I'm refurbishing a coffee table,and I'm trying to remove the formica that's on top of the wood and table,

Question

Is there a easy way to do it,instead of chipping it off piece by piece,like I've been doing? Tips please

Answer 1

use an iron to heat up the contact cement, slide a thin putty knife under the formica to lift it up. start in a corner. put wax paper under the lifted portions as you go to prevent the glue from re-adhering. it's slow going, but eventually will all come off.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

HI Foxy,

    I have done this before so I think I can help.   You will have to get a heating gun.  You can get one from Lowe's or Home depot.   What it does is gets hot enough to melt and loosen the glue underneath the formica.. you might still have to wedge the formica up,  but that is alot  easier than chipping.  A heat gun is also very useful for other handy home projects.  It is used to heat up and loosen paint as well...

Thanks for reading.

Hope it helped.

Answer 3

i don't know of one-you can scuff it with light sandpaper and use  oil based primer then any paint to get a nice finish hat way but if you want it off, it's going to be tough.

Answer 4

Get a gallon of lacquer thinner and use it to dissolve the glue. You may have to turn the table on its side to let the thinner flow underneath the lamiunate, and pry with a putty knife. Do it outdoors because it's messy and you'll need ventilation.