Watch an Overview Video

Gather Your Materials and Tools

Materials and Tools:

trim router
3- to 9-inch roller cover with 1/8-inch nap
flush trim router with carbide tips
1-inch paintbrush with china bristles
file
1/4 4-inch dowel rods 36 inches long (one for every 12 inches of countertop)
3-inch hard rubber J-roller
sanding block with 80-grit sandpaper
circular saw with fine-tooth carbide blade
scoring knife
laminate scissors
lint-free cloth
sheet laminate
beveled edging
DO NOT use sponge brushes

Measure and Cut Laminate

Cut your own custom countertop from laminate sheets.

Measure the countertop dimensions and add 1/2 inch on all sides.

Tip: MDF or particle board makes the best base.

Mark cut lines in pencil on top and bottom of laminate sheets. Cover top pencil mark with masking tape to prevent chipping while cutting. When using scoring knife, cut from top through tape; when using circular saw, cut from bottom.

Tip: Always wear safety glasses, ear protection and work gloves when cutting laminate.

Spread Adhesive and Secure Laminate

With adhesive roller, spread adhesive on 100 percent of both wood and laminate faces.

Tip: Use adhesive suitable for laminating to wood.

Position dowel rods across surface perpendicular to edge and12 inches apart.

Place laminate over dowel rods.

While holding laminate in place, remove rods one at a time.

Trim and Smooth Laminate

Use J-roller to apply uniform pressure across entire countertop.

Rout off overhangs and use file to smooth sharp edges and outside corners; clean off excess adhesive with lint-free cloth and adhesive cleaner.

Use laminate trimmer/router to trim off excess laminate above surface. Areas which cannot be routed may be filed smooth; to prevent chipping, file away from surface.

Apply Edging

For seamless look, finish countertop with beveled-edge molding clad in laminate that matches tops.

Tip: To prevent warping, keep edging in packaging tubes until installation.

Measure countertop edges and cut beveled edging to fit. With 1-inch brush, apply adhesive to counter edge.

Starting at one end, stick laminate to edge. Use hard rubber J-roller to apply uniform pressure.