Kitchen counter top trimming

[lucasboy]

I'm replacing all my kitchen cabinets & sink & need to cut about a foot off the counter top I'm installing. It's got a particle board base with a laminate over it. I know to run masking tape along the cut line & I got a new 40 tooth finishing circular saw blade. Any helpful hints would be appreciated since I've never done this & I don't want to mess it up. Also, is it possible to get the laminate off the side of the piece I cut off & put it on the now cut end of the counter top?

[Harry]

Hi

For the end you can use the piece you cut off if you can sep. the laminate from the base without breaking it. Clean it up, cut it a little larger, contact cement and smooth the edges of the laminate with a router .... or a flat file.

Practice a little with a piece of scrap before going live.

Good Luck

Harry

[JD]

Hi lucas,

I have finish cut many formica tops. Using the tape and fine carbide blade, I cut from the bottom of the counter top so the blade is coming into the formica. I will use a guide bar and take it real slow. The small amount if tiny chipping will come off with file.

If you have to cut from the top of the counter (which can get real difficult in the backsplash) I will score my cut line with a utility knife. I will clamp down a straightedge, a framing square will do. Then when cutting with the saw (japanese finish saw at the backsplash) be sure to stay off of your line. Anywhere it is off will be on the cutoff side. You can clean that up with a belt sander or sanding block.

You may be able to get the end cap off by using a clothes iron to soften the glue. It is contact cement. Use a piece of notebook paper between the formica and iron. You can burn formica with the iron if you hold it on there long enough, but the glue should give before that happens. I have done this a couple of times successfully.

That is how I do it.

JD

That's how I do it.

[Brenda (OH)]

I just repaired a counter, and I attached a piece of molding and then ran the laminate over both of them. That is a little different than you job, but you might want to try holding up a piece of scrap molding at the cut edge, and see if you like how it looks. I was lucky that 1 1/2 inch molding covered the area without interfering with the drawers.

Nailing the molding to the counter edge was easy, the molding was pretty forgiving, compared to the thought of using the contact adhesive there. I am finding contact adhesive to be a little tricky.....lol maybe because I am working in 90+ temps and high humidity.

I probably will poly urethane the molding because it was wood.

I wonder if getting tiles and applying them to the countertop would be a nice upgrade? if you are going to be messing with (opps, I meant repairing! ) the area....

Brenda

[Brenda (OH)]

a random thought, if the formica did get chipped, I wonder if a corner molding would fit over the edge, and hide the chips?

guess who is still learning to use her power tools lol

Brenda

[Greg]

I can honestly say that I have never had any luck when it comes to cutting formica. I will say that to put the finished edge on I use a router with a formica trim bit. Greg

[JD]

Certainly the best way to do the end cap is to use a new piece of formica and trim the end cap and the counter formica at the same time. I do not buy end caps. I get my formica from the a commercial supplier and just use the scraps from the piece I get. My cost is about half of what Lowe's charges and these guys have had every color and style I have ever asked for in stock. That is real cool compared to waiting 2 weeks for custom order at Lowe's.

You can buy end caps with the small piece of filler particle board material "in stock" at Lowe's. The store here usually has the same colors as the in stock countertops in the racks. These end caps are usually installed using a clothes iron and piece of paper. Read the instructions. If there is no glue on the end cap, you will need to use contact adhesive. You can trim the formica end caps down to about 1/8" to 1/4" of the right size with a utility knife, if you are real careful. It is easy to slip and drag a cut across the finished area. At that point you "can" finish the rest of the trimming with a file. Get a big new one, it will save time and make for a smoother finish. I had used this method several times before I decided I should get my DeWalt trimmer. A trimmer is Great!

I had mentioned trying to use a iron to remove an end cap, only because that was the question that was asked. I don't know how well that would work on an old piece of formica, but I would think the glue would still melt if it is old. You would need to use contact cement to put the piece back on and it is doubtful that it will look like a factory edge. That really takes a trimmer or file. But with someone's help, you can have them hold flat objects to the front edge of the counter and on top of the counter near the middle. This can help you get the piece aligned right when putting them together. With contact cement you only get one shot. If it barely touches and you do pull it off, you will see a void in the contact cement where they pulled apart. That spot will not stick and will haunt you. You also need to lay some serious pressure on the pieces after you set them. I have 3 different rollers I use, but you could get by with the edge of a 2x4 wrapped in a t-shirt of towel.

JD

[lucasboy]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. I cut the counter today & it turned out perfect. I used my heat gun on the end cap & it peeled right off. Some adhesive & I had it glued back on the counter end. Thanks again!

[Yanita]

Your welcome,

I will consider this thread answered and completed and lock it off.

Yanita