Unfinished edges of finished shelving board

[Steve Kraus]

I have a table I want to cover with a prefinished white shelving board I can obtain at the home center. I believe it's some sort of pressed wood product. The shorter shelves have finished edges but the one I am contemplating is finished on one edge. I don't care about the back as that would be against a wall but what can I do with the ends? I suppose I could just sand them nice and smooth and paint with several coats of white enamel. Or is there something better?

In case it matters the table I wish to cover is 96" x 16." The shelving board I can get is just a little under that but I think I can make it work.

[Steve Kraus]

Oops make that 96" x just under 18". Not that it matters for my concern.

[DerbyDad03]

You're covering a table? Please explain. What is the table top made out of now and why do you want to cover it with shelving?

In any case, this is used to dress up the bare edges of the type of shelving I believe you are talking about:

[Don Y]

Melamine?

You didn't mention board thickness. You may have to shave this down (AFTER applying) with something like a draw plane (or a utility knife and a bit of care)

[gfretwell]

There is a purpose built tool, just for this. They sell it at home depot, right near where you get the veneer edging. It allows you to trim the edge very precisely.

[hubops]

I haven't used it in many years, but this type of shelving can be edge-finished with a pre-glued iron-on strip - bought in a roll. Practice on a scrap first - it can tend to move around when the glue melts

Or - a strip of real-wood glue & brad - sometimes this can look nice - natural wood finish contrasting with the plain melamine. John T.

[Steve Kraus]

Just a long narrow table with folding legs. Covering because I don't care for the faux wood finish and I think this would be better than painting it. I would just shoot a few screws in from the bottom taking care to keep them shorter than penetrating.

[Steve Kraus]

Perhaps. Not sure.

I actually don't remember; 3/4" or 1" I think. Wasn't concerned as the existing table would provide supportive strength. Just want to improve the appearance. I may end up buying the board and abandoning the project if I am not sure that it will.

[DerbyDad03]

If you dress up the edge of the new shelving, won't you still see the edge of the old table top, i.e. a seam and 2 different colors/material?

Perhaps consider a piece of trim wide enough to cover both edges and hide the seam. Wood (eventually painted white) or vinyl should work.

[clare]

Assuming you don't already have a laminate trimmer bit for your router - but the razor blade tool does work for the melamine edge trim.

[clare]

It also has a bad habit of coming off - - -

[Micky]

I don't know if they sell it in white or in white that will sufficiently match your white, but I have a formica counter top that is connected to nothing else. It sits on two little dressers and is my work bench. It has no finish on the end but I bought a roll of brown wood grain stick on stuff, and it lasted 20+ years before it started to fall off. It's still parly on and I intend to glue the rest back on. I still halve the roll but it required trimming, so gluing should be easier.

[Micky]

Yeah, tThis is pretty much what I was suggesting in the post which is now at the end of the thread.

[Tekkie®]

[e-mail] posted for all of us...

+1 What I would do.

[Tekkie®]

[e-mail] posted for all of us...

Especially when you catch it with a piece of clothing. Of course if one likes a flame pattern...

[hrhofmann]

You could cut 45 degree ends and put 45 degree pieces on each end, but then you would have two 45 degree cuts in the top surfaces at each end, but the actual ends edges would be finished.