Edge Banding

[ste6168]

Can someone school me on edge-banding? I have never used it, any of it. I see the stuff at Lowes, about $7 a roll, and stuff online for much more... Is there a quality difference, or are you paying for convenience?


I am building a really simple nightstand, out of mostly leftover materials, for my daughter. She has some older Ikea furniture in her room (was actually mine, bought about 10/15 years ago) that is solid pine. My mom recently painted the two dressers, and I am building a nightstand to match. That said, since this is nothing special furniture wise, I decided to just make the drawer boxes from 3/4" ply, pocket screwed/glued... Trying to determine whether to just round over the top edges a bit, edge band them, or put a thin piece of hardwood (or pine) around the lip (similar to the top, in the picture).

 

[drumley]

I have used the edge banding from Lowes / Home depot with success. I believe it is oak or something like oak with adhesive applied to the back and you iron it on. I use an old iron I picked up at Goodwill for a couple of bucks. It's a fairly good match for the imported plywood that the big box stores carry and goes on easily.

I haven't used any of the higher priced edge banding from the internet so I really can't give any opinions on that.

 

[JimD]

If you are going to paint it, you may be able to just fill the edge and paint. I have been using ZAR putty recently and I have been pretty impressed. You might try this on a scrap and see what you think.

I have used the iron on edge banding and it works. But it is hard to get the edges completely adhered and if you do not, it gets snagged and a piece comes off. I do not think it's a function of the supplier, I think it is an issue with a very thin veneer going onto a less than perfect substrate in a less than perfect manner. Paint would probably help the situation - by helping to fill any small imperfections.

 

[Jeff]

I've used the iron on edge banding too but don't care for it. My preference is solid wood edge banding and it can be cut on the table saw, glued on, and then trimmed flush. Use any wood that you have available. Will the drawers be painted? Here's an introduction to edge banding.

33 – On the Edge

A review of the different methods for covering plywood edges.

www.thewoodwhisperer.com

 

[junquecol]

For drawers, try to use 1/2" ply (baltic birch preferred,) with rounded tops. The rolls on line are usually 250'. I have a Hot Air edge bander, but I find an iron to be quicker. As soon as you iron it on, you use a rubber roller to set. For trimming ends, I use a pair of aviation snips to get it close. On the sides, I use a sharp chisel that rides along the face of the panels. Then I break the edges with a piece of sand paper glued to a block

 

[Rwe2156]

Yes, an applied thicker edge band is much better than the iron on stuff.

I only use the iron on for drawer and cabinet edges.

 

[ste6168]

Thanks all. I may pickup a roll of the stuff from Lowes just to play with. I am making these drawers from 3/4" ply, with 1/2" ply (the pre-primed stuff from Lowes) in a rabbet for the bottom. I am trying to just whip this piece together from stuff I have laying around the shop already, rather than buying material, to clear some clutter and also because I am not sure how long it will be truly in use...

What I may end up doing is just putting a hardwood band around the top edge and using a flush trim bit to flush it up. I will post pictures of the finished project, either way.

 

[Rwe2156]

I don’t always have the desired results flush trimming edge banding. Flush trimming edge banding with a router can be a dicey operation. Although oh certainly can make a router table fence fence allows you to do it, I thought I would mention another way I like to do it.

You make an 8-10” high auxiliary fence about 1” off the table (Willian Ng has a good video on how to build one.)

Adjust fence so the blade is just a inside the fence surface and raise it until it just goes into fence bottom. Run your panels thru vertically and then you just have a bit to plane off with your #4.

Just thought I’d mention it that aux fence is with looking into for me it comes in handy for other operations such as raising a panel, making a tenon or any operation where you need to hold a board vertical to the blade.

 

[Gofor]

I have found a sharp block plane set to a very fine cut the best tool to flush trim edge banding.

 

[ste6168]

I don’t always have the desired results flush trimming edge banding. Flush trimming edge banding with a router can be a dicey operation. Although oh certainly can make a router table fence fence allows you to do it, I thought I would mention another way I like to do it.

You make an 8-10” high auxiliary fence about 1” off the table (Willian Ng has a good video on how to build one.)

Adjust fence so the blade is just a inside the fence surface and raise it until it just goes into fence bottom. Run your panels thru vertically and then you just have a bit to plane off with your #4.

Just thought I’d mention it that aux fence is with looking into for me it comes in handy for other operations such as raising a panel, making a tenon or any operation where you need to hold a board vertical to the blade.

That is a GREAT idea, and would work for hardwood edge banding, as well is iron-on edge banding. I have always struggled with a "good" way to trim hardwood edge banding, but I think I just found my new method. Thanks!

 

[golfdad]

I have only used the Glue on edge banding from Klingspors with very good success. I always Trim with a trim router and a sharp bit.

 

[JimD]

I prefer solid, at least 1/8 thick, edge banding but I have used iron on. I have a simple plastic tool that works like a plane to trim it. To secure the thicker stuff, I use glue and pin nails. On a recent project, I also used painters tape to help keep it in place while the glue dried. The solid stuff can be trimmed with a router but I don't like to do it because I have damaged the face of the plywood. I like to get the banding very close to the plywood thickness so that I can just sand it or use a swipe or two of a block plane. A plane will work on the think stuff but you have to pay attention to the grain. Oak especially. You can dig in and remove a lot more than you intended.

 

[Pop Golden]

If your'e going to paint it, I use screen door trim (3/4 X 1/4 +-) for my shop cabinets. I glue & pin nail it. The paint should fill the small pin holes.

Pop