Whether building kitchen cabinets or a desktop work surface, you need to be very careful while installing laminates.
Spend some time planning your project. You need to decide how large the countertop will be. Look at the colors and what effect they will have on the surface. Dark wood or stone designs will look good but if the lighting in the area is not much, a lighter or brighter color may be more suitable. Also look at the exposure the surface can expect.
Choose the type and finish of the material.
Choose the material you will glue your laminate to, like plywood or MDF are the common materials for a laminate substrate.
Choose the laminate you will use. You will find a large variety of laminates for kitchen countertops.
Match the contact cement to the laminate you choose. Many retailers sell the laminates with a thermoset glue already applied to the back of the sheet. But if you buy one that does not have this feature, you will have to glue up the laminate yourself. You should either use a solvent based or water based contact cement.
Use disposable paint brushes or a paint roller to spread the glue.
Assemble all the materials in a place with good ventilation and lighting, little dust and plenty of workbench space. Make sure you have the tools you will need to do your work.
Cut the plywood or MDF to the size you want. If it is going to be a close fit project, make it slightly larger than you will need so it can be scribed and trimmed to fit.
Rip a strip of the plywood about 2 inches wide the length of your top for an edge band. Glue this strip along the front edge of the top. The edge should be square and perfectly flush.
Now cut the laminate to fit the top.
Lay the plywood on a set of saw horses and place the cut sheet of the laminate, bottom up, on a surface so that you can apply the glue.
Roll a thin coat of contact cement on both plywood and back of the laminate.
Allow the adhesive to dry. Lift the laminate and place it on top of the plywood.
Use a soft cloth to press the surface of the laminate to prevent bubbles.
Now cut a piece of laminate for your edge band.
Next glue the edge band on every exposed edge and apply the contact cement to the plywood edge and back of the laminate.
Use a router to trim excess laminate on all edges.
Clean all the glue spots on the surfaces and fir the countertop into position.
You can use laminates for kitchen cabinets as well. Our modern day kitchens need to be stylish. Use of many decorative and designer laminates can give your kitchen a different look.