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After reading up a
bit on creating laminate countertops, I purchased a nice pattern
locally and began my project. There are (4) total countertops that I
have to build. I felt the (2) smaller counters would make the perfect guinea pigs
on which to practice. Here I'm using
contact cement to bond the laminate (upside down in the picture) to the
particle board. |
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I used a J-roller
to bond the laminate to the particle board. I then used a flush trim
router bit to trim off the excess and square up the counters. The
laminate pattern looks like quartz stone however difficult to see in
the picture. |
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Here I'm using
biscuits to glue some oak edge banding that I ripped from 8' planks.
After the glue sets I'll use my round-over bit to take the sharp edges off
and give it a nice finished look. |
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I've put some
masking tape over the laminate for protection before I finish the oak.
I used a blend of 1/3 boiled linseed oil, 1/3 naptha & 1/3 marine varnish
for the first coat that you're looking at here. That concoction
really makes the wood grain "pop". I'll finish that off
with another 3 coats of marine varnish for durability. |
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Now it's time to
build the main breakfast bar countertop. It's really quite large and
will take 3 separate pieces of particle board. I use biscuits and
glue to make the large sheet. |
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| I use
special adhesive rollers to spread the contact cement on both the laminate
and the particle board. The smell reminded me of the glue I used to
use to build models as a kid. |
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| I put
down a second coat of glue before bonding to insure a good bond. |
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| Next,
because these pieces will bond IMMEDIATELY, I have to place sticks in
between both pieces while I position the laminate. |
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| I
start rolling from the middle of the piece to the edges pulling out the
wooden sticks as I go. |
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Here's a look at the breakfast bar before the countertop is installed.
You can see the little countertop that goes over the dishwasher.
It's just a dry-fit at this point. |
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| I
carried the countertop in to dry-fit and get ready for the finish to be
applied to the oak edging. You can see that I doubled up the
particle board on the breakfast bar overhang. I wanted a little more
stability for the overhang and it really tied the whole thing together
nicely. |
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| Same
piece, just a front view this time. |
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| This
is as I'm putting the finish on. I really love the oak wood grain. |
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| My
final countertop will be this one for over the sink. It's kind of a
tricky cut as I've built the corner cabinet at a 135 degree angle. |
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Here's the countertop post-laminate application and pre-edge routing. |
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| I'm
gluing the oak edge banding here. Had to devise a 45 angle cut in a
piece of scrap to use my clamps on the corner piece. Worked out
pretty well. Once installed, I'll have to cut out for the sink.
That should do it. Then it's on to tiling the backsplash. |
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| I've
set the counter in for a dry-fit and to measure and mark for the new sink.
Fit like a glove by the way. |
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| This
is after the sink cut-out and countertop installation. |
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| Spent
the day plumbing in the new sink, faucet and garbage disposal.
Not to mention the dishwasher that you can see on the right. I'm
happy to report it all works great and nothing leaks. |
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Here's a blurry pic after installation. I've really got to check the
settings on my camera. Anyway, this gives you a good idea of how the
kitchen is shaping up. |
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| I'm really pleased
with the way the countertops turned out. All told, including new
tools, I spent roughly $400 to make and install my own countertops. Much, much better
than the bid quotes I was receiving.
Click here to see my next project: "tiling the backsplash" |
