Applying Laminate To Mdf

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

Applying laminate to mdf.

When both surfaces are dry to the touch you re ready to move to the next step. This coating process is required on the back side of the plastic laminate as well. Sand the surface to create a rough surface for solid adherence and wipe away sawdust with a tack cloth or damp rag. 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. Allow the adhesive surfaces to dry to the touch. Before applying the epoxy make sure the surface is clean and free of any debris. Apply a thin even coating of cement to both the substrate and the laminate using a foam paint roller.

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. If you are pouring a countertop one recommendation we have is to prime the vertical edges by applying our prime coat. This will prevent buckles or bubbles from forming. 2 lightly sand the surface on which you will install the formica.

Leah from see jane drill demonstrates how to install sheet laminate on wood to create a countertop surface. Use compressed air or a shop vacuum to give the substrate surface we re using mdf here a good cleaning too. It s a good idea to double coat porous materials like mdf. Use a soft cloth to press the surface of the laminate working from the center towards the edges.

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. Hammer veneering is the oldest method of applying wood veneer to a substrate. Can be helpful to apply the cement to the mdf and the laminate then lay a series of wood stickers between the two. First you need to prepare the surface of the substrate and the back of the veneer.

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. Laminate is a super versatile material and knowing how to use it is a great skill to have. You don t need to be fast but you need to be thorough when applying contact adhesive. Once it tacks up you can remove the center sticker letting the center of the laminate sag onto the mdf.