How to: Make Plastic Laminate Countertops

Plastic laminate is a modern surface material, developed in the past few generations and much derided for years as a cheap and tacky substitute for wood or tile. Today, laminate comes in much finer styles that have the same durability and ease of maintenance as the older styles, without the tacky appearance. When applying laminate to a countertop, start with a clean, dry surface free of gloss or obstructions.

Pencil
Tape measure
Carpenter’s square
Razor knife
Plastic laminate, in sheets
Contact cement with roller
Router with laminte-cutting bit
Dowel rods, 3 feet long by 1 inch thick (1 for each foot of countertop length)

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the length and depth of the top section of the countertop with a tape measure. Cut out a piece of plastic laminate at those measurements, using a carpenter’s square and utility knife and adding about an inch all around so the piece is bigger than the surface. Repeat the process for the front edges of the countertop, cutting a piece to fit over each area, with about an inch of overhang.
- 2
  Put contact cement over the whole countertop surface and over the back of each piece of plastic laminate, using a roller. Allow the cement to set for 10 to 15 minutes, until it’s mostly dry.
- 3
  Press the thin front vertical strip of plastic laminate in place on the countertop. It will grip instantly, so position it correctly before you let it touch. Press it firmly to the surface, then use your power router to trim off the overhanging portion, so the laminate is straight along the edges of the countertop.
- 4
  Glue down the remaining pieces in the same manner. Glue down the top sheet last, laying 1-inch dowel rods side by side along the whole length of the countertop to keep the plastic laminate separate from the surface until you can get it properly positioned, then pulling out the rods. Use the router to trim the edges.

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