Chances are good that somewhere in your home you have a surface covered with plastic laminate. Maybe it’s a kitchen countertop or a bathroom vanity top. You may even have cabinets that are surfaced with laminate. And there’s a good reason for this. Plastic laminate is a hard, durable, and attractive material that’s also moisture-proof as well as heat and stain resistant. The following slides provide a primer on installing plastic laminate. It works best to apply laminate on a stable substrate like particleboard, MDF, or plywood using contact adhesive. Smooth, flat MDF is generally my choice for shop fixtures, however plywood is a more durable option when the edges won’t be capped.
Cut to Size
With an auxiliary rip fence fit tight to the saw’s table, use a push pad to help feed the thin laminate and keep it flat.
Spreading the Adhesive
You don’t need to be fast but you need to be thorough when applying contact adhesive. It’s a good idea to double-coat porous materials like MDF. This coating process is required on the back side of the plastic laminate as well. When both surfaces are dry to the touch you're ready to move to the next step.
Press in Place
Place wood strips evenly across the substrate. With the oversized piece of laminate aligned, start at one end and remove the strips in order, pressing it down evenly with your hand as you go.
Roll and Trim
Before flush trimming the laminate, use a roller to make sure it’s well adhered.
