Easy Furniture Project Using Wood Dowels
Does your laminated kitchen countertop need to be redone? Maybe it has become scratched and scuffed or you just want a new color. According to an online article, this can be an easy furniture do-it-yourself project that can be done by getting the material, preparing the countertop and laminate pieces, using wood dowels to separate the new laminate and the countertop, and trimming the laminate when you are finished.
The first step is to get the laminate material. You may find it at a hardware store and place it directly over the old surface. Measure the countertop and get slightly larger pieces of laminate that you will trim later.
The next step is to prepare the surfaces. First, you will need to sand the gloss off of the old surface so that the new laminate will stick to it. After sanding, remove the dust with a vacuum and a wet sponge. Then apply contact cement to the underside of the laminate and to the sanded countertop. Follow the directions on the cement package and keep the two pieces apart for about ten minutes. The cement should then be somewhat sticky to the touch.
Then place the wooden dowels on top of the countertop and put the new laminate on top of them. The dowels should be cut wider than the countertop and placed every few inches apart. This is done to set the top in place more easily. Then slide the dowels out one at a time, pressing the laminate to the countertop. Use a roller to press it down hard and smooth out the surface.
Finally, you will need to trim the new laminate top. You can do this with a straight edge ruler and a utility blade, a router that has a bit meant for cutting laminate, or other specialized trimming tools. Any of these may do the job and provide a smooth finish. The materials may be borrowed rather than bought if necessary.
By following these easy furniture project steps you can refinish your laminated kitchen countertops. It is a low cost way of giving your kitchen a make-over and having the satisfaction of doing it yourself.
