Seams 2 Me - TWO PRO WAYS to Seam Plastic Laminate for Countertops
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Do you want to know how to seam together 2 pieces of plastic laminate?
Plastic laminate is fairly simple to work with, but it can be an unforgiving task master. One wrong step can set your project behind for days.
With the right tools, and the proper techniques, you can achieve professional results.
Seaming Board:
Two four-foot 1 X 3s & two nine-inch 2 X 4s.
The 2X4s are glued and screwed 10 inches from the ends.
Here is a list of the specialty tools used in this video:
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Router - amzn.to/3cVobuY
Deep “C” Clamps - amzn.to/3f4t47D
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Scoring Tool - amzn.to/3caTuTB
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Now this is the way RUclips videos should be done! Clear concise instructions, great videography, no unneeded information etc. Great job!
Thank you! I appreciate it. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Thank you! Pushing on the seam of where you cut with your finger makes a lot of sense and is something I will have to use when I do my project.
Glad it was helpful!
Got to love the old blinds. Been using the same old blinds for years.
Yes, they are excellent for this type of work. I still use the original set that I bought at a thrift store in 1983. Thank you.
I've watched a lot of videos on basic laminate application. This one makes the most sense. It's very helpful to watch how you layout and use your tools. Excellent.
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Adding caulk to the seam is new to me , great tip
Thank you.
Just to let you know....I made your Jig that was in this video...Modified it a little to suit me....Today I used it for a critical 45' corner cut that i have been dreading since getting this job. End result....Perfect Cut. the Jig worked BETTER than I thought..Perfect Seam !
I couldn't be Happier. Thank you for providing this Video and the Cutting Jig. Cheers!!!
That is awesome! I'm glad to hear that. My father-in-law/mentor taught me how to make this seaming board. Thank you!
Great job on the video. You are a very good teacher and I thank you for sharing your skills and techniques so others can learn. This will help me in some cottage cabinet work I will be doing this summer. Thanks !
Thank you! I appreciate it. Glad it was helpful.
About to do my first laminate job in our house. Thanks for the help! Your knowledge gives me confidence!
Thank you! Your confidence brings you success! All the best to you.
You get good results with a scoring tool. Perhaps a video on using that. Also, trimming without a router or other specialised tools.
I have some footage of the properties of laminate and its breaking points. There are some tips on the scoring tool in there. I am working on other videos right now, but I'll see what I can do.
As I have always used a router and specialty tools, I did not learn many techniques for working without them. There are a few tips about dealing with areas where the router won't reach in other videos.
Do you have a question about a specific situation? Maybe I can help you that. Thank you.
i love how you do compression joints. i got a kitchen coming up i cant wait finish carpentry is a lot of fun. whats with this younger generation they cant even swing a hammer little own pull a nail, thats if you can get them to show up.
Thank you. That is one of the reasons I started this channel. There were few, if any, young people coming into the trades. The youngest installer in our shop was almost 50. I preserved some of the knowledge on video.
Really like your presentations. I wanted to add that wilsonart laminates have color matching calk.
Thank you.
Yes. They've really done a good job with matching colors. Sometimes, white or almond just won't work.
Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you 1 million times thank you
You are welcome 1 million times. Thank you.
this was a refresher stuff i should of remembered can tell by your video your a pro.
Thank you!
Interesting that you added the latex before compressing the joint. It doesn’t contaminate and weaken the adhesive at the joint?
The adhesive is dry before assembly.
The laminate is in full contact with the substrate, so the caulking does not get in between the two. It is only between the two sheets of laminate.
When I compress the joint, the wet caulking takes the path of least resistance, which is to ooze up.
If I compress the joint first, it is more difficult to fill the joint.
The caulking has adhesive properties itself.
Thank you!
Thank you for making!!!
My pleasure!
👍Very instructive and professional👌. Thank you.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful!
Helpful video. Thanks
Thank you
Thank you for this video! Very helpful! 😊
I am reusing and putting on new (used) kitchen countertops.
A friend gave me her laminate countertops which are already glued down to particle board.
I plan to cut the countertops and join them together to fit my kitchen (including cutting out a new sinkhole)
*Do you have any tips for cutting and joining together laminate countertops which are already glued to particle board? Thank you
Thank you.
To be honest, I don't usually work with laminate that is already bonded to a substrate. I have assembled a couple of pre-formed countertops with factory cut seams.
That said, I can tell you laminate cuts cleaner (less chance of chipping) on a down stroke. There are reverse tooth jigsaw blades that cut on the down stroke. If cutting with a circular saw, you can flip the top over and cut from the backside, so the teeth are cutting from wear layer to backing.
You can also use a hole saw to cut out the radiused corners of your sink hole.
Using a sharp blade with fine teeth will give the best results. I recommend using a fence as a guide to keep your cuts straight.
I hope these tips help you. Good luck with your project.
Thank you.
@@elbowshots thank you again . 😊
nice job, what router bit should we be using, and do you a video on the alignment jig?
Thank you! I use the same 1/2" flush trim bit that I use to trim the laminate countertop. There is a link in the description for that.
I set the depth a little deeper to use a fresh part of the bit and to make sure the laminate doesn't flex away from the cutters on the bit.
I do not have a video for the seaming board yet. I probably will at some point because I use it for other tasks as well.
In the meantime, here are the dimensions of the one that I built:
2 - 1 x 3 x 48"
2 - 2 x 4 x 9" set at 24" on center using glue and 4 fasteners at each of the four joints.
lost art form. now days its all prefab counter tops. great video. doing my parents house next week. just waiting for the laminate to come. already made all new counter tops.
Thank you. One of the reasons I started filming what I do is there aren't very many people coming into the trades. Where are all the young apprentices? I have a lot of raw footage that I will be using for future videos.
Good luck with your parents countertops, and thanks for subscribing.
2:16) wasnt this vid about plastic?
6:49) the vid seems nice as you are giving/saying proper names as well
(10:07 nice cookie at the end
Yes, it is about plastic. It is specifically about high-pressure plastic laminate used for countertops, and other applications where a durable, decorative surface is wanted.
Thank you.
Thank you. The cat's name is Scout.
@@elbowshots @Elbow ohkay. i was looking for plastic sheet/vapour barriers like for covers or tarps.
What is the brand of laminate glue you are using in the video .. looks like it’s not necessary to also glue the back side of the laminate.
I use 3M Fastbond contact cement.
1 Gal FastBond - amzn.to/3c8PKSg
1 Qt FastBond - amzn.to/3lD1XSz
It is necessary to apply adhesive to both surfaces.
Contact cement is engineered to be applied to both surfaces, allowed to dry, then bonded together.
I didn't spend much time on adhesive application in this video, but as you can see at the 7:25 mark, I apply contact cement to the laminate backing. Thank you!
Hai... Im from malaysia.. may i know what kind of glue u use... Thanks in advance
Hi, I use 3M Fastbond contact cement. There are links in the description.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1 Gal FastBond - amzn.to/3c8PKSg
1 Qt FastBond - amzn.to/3lD1XSz
If you haven't seen them yet, I have other laminate installation videos:
ruclips.net/p/PLoXt7AdshChjUJvcDTcvjNPwvkBMEGd4i
Thank you!
Any suggestions for a long “L” countertop, laminate with a pattern? 45 deg at the L? Thanks Vince
Patterns can be a challenge to match. I assume the pattern is the reason you are mitering it in the corner. Mitering is also more challenging.
First, I would fit each piece to their respective wall. This will help give you fixed points to work from. It will stabilize each piece for marking.
The walls may or may not be perpendicular to each other. Rather than try to cut a true 45, I usually run the miter from front corner to back corner.
After the initial fit:
If you are using a router with a half-inch bit, rough cut your sheets with one-quarter inch overhang past the diagonal line where your miter will be finished. One-quarter inch overhang on each piece allows for the half-inch path of the router bit.
Once the seam is cut, you can do finer adjustments to the fit.
I hope this helps. Thank you.
When joining two pieces of laminate as you did here, Does the caulking provide a layer of water resistance to prevent future water issues at the seam? I have a seam that will be close to a sink. Thanks!
Yes, the caulking does provide added water resistance.
I don't like to place seams over a heat source, like a dishwasher.
And I also like to keep distance from the areas beside the sink due to the water. If the location near the sink is the best for layout, I would put the seam through the sink hole. Most of it is eliminated that way. Then you only need to line up the short seams at the front and back of the sink cut-out. Thank you!
Elbow Shots Thanks! I appreciate the feedback
Any reason I shouldn't use an Olfa for cutting with a straight edge over the carbide knife? I know they're 10 bucks, but you know, 10 bucks is 10 bucks
I do not recommend using a knife blade to score laminate. A carbide-tipped scoring tool cuts a wider path which provides a better hinge for a cleaner snap. Also, a sharper tip can have a tendency track away from the straight-edge and scratch the laminate.
Ten bucks is a minor investment relative to the savings over hiring a professional who has invested in proper tools.
Thank you.
@@elbowshots makes perfect sense thank you. I appreciate the videos a client hired me for some random jobs and putting a new laminate on her counter is part of it so you're helping me out
What do you do about the backing showing through on the front edges?
It really depends on the application. For most applications, it is just accepted that the dark line will be there in a standard laminate installation. I have not found a way to conceal the dark line in a light color laminate. I have used a black permanent marker on a black countertop.
There are a few options though. One of the options is to use a solid core laminate. The solid core, or color core, laminates do not have the compressed paper backing. As their name implies, they are manufactured using only the solid color plastic, which eliminates the dark backing. It is more expensive to manufacture the materials this way, and the sheets are more susceptible to cracking during fabrication. The wear layer performs the same in regards to scratch and stain resistance.
Another option is to cover that edge afterward with hardwood edging. That look had some popularity in the '90s, but I was never a fan. It does work for some people.
And yet another option is to use a bevel-edge, or crescent-edge. These edges are manufactured using post-forming laminate, which is thinner to facilitate bending the materials into contours. The edges are color-matched to the sheet laminate, making the project look homogenous. Using a stone patterned laminate, with a crescent-edge, can give the convincing appearance of a granite countertop at a much lower cost.
Thank you for your question, and best wishes on your project.
@@elbowshots Thank you for taking the time to reply. I think the solid core is exactly what I'm looking for. I build furniture and getting a white surface finish in gloss is rather difficult. I often think about the Ikea furniture we started out with and love the look of the glossy white finish. My goal is to build some furniture with solid/veneered wood and accent the fronts with a white laminate. Thank you for these great suggestions! :)
For furniture and cabinetry, I think there is a very thin melamine veneer available. Also, you can buy 3/4" panels coated with melamine, then band the edge.
@@elbowshots Thank you :)
Would this generally be one piece without seams?
Yes. This countertop could have been done in one piece if a 10-foot sheet had been ordered. The sub-tops were built after the laminate was ordered. The carpenter added an overhang on the end. It would have taken about a week to get another sheet. Thank you.
@@elbowshots do ever say what type of file you’re using to cleanup the edges?
There is a link in the description. It is a single cut/double cut all-purpose file: amzn.to/3d39zdg
It is showing as "currently unavailable" right now. I'll have to update the link, but you can see the product description. Thank you.
what city and state are you in? I could use your help.
I live in Washington state. I am retired from working in the field, but I am happy to answer specific questions. What do you need help with?
Is there a way to fill a seam if the top is prelaminated
Yes, you can fill an existing seam. I have used this Kampel seam fil amzn.to/35BR0N9 in the past.
You can also use acrylic latex caulk. Either will work.
The biggest challenge is getting a clean finish. I recommend applying with a plastic putty knife, or something relatively soft like a credit card. Use the card to remove excess filler. Work diagonally across the seam. Finish with a smooth cloth (like t-shirt material) or a grout sponge. Thank you.
How do you get the marker off?
First, I don't leave it on too long. I use toluene as a solvent, but that is a little too hot for most people.
Acetone (nail polish remover) will work sometimes.
Hand sanitizer works surprisingly well.
Thank you!
Thanks for your response. Another question, I am having to remove the old sheet on one if my counters due to peeling and cracking. I’m using a heat gun. What can I do to get the old glue, sticky off? I’m thinking it will hinder the new adhesive. And how do you cut that small angle section of sink?
In dealing with old adhesive, I have found that it isn't always necessary to remove it completely. When it is fully cured and smooth, I have not had adverse reactions.
I have used a belt sander, sanding block, and/or razor blade scraper to remove excess adhesive. Yes, the sandpaper does get clogged and usually has to be discarded.
Another method I have used is to put a skim coat of portland cement based leveling compound on the surface and sand it down after it cures. Keep it thin so you don't make extra work for yourself.
"And how do you cut that small angle section of sink?"
I don't understand this question.
Thank you.
Steallar instruction
Thank you!
Grab a trace bit. That looks like a huge waste of time.
Thank you for your input. I assume you are talking about an underscribe router. I have seen those in use, but I didn't like the results. The way I do it really doesn't take much time. I'm not saying this is the only way, or the best way. I'm just showing a way that has worked for me. Thanks.