Applying Laminate To Mdf

Learn to laminate like a pro and save yourself some cash.

Applying laminate to mdf.

If you are pouring a countertop one recommendation we have is to prime the vertical edges by applying our prime coat. Can be helpful to apply the cement to the mdf and the laminate then lay a series of wood stickers between the two. Clean the surface of the intended area with denatured alcohol the back of the wood veneer and mdf of dust oil grease or other foreign materials that may affect the binding of the materials. Allow the adhesive surfaces to dry to the touch.

When both surfaces are dry to the touch you re ready to move to the next step. Laminate is a super versatile material and knowing how to use it is a great skill to have. Use compressed air or a shop vacuum to give the substrate surface we re using mdf here a good cleaning too. If you do this yourself rather than purchasing p.

Hammer veneering is the oldest method of applying wood veneer to a substrate. This will prevent buckles or bubbles from forming. Apply a thin even coating of cement to both the substrate and the laminate using a foam paint roller. Use a soft cloth to press the surface of the laminate working from the center towards the edges.

Once it tacks up you can remove the center sticker letting the center of the laminate sag onto the mdf. It s a good idea to double coat porous materials like mdf. If you re applying a thin laminate sheet use 1 16 0 16 cm thick laminate for flat work surfaces and 1 32 0 3 cm sheets for vertical surfaces. 2 lightly sand the surface on which you will install the formica.

A veneer hammer which is really more of a stiff blunt metal scraper attached to a long handle is used to smooth out the veneer on the substrate and to squeegee out excess amounts of the heat activated glue used in the process. Sand the surface to create a rough surface for solid adherence and wipe away sawdust with a tack cloth or damp rag. First you need to prepare the surface of the substrate and the back of the veneer. Ideally when the laminate is pressed down you will have at least an eighth of an inch of overhang all the way around the top.

You don t need to be fast but you need to be thorough when applying contact adhesive. This coating process is required on the back side of the plastic laminate as well. The surfaces that you can directly apply your flood coat of epoxy to include. Then progressively work outward removing stickers and letting the laminate drop down to the mdf as you roll out any air pockets.