Formic On Formica

Originally Posted by im4snow What's the best way to cut formica sheet product....with the intent on glueing the new formica over an existing formica top??? Any tips regarding best tool, blade, process, etc?? Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Originally Posted by dlcj what malco said and add cut the sheet a little big and use a rotozip or router with bearing tip bit to finnish trim.

Originally Posted by dlcj what malco said and add cut the sheet a little big and use a rotozip or router with bearing tip bit to finnish trim.

All good advice here try using a formica cutter to cut the formica to size it looks like a bent nail but has a carbide tip.Use it to score the laminate and just bend it and it will break on the score mark, the deeper the score the easyer it is to break.When doing the face edge do it first,screw a board on the face side of the work top and set the side strip to this board.Next comes the top as said scuff the top up with the formica cutter and glue both faces.When touch dry put as many stickers on the work top that you feel comfortable with,present one edge to the other and rub with a cork block going from back to front in one movment.This is to prevent any air being traped between the two faces.when you router the edge use a formica bit with a small lip on it this takes a arris of the edge and stops any one from cutting them selves on it.Have fun.

Originally Posted by orson When I do countertops I laminate the edge piece on first like billyd said, but I cut the band large and let it stick up a hair on the topside. Then take a belt sander and keeping the sander nice an flat on the countertop substrate sand the edge flush, always keeping the belt running towrd the countertop so you don't pull the band away. This way your band piece doesn't have to run perfectly straight on your potentialy curvy substrate.

First apologys for the long post but I thought it may help the OP. Both methods have thier merits but if the piece is in situ,it would be moor than a bit awkward to router the under side of a 2"strip.An adjustable mouthed block plane and a file may be the best solutionhere.Its just the same if there is a return in the wok top.If you miter or form a but joint in the laminate.On a miter place the laminate on the work topmark the miter cut of the excess with a laminate cutter remove the piece and router amachined finish on the laminate.Retun the piece to the work top and clamp it in situ keeping the clamps away from the joint,Place the 2nd piece of laminate on the return and under the mitered piece.mark with a fine pencil and router thi leaving the pencil mark on the piece.Mate the 2 pieces together.When happy with the joint clamp the 2nd peice in place and run pencil marks across the 2 pieces as reference points.Leave the 2nd piece clamped in place.remove the 1st piece and glue up,when you return the 1st piece of laminate line up the reference marks and fit as in previous posts.Release the 2nd piece stright away and fit the same as the 1st doing it this way I have reference points to work to the whole time.I'am not saying this is the only method just that it works best for me have fun.

Originally Posted by im4snow What's the best way to cut formica sheet product....with the intent on glueing the new formica over an existing formica top??? Any tips regarding best tool, blade, process, etc?? Thanks in advance for any feedback.