Edgebanding for Two-Piece Countertops
How do you apply edgebanding so that the joint between two countertop parts isn't banded? May 26, 2011
Question
I’m building an L shaped office countertop. I’m using one inch thick pre-lam material, and will connect both tops using draw bolts. The edge banding using 3mm PVC tape. The challenge is as how to stop the tape before the seam, or how to accomplish this task as not having tape to go all the way and re-peel it later to connect both tops.
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor K:
Tape both sides of the seam; install with a slight bevel.
From contributor L:
I would suggest to miter the PVC.
From the original questioner:
I apologize for not making my question clear. Part one needs to connect with part two. How can I control the tape at part one to stop before it meets part two? I have done it before by edge banding the full length of part one and cut the tape where it is meets and peel it which needs a lots of cleaning (glue left of the edgebander). Also the corner of the two counters did not meet and looked ok.
From contributor L:
How about putting masking tape on part one where the banding isn't wanted. Make a little wooden jig to guide the chisel at a 45 and cut the banding, miter the PVC on part two to match. After the miter is cut the tape will peel the PVC glue and all. Do a test on a scrap.
From the original questioner:
I will try the masking tape.
From contributor L:
One note of caution: some banders are not setup correctly and the glue application roller actually rides on the panel, that might pull the tape up! There should be a very small clearance between the roller and the panel just so the glue is pulled from the roller. If the roller rides against the panel it will develop a wear pattern for your most common panel thickness and then won't work as well on thicker panels. The roller will normally hit the panel near the very end when the panel slides off the guide. That might be a determining factor in your direction of feed for the tape trick so you don't snag the tape. Use a laminate roller to press the tape really tight and hope.
