry fit, file or sand off all the edges of P-Lam that may have loose chunks on the edges ( especially the crosscut sides) that may get knocked of onto the glued surface once you are moving the piece into place. Exercise caution on this move as the edges are very sharp:rolleyes:!

#3 Find some spacers, to keep the glued p-lam off the glued decktop, full depth plus a couple inches so you can see them sticking out when it comes time to extract them from under the glued p-lam. ( cardboard strips, 1/4" strips(sanded to eliminate the chance of a splinter or chunk falling off onto the glued decktop when least noticable), unglued strips of p-lam work too, spaced close enough so as not to let the glued p-lam touch the glued deck top..

#4 Make sure the deck top is clean and the top of the p-lam. Turn the p-lam over and make sure the gluing surface of the p-lam is clean. Glue it up. Note...I usually band the vertical surfaces of my tops first but I don't think you are banding them with p-lam. ( I usually glue the p-lam first as I have the deck to to use as a work table). Then glue up the deck top.

#5 Follow the dry time on the label, add more glue to the deck top if necessary.
 
#6 When you think the decktop is dry, lay down a spacer, apply a little pressure downward on top of the spacer, then give it a tug as if you are taking it out from between the p-lam and the decktop. This is to reassure you that it will come out and what it feels like.

#7 Gently lay down your spacers on the decktop, the less downward pressure the easier they come out. Gently lay down the glued p-lam and position it on top of the spacers.

#8 Gingerly:D pull out each spacer about 1" making sure your p-lam is in the correct position with each spacer. Pull the spacers out another 1" making sure your alignment is correct. (The reason for this slowness is to assure you that the alignment of your p-lam is correct. What we don't want is to hurry the initial contact of the 2 surfaces into misalignment.:eek:

#9 When assured the p-lam is still in alignment gently pull the center spacers out another 1" and check alignment, realign if necessary. gently press the p-lam down directly in the center within 1/2" of the wall, in the back.

#10 pull the center spacers out another 3-5 inches, check alignment and apply pressure starting in the back coming out about 2".

#11 With the fingers of your right hand at the very back starting in the center stay bearly touching the wall and run your fingers to the left as you pull out the other spacers with your left hand another several inches. Do the same going to the right side. We are trying to secure the entire back in position, but just bearly there at the back wall.

#12
 
#12 Once you feel that your piece is secured in the back create a fan type of movement from the very back center toward you, then from the very back center out 45° as the spacers are extracted in increments.
Then go from the center back out 90° left and right. Our intent is to eliminate any chance of getting an air bubble under the surface of the p-lam. Once all the spacers are out and the p-lam seems to be flat you can use the roller so as to assure you of adhesion via pressure, p-lam to deck top.
Hope this is helpful.
shaz :)
 
I'll just add that old mini-blind slats make great spacers and are often fairly easy to come by, even if they need a thorough cleaning :D
 
The suggestion of the mimi blind slats is the best idea I have heard about p-laminate installation in a long time. I heard it here first!!!!!!:D A really great tip!!!!! Thanks Jim, then Joe.:thumb:
 
Thanks for all the ideas...and the step by step... :thumb: :bow:

The mini blind is a great idea...but I still have a bunch of cedar flooring from my lumber dumpster diving...:eek:, so I cut some stick up.



Layed it out to see how it would look



Here's the adhesive I'm using. Man, this stuff stinks.



I have to wait til tomorrow to glue as it's been raining all day. I have an opening skylight just above the counter top for ventilation...but it allows too much rain to come in.

 
Good luck Greg:wave:,
Thanks for the pics!
I think I would add one more stick in between each of the ones you have laid out, just as a precaution, and be sure to sand and then wipe those sticks. No chunks needed as Jim mentioned.
Shaz :)
 
I have used the mini blinds, and on small areas it was OK, but on large areas I didn't like them nearly as well as using dowel rods. (you will figure out why atthe bottom of this post):rolleyes: I clamp a block butted loosly against the front edge of the laminate at each end to keep the laminate from slipping away from the back wall and I start by pressing my hand down in the center of the panel, right about where your J roller is in the picture. I then use the j roller from that center point and roll to the back wall, and then from the center point to the front edge. I do not pull any dowel rod out at this point, but I will either work from the center all the way to either the left end or the right end by slowly rolling the closest dowel rod away from the center and roll the laminate down with the j roller as I go, working from the center in a fan pattern out to the back edge and then front edge. When the dowel gets about half way to the next dowel, I remove it and continue the same procedure til I get to the end.

I then go back to the center and work that opposite side out to the end using the same procedure. By using the rolling method for part of the distance to the next dowel, I have been able to eliminate any accidental premature contact between the laminate and the base. (Don't Even Ask "WHY" I felt the "need" to develop this system during my second laminate project many years ago).:rolleyes::doh: ..........'course this may not be necessary for you since you may not be like "Some Folks" (that I know intimately);) that got a "wee bit" sloppy after doing a completely successful First Project. :doh::rolleyes::D

PS: It may not be necessary, but one other thing I ALWAYS do, is to use an 8" length of 2 x 4 (jointed flat on one side) and I move it around over the area and bang it with a hammer, ESPECIALLY around all edges.
 
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Thanks again to all, for your advice, tips and encouragement.

It worked....

I cut the sticks (cedar scrap I had), put them down about every 6 inches, glued, rolled, waited, set in place, pulled sticks a bit, pressed, pulled, mashed, pulled, rolled.....and this is the result.



I have a straight trim router bit and a PC690, with a D handle, to trim the edge on the side counter. Then 2 1/2" trim will be applied, caulked and the counters will be done. Oh, I have a small piece of laminate to put on the end...the counter top is longer than 8' long.



This is the deck top, with trim done.



The drawer fronts and trim will be in a medium gray. I have new, white square electrical sockets with matching plates to put on, as well as a matching telephone plate.
 
Thanks, guys....

Next challenge. The edge! :eek:

I cut the laminate about 1/2" wider than the cabinet carcase, as that resulted in it extending about 3/8" at the narrowest point on the top.

The framing on top of the cabinet is a mish mash of boards, and would be a bit of a challenge to run a trim router bit along it....:doh: :rofl:





I ripped a board I had into 1/4" strips.





Then a bit of constructive adhesive...



With the usual "couple of brads to hold it till the glue dries"...:D...and Wa La!



Now I have a nice smooth base to do the final trimming, and a good base for real edge trim board. There will be a small gap between the wall and the trim board inside bottom, but it won't be enough to worry about.
 
Well, trim is done, electrical is done, need to do some touch-up painting and finish the drawer faces, but the computer loft remodel is pretty much done. :thumb:

Thanks to all for the help and comments.:bow:








It's good to have the PowerMac....back!:D
 
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