How to Restore Formica Tabletops

Formica is a brand-name laminate material. Formica is a thin and fragile material when alone. After bonding with a solid, stable base, Formica becomes a strong surface. Over time and through use, Formica wears, loses its shine and appeal. Some Formica has a surface-only color while others have color permeating through the entire sheet. Restoring a Formica surface is successful if the wear does not penetrate through the surface color on surface-only styles.

Dish soap
Rags
Cloth
Soft-bristle brush
Utility knife
Contact cement
C-clamp
Laminate wax

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the Formica surface with mild dish soap and water. Scrub clean with a soft rag. Rinse the tabletop with clear water. Do not flood the seams of the tabletop with water as this may cause swelling of the tabletop base. Dry thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth.
- 2
  Remove difficult stains with mild dish soap and a soft-bristle scrub brush. Gently scrub the stains until they disappear.
- 3
  Reattach lifting Formica by carefully and gently raising the loose edge with the tip of a utility knife and scrape away old adhesive. Squeeze contact cement into the space and press the Formica down firmly on the tabletop. Clamp the edge in place with a C-clamp. Clean off excess adhesive with a damp cloth. Allow the adhesive to dry completely, usually one to two hours before removing the clamp.
- 4
  Apply a coat of laminate wax to the entire tabletop surface. Allow it to dry to a dull white haze. Buff the dry wax off with a soft, clean rag to restore shine. Choose a laminate wax in a color version to restore color to slightly worn areas.

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