If I sand a formica kitchen countertop , can I apply contact cement and put a new formica cover over the exist

Question

Have you tried this or are you theorizing? I don't want to destroy my countertop because that will also destroy my cabinets which I'd like to keep. I don't see any reason why I couldn't recover the old formica with a new sheet (color).

Please refer to any special knowledge if you know of it. THANKS!

Answer 1

I think you might be well-advised to consult a contractor with good references, a manufacturer, and someone who teaches this kind of work.  You might also contact "This Old House" or some other building show on tv, Bob Villa (Vila?), or one of those "build you a house" shows.

I once asked a dentist if I could use superglue to put the cap back on my front tooth.  He gave me credit, to come get it repaired the next week.  (No super glue.)

You could certainly do it, but I doubt you will get any guarantees of good results.  If you're really set on this, after getting advice, you should sand a sample piece, use the recommended adhesive, clamp on a new formica cover, and thus check the results without wrecking your whole cabinet.

Answer 2

My husband is an installer - You don't even have to sand - just lay in right over top

Answer 3

The answer is yes. You do not have to use coarse sand paper. Buy a can of contact cement and follow the instructions. Make sure the Formica will fit the counter top. You may have to remove the counter and work on it off the counter if it is on three sides.

      A router will come in handy if you  are also doing the back board and the front of the counter.

Contact cement once started cannot be moved that is one reason that it will be easier to do this in another room. Also the cement is flammable so not to be used near an open flame such as a pilot light.

  I believe that paper is placed down before the cement is applied and then unrolled as the Formica is placed from the starting edge.

Answer 4

There are several parts to this answer . . .

Yes, contact cement can be used to glue new laminate to old.  You will need to roughen the surface and break the "glaze" on the old laminate, as you have suggested.

The real problem with this project is trimming the edges.  Standard procedure is to rough cut the new laminate slightly larger than the surface to be covered, then trim flush with a special bit in a router.  Have a look at http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,... for some idea.

If you have the top removed from the cabinets, this really isn't an issue.  I do not see any way you could get a router into position to cut some pieces with the top installed.  A kitchen top is a bit more complicated than the one Tom makes in the video.

Assuming you will remove the top to do this, and again I don't see how you could do a nice job with the top installed, why not just replace the top?  Yes, you could buy the materials for less than the cost of a new top, but do you have a good router?  What if you mess up?  If you have to waste much laminate, you will get close to the cost of a new top anyway.

All of this assumes you are dealing with a "self-edged" top -- square corners at the top of the splash and the front of the top.  If you have a "postform" top -- rounded over edges at the top of the splash and the front -- you are out of luck.  It is nearly impossible to get new formica formed over these rounded edges without the help of a very expensive machine.

Answer 5

Yes- use a belt sander with a medium or heavy grit- the more scratched the surface is, Formica is a weird soft plastic, the better the contact cement will work. Its' all about the texture. Be sure and get any lumps of debris off,wipe with alcohol rag. Run a straight edge over it to be sure its' all even-any gooey,molten lumps will be magnified. -SAND IT ANYWAY-IT TAKES TEN MINUTES - installers are quick and under pressure- A good head of steam will lift the edges up over time ( if your an installer,who cares,your gone and years down the road). Don't be lazy. You heard it here first. Use a fine file in weird areas where the trimmer won't go, its' no big deal, a hairless monkey can do it any day of the week.