Re-gluing loose Formica on counter

[Jerry.Tan]

I have a bathroom counter top on the sink cabinet. One corner has loose formica. The cabinet top is plywood, which is in good condition. The fomica is also in good shape, but it's loose from the plywood on that corner. Aside from replacing the counter top, I'd like to fix this.

I know formica is normally glued with contact cement. I'm assuming I need to use the same stuff to reglue it. I had a thought to buy some large syringes made for animals, fill the syringe with contact cement and squirt it under the loose formica. Then stack some bricks or other weights on top of the counter and let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Is that how the pros do it? Are there other methods?

Thanks

[Terry Coombs]

The best way to repair that is to get the glue under the loose plastic and press the laminate down firmly to spread the glue evenly on both surfaces . Then lift the loose corner and let it dry until the glue doesn't transfer to your fingertip when you touch it . THEN you press the laminate into the now-mostly-dry glue to adhere it . IF you have a line where the newly glued meets the area that was still adhered , use your wife's iron set on nylon or other low temp to press it out . Heat it then lay a block of wood on it and tap firmly . Actually , I use a heat gun and a steel roller , but you may not have those tools . 15+ years in the cabinet shop taught me a couple of tricks ...

[larrymoencurly]

It won't hold if you do that. You need to keep the surfaces physically separated for at least 15 minutes (probably more like

30-60 minutes) and then press them together. The pros use a roller to apply pressure.

[HerHusband]

Hi Jerry,

I have had to reglue a few laminate counters that have lifted in the corners like that.

I used a few wood blocks to hold the laminate up so I could get access, but not so high that I break it. Then I used wood shims (the kind you buy for installing doors/windows) to push contact cement into the opening. The thin wood shim allowed me to spread the cement evenly on both surfaces, even way back where there was very little clearance. Let both surfaces dry till tacky, then carefully pull the blocks and press down. I use a J-roller to force out all the air bubbles, then weight down the laminate for an hour or two. So far I have had zero repeat failures using this method.

I have wood trim along the front of the counter, so I used blue masking tape to cover it so I didn't get any contact cement on it.

I'm guessing I did not apply enough contact cement when I originally built the counters. Hindsight now, but the repairs have held up fine and look good as new. Just fix it before someone catches it and breaks a piece off. I wrapped the edge with blue masking tape until I could pick up more cement.

Take care,

Anthony Watson