Edge Banding Tools

Iron

• Veneer has an adhesive on the back of it. To ensure that the veneer properly bonds to your plywood, use a regular house iron. Usually irons have different settings for different types of clothing. For veneer, use the cotton or medium setting. You don't want to get the material too hot, but you want it to heat up enough that adhesive oozes out from underneath the veneer, which means that the adhesive is activating and improves the overall bond between the veneer and plywood. Keep the iron moving along the length of the veneer. If you stay in one section too long, you may burn the wood. Let the veneer dry overnight.

Edge Trimmer

• If a small section of your veneer is hanging over the side of your plywood, use an edge trimmer to remove it. An edge trimmer runs along the edge of your veneer and slices off small sections of wood. It is very small and square, and the blade is located on the base of the tool. Start at the bottom of your veneer, and place the front of the tool against the wood. Slowly slide the tool upwards, and always follow the grain of the wood for the best cuts.

Hammer and Chisel

• If you need to remove large sections of excess veneer, use a mallet and chisel. A mallet is similar to a hammer, but it has a thicker head. For trimming work, use a rubber mallet. A chisel has a long, flat, rectangular head. At the end of the handle is a metal panel. Place the chisel over the excess veneer, and place the mallet head over the metal panel. Hit the mallet and drive the chisel downwards. While the mallet and chisel are effective, the cuts are uneven. So don't put the chisel directly next to the plywood. Move it a little away from the real edge, and use a trimming tool like the edge trimmer for finesse work. You can also use the chisel to scrape off any excess veneer. Just follow the wood grain, and apply enough pressure to push the banding against the plywood's edge.