The edge in furniture production is necessary to protect the end edges of the product from chips, cracks and other damage, and it also protects against moisture and formaldehyde vapor.

You will learn about what edges are, as well as how to glue them and how to glue an edge with an iron and a hairdryer, from this article.

Types of edges - why are they needed

1. The most common type is melamine edge with paper based adhesive. It is applied to finishing of internal sites of furniture. Affordable, inexpensive, but not the best quality option. Does not tolerate moisture, wears out quickly. Easy to stick at home with a simple iron.
2. T-shaped flexible profile - is a T-shaped bar, it is inserted into a slot in the side of the chipboard or MDF. It is convenient to replace the damaged element in the future without disassembling the furniture. Installation requires a milling machine.
3. PVC edging - reliably protects the ends of furniture from damage, is wear-resistant, resistant to moisture. Gluing PVC edging will require an edger, so using this type of edge at home is difficult.
4. ABS plastic is an eco-friendly, chlorine-free option. Valued for resistance to high temperatures and physical damage.

All options can be divided into two subspecies - edges without glue and with glue.

The average cost of a profile per linear meter:

• PVC 0.4 mm thick - about 25 rubles,
• PVC 2 mm thick - about 40 rubles,
• Melamine material for chipboard - about 25 rubles.

In our country, products from Rehau are actively used, which offers a large selection of colors, as well as different tape widths from 15 to 45 mm.

To simplify the work, you can use various specialized furniture programs that will calculate how much material is needed to glue the edges.

PVC edge - how to glue in stages at home

For work you will need:

• iron or building hair dryer,
• and of course buy a PVC edge with glue
• hard roller,
• newspaper or paper sheet

The material is heated to make the adhesive sticky. Heating is performed with an iron in the "Synthetics" mode.

• The profile is applied to the end in such a way that it overlaps the end of the section.
• Next, the iron again performs heating through the newspaper. Since the glue dissolves quickly, the process is quite active, and it is convenient to move the iron along the PVC edge.
• The edge itself must be carefully pressed and ironed until it sticks along the entire length.

1. Bonding with a building hair dryer. Instead of an iron, you can use a building hair dryer. The PVC edge is heated from the adhesive side and when the composition becomes sticky, the material is applied to the end of the desired area, clamped and gently smoothed.
2. Gluing with glue "Moment". This method is suitable if there is no adhesive layer on the edge. The quality of the butt is checked manually, sawdust, rubbish, dust are removed until the surface is clean. Then glue is applied to both the material and the end and wait until it sets. After that, apply and press. Using a roller, the area is rolled so that the glue grabs faster.

VIDEO

How to remove excess material

If it was not possible to carefully glue the edge the first time, the procedure will have to be repeated. To do this, glue is again applied to the area and the profile is clamped with a roller or manually.

Since usually the width of the PVC edges is taken with a margin, you need to carefully remove the excess along the edges. To do this, use a regular clerical knife or file. It is taken with both hands and pressed on the protruding fragment. As a result, the excess parts are broken off and an edge remains that matches the width of the site.

Shutdown

After everything is glued, it remains to process the bumps with sandpaper.

How to glue an edge on chipboard - a description

Melamine edging is the best option for home use when you need to refurbish old furniture with minimal cost. If the furniture is expensive, it is better to turn to professionals who use other more expensive and high-quality material.

Consider, how to glue the edge on a chipboard tabletop at home.

GREAT VIDEO RELATED TO THE TOPIC

To work, you will need the following materials:

• skin,
• sharply sharpened knife-jamb,
• wallpaper roller,
• melamine edge,
• building hair dryer or iron.

Action algorithm:

1. select the operating mode of the iron so that it does not get too hot and does not burn the chipboard and at the same time ensures proper melting of the glue,
2. process the edges of the chipboard for gluing with sandpaper, eliminate irregularities,
3. measure the profile
4. heat it with an iron and press it firmly against the area with a roller (if there is no adhesive layer, you will need to apply glue to the edge yourself, for example, Moment glue),
5. cut off the hanging edges of the edge with a knife.

It is necessary to cut at an angle along the edge, slightly wringing the material. Then it remains to sand the edges so that there are no burrs and irregularities.

If the cut of the edge and the chipboard itself are slightly different, the stain will help correct the difference.

In the case when the part has a complex shape, and the edge of the surface is characterized by complex relief, it is not always possible to glue the material evenly the first time. In such a situation, it is worth contacting professionals so as not to spoil the product.

Types of edge glue

What glue to choose for the edge

Furniture professionals actively use hot melt adhesives for edging. They are convenient if the production will be put on stream, and both high quality results and fast speed are required.

Hot melt adhesives are thermoplastics, which means that when heated they become very elastic and when cooled they harden quickly. The polymer of ethylene with vinyl acetate, which is part of the adhesive, is responsible for these properties. The disadvantage of using is the need to use special equipment, namely the appropriate machines or hand guns for applying glue to parts and heating it.

1. In domestic conditions, PVC glue is often used, which sticks paper materials well to various surfaces. Homogeneous without lumps of light color, the mass glues surfaces well, but is afraid of moisture. Does not require application additional equipment, therefore it is convenient for operation by non-professional craftsmen.
2. Suitable universal adhesives "Moment and" 88-lux"Which will securely glue the material to the surface of chipboard and PVC. After 3-4 hours the product can be used. Adhesives are inexpensive, safe and available.
3. From professional furniture glue for the edge, it is worth noting products from Kleiberit. The company offers hot melt adhesives for cladding, for gluing the material using the soft-forming method (in case the surface is embossed), as well as for cladding.

Often, due to furniture design errors or other reasons, it is necessary to glue the edge on the laminated chipboard. Sticking a traditional plastic edge at home is almost impossible, especially without special equipment. The melamine edge saves, since there are enough colors for it. Let's see how a melamine edge sticker is made and what it is all about.

Without going into details of what the melamine edge itself is made of, we can say that it is a tape on which glue is applied. At the same time, the glue is thermal, so just sticking it will not work. At the same time, thanks to the thermal adhesive on the laminated chipboard, it holds well.

Fig.1.

Before proceeding to the description of the process of gluing the melamine edge, a few words about essential tool and preparation of the chipboard end. To apply a melamine edge, you will need construction hair dryer, a knife and a pair of construction gloves.

Fig.2.

The end of the chipboard plate must be clean and even., without sawdust and flaking parts. Otherwise, the edge will stick not to the chipboard, but to them and it will not stick well. The best end face is obtained after milling or sawing on the machine. Further, the photo will show the butt of poor quality, it’s just that there wasn’t anything better at hand.

Fig.3.

The melamine edge sticker is started by cutting a strip of the desired length from the main roll or slightly longer than required. In this case, the end that will be glued first must be trimmed. You can do this with regular scissors.

Next, apply the edge to the end of the chipboard. It should be noted that the melamine edge is produced in a width of 20 mm, i.e. it is wider than chipboard. Therefore, at this stage it is important to align it along one edge, as in the photo.

Fig.4.

Please note, on the other side of the chipboard, the edge protrudes. In the future, it must be cut.

Fig.5.

Next comes the hair dryer. A temperature of 250 degrees is sufficient for gluing a melamine edge. The edge is heated with a hair dryer, thereby melting the glue. A characteristic sign that the adhesive has melted is the moment when the edge loses its curved shape, after being in the roll, and becomes straight. Then she simply presses against the end of the chipboard with her hands. This must be done with gloves, because. hot edge.

There are several features that should be mentioned.

Edge bonding should be done in a warm room., this will ensure a slower curing of the glue. Accordingly, there will be more time to correct the situation.

It is necessary to warm up the melamine edge not along the entire length, but 20-30 cm each. It is easier to work this way, and the glue does not have time to harden until the edge is pressed against the chipboard end. So, on average, an end face 60 cm long is glued in 3 approaches. The first - the beginning of the edge is glued, the second - the middle part of the edge, the third - the end of the edge.

Do not forget that the air temperature from the hair dryer is about 250 degrees, so you need to work carefully and Do not point the hair dryer at your hands or other objects.

Fig.6.

There are many options on the Internet on how to glue an edge. For example, heat it with an iron. In my opinion, this is not advisable. Sometimes, when overheated, the glue flows out from under the edge, and most likely it can ruin the iron, and it costs more than a hair dryer. It is also suggested to cool the edge different ways. This is also not advisable, because. at a room temperature of 25 degrees, the edge cools down until the glue hardens in a few seconds, and in my opinion it is not advisable to come up with additional operations.

The last step is trimming the melamine edging.

Fig.7.

In this case, I cut it with an ordinary kitchen knife, there was simply nothing else at hand. The result is not the best. A sharp knife with a thick blade, such as a cobbler's knife, gives a good result. The knife should be placed at an angle to the edge of the order of 30-45 degrees from the bottom side. The best result is given by a special device for trimming melamine edges, but I personally did not manage to get it.

In conclusion, I will say one more thing. interesting feature. As you can see in the photo, the edge cut has White color that against the background of cherry color does not look very good. You can fix this with a water-based wood stain. You just need to moisten a rag in the stain and wipe the cut with it, remove the excess. For example, mahogany stain is well suited for cherry-colored chipboard.

The edge is used to protect the end edges of parts made of MDF, chipboard, PVC from abrasion, moisture and impact. This finish performs a decorative function, as well as endows the edges and corners of furniture with strength and protects people from harmful influence a substance such as formaldehyde, which is used in the production of pressed wood boards.

If the border is damaged or peeled off, it is necessary to urgent repair. And in this case, the primary task is the selection of material and adhesive for PVC edges, melamine paper or other materials.

Edge Varieties

From the variety of edges you have to choose the most suitable.

Melamine

It is made in the form of a self-adhesive tape made of decorative paper impregnated with melamine resins. Typically used for interior decoration furniture. This is a budget option for an edge for chipboard, which is not characterized by high quality. It has a short service life, is susceptible to moisture and often disappears by itself over time.

Undoubted positive property melamine edge is the ease of gluing it, you can do it yourself at home using a regular iron. The second advantage is the absence of a side, a curb protruding above the edged surface, which sometimes annoys when it gets under the hands when working with the keyboard, and also prevents sweeping away small debris, for example, crumbs from the dining table in the office.

Represents a flexible tape with the bent edges which form a side. This edging is made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The types of edging differ in width and profile: in cross section, the edge resembles either the letter “t” (T-shaped) or the letter “p” (P-shaped).

The latter is easier to attach, but less reliable, masters do not recommend using it on surfaces that are often subjected to friction: on the seats of stools or benches, on the front edge computer desk, which is constantly in contact with the forearms.

PVC edging increases the durability, wear resistance of furniture parts, reliably protects edges and corners from damage.

The border is similar to the previous type of edge tape, but more environmentally friendly. Made from chlorine-free plastic. Has found successful application in furniture production, thanks to heat resistance and impact resistance.

How to glue melamine edging

If you want to update old furniture and at the same time save money, use a melamine edge with glue. Sticking it, for example, on the countertop is easy:

1. Cut off a piece of tape with a margin of about two centimeters.
2. Attach the adhesive side to the countertop and press with a hot iron or heat with a building hair dryer.
3. Hold to melt the glue words.
4. Move the iron along the edge gradually, preferably no more than 0.5 cm at a time.
5. Immediately after warming up and removing the iron, press the edge strip with a dry cloth and hold to fix it.

Advice! Also, an iron or hair dryer will help you remove the old edge tape. Just heat and remove with a knife or thin spatula.

Fixing PVC and ABS piping

Plastic edging tapes, theoretically, can be simply fixed on the edge of the furniture, but this is extremely unreliable. Additional fixation with glue is preferred.

To attach the T-profile, you will have to lay a recess along the entire edge to be processed. The easiest way to do this milling machine. If you have the skill, it will be replaced by a drill with a circular nozzle. However, in general, the profile is intended for professionals.

For fixation PVC edges or ABS at home use PVC glue, as well as the universal compounds "Moment" and "88-Lux", it is desirable that they be marked "for PVC" or "for ABS".

Professionals use hot melt adhesives, which are part of a range of thermoplastics. When heated, they acquire high elasticity, and when cooled, they instantly turn into a solid state. The high fluidity and drying strength of the adhesives are due to the ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer contained in them. The main disadvantage of hot melt adhesives, of course, is the need for appropriate equipment for the job.

When working with any border, try to calculate the pasting sequence so as to avoid joints. Bend around the corners with a profile - it is desirable that they be rounded. If the corners are normal, a thick (PVC or ABS) profile will not go around them, and the melamine edge will most likely break. In this case, joints will have to be made at the corners, which at the end must be processed with sandpaper so that they are smooth. If you run your hand along the edge of the part, then the roughness should not be felt.

Advice! You can get rid of excess edging tape with a very sharp knife, and the ends are cut first. Be careful not to accidentally damage the corners of the furniture. The direction of the knife should be inside the part.

If the factory edge is damaged or partially fallen off, remove it and replace with a new one. A little effort, and the table is like new!

For pieces of furniture made of laminated chipboard, the edges without processing do not look very aesthetically pleasing. In addition, formaldehyde resin, which holds the chips together in the board, can be a source of harmful fumes. To avoid these problems, use a special furniture profile or edge. For gluing the edges, special equipment is usually used, but this task can be handled independently at home. So, the edge for the countertop with glue - how to glue? We'll talk about this.

Types of furniture edges

Chipboard is one of the most common materials in furniture production. The furniture edge is designed to mask the cuts formed after cutting the necessary parts. For the manufacture of decorative strips, various edges are used. They are made from different materials. They also have different features and prices. Before gluing the edge on the countertop, consider the main types of materials.

Paper with melamine

Melamine-impregnated paper edging is the cheapest option. For its manufacture, thick paper impregnated with melamine and varnished is used. For the convenience of edging, an adhesive coating is applied to the reverse side of the film. Working with the material is extremely simple: you need to warm it up and press it well against the furniture end.

Important! Paper edging is not only the cheapest, but also the most short-lived type of finish.

The most common paper tape thicknesses are 0.2 and 0.4 mm. Using a thicker edge is pointless, and the price will increase significantly.

Important! Paper tapes bend well, do not break, but their mechanical strength is extremely low. For this reason, paper edging is used on the back of a shelf or countertop - where there is no heavy load.

PVC

Durable and practical polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has found application in furniture production. A tape is formed from the polymer mass, painted in one color or another. The front surface can be smooth or textured (imitation of wood fibers). There are so many color options that you can choose the right one without much difficulty. At the same time, the price of PVC is more than affordable.

Sticking PVC is very simple, so home craftsmen often use it. You can get good results with simple fixtures. The advantages of PVC tape include:

• High strength.
• Moisture resistance.
• Chemical neutrality to household chemicals.

Thickness furniture edge is 0.4-4.0 mm, with a width of 19-54 mm. Tapes are available with or without adhesive.

Important! Polyvinyl chloride also has a significant minus: a not very wide operating temperature range (-5 - +45 degrees). Therefore, in winter time furniture should not be left outside for a long time (for example, when moving). Care must also be taken when heating the material before gluing, so that it does not melt.

ABS (ABC) plastic

This is an environmentally friendly material that does not contain impurities harmful to health. It is durable and practical, resistant to significant temperature changes. It has one drawback - a relatively high cost.

Important! ABC tape can be matte, semi-gloss or glossy. There is a furniture tape that imitates different types of wood.

Veneer

This is the thinnest wood cut, processed and shaped like a ribbon. It is used when finishing the edges of veneer products. The material is expensive and quite difficult to use. The sticker of this material requires certain skills, so it is advisable to turn to the masters.

Acrylic

The reverse side of the tape has a pattern, and a transparent acrylic layer creates a three-dimensional effect. Therefore, it is also known as 3D. This option is suitable for furniture with an original design.

Profiles

In addition to the edges, a special T-shaped or U-shaped profile is used for furniture finishing. For T-shaped profiles, a groove is formed in the edge. The profile itself is hammered into the groove with a mallet. There are profiles in 14 and 16 mm made of plastic or aluminum. Installation of a profile with a U-shaped section is carried out on a special glue.

Important! The disadvantage of this type of finish is that they are of little use for curved surfaces.

How to glue the edge on the tabletop with your own hands?

There are 2 types of gluing:

• The first one refers to materials with an adhesive applied.
• The second concerns gluing tapes without an adhesive layer.

Important! In the latter case, they acquire a universal glue that glues edging, wood and plastic equally well.

Now about how thick the material to choose. According to the canons of GOST, edges that are not visible can not be processed. But it’s better not to be too lazy and trim all the cuts. This is necessary to avoid absorption of moisture by chipboard and evaporation of formaldehyde:

• For the treatment of inconspicuous areas, PVC tape with a thickness of 0.4 mm is used.
• On the “front” edges, a PVC tape 2 mm thick is used.
• For shelves - 1 mm.

Self-adhesive adhesive tape

Start working with thin edges. To begin with, consider the installation of melamine or PVC tape. Consider how to glue the edge on the chipboard with an iron. To do this, you will need scissors and an ordinary iron with a fluoroplastic nozzle. The procedure is as follows:

1. Cut off a piece of tape with a margin of 1.5-2.0 cm.
2. Put the iron on the “deuce”.
3. Attach the edge to the surface to be treated, level it so that small pieces hang down along the edges.
4. Iron the ribbon through the nozzle. If there is no nozzle, you can use soft textiles.
5. After the edge has dried, trim the edges. To make them look as even as possible, process them with a manual router.

Important! Trimming the edges must be done with the utmost care. The material is thin, all defects are very noticeable.

Edging with PVC tape without adhesive

To stick a PVC tape without a special layer, you will need a universal glue for PVC edges to furniture (for example, “Moment”) and a piece of soft textile:

1. Be sure to read the instructions for the adhesive first.
2. Now apply glue to the tape, wait for the time indicated in the instructions, then connect the surfaces to be glued.
3. To press the surfaces more tightly, use a block of wood or a soft cloth.
4. Press down on the tape in a stroking motion for better adhesion.
5. After the glue has completely hardened, you can align the edges.

Carpentry knife. In principle, also absolutely any, but not necessarily very sharp. Otherwise, there is a high probability of cutting the laminated layer on the chipboard itself.

Here are the details that need to be done. Of course, if such gluing of the edge is not a single character. So guide. The width between the jaws is 18 mm, since the standard sheet is exactly 16 mm thick.

Bar with a layer of soft fabric. I folded several layers of cashmere from an old coat, such a product has been serving faithfully for more than one year.

And the handle-knob is just for ease of use.

And the same is on the bar with sandpaper.

True, it just had to be changed several times over the years several times, so short self-tapping screws with a large cap for fixing are just ideal.

That's it, let's get started.
We heat the iron strongly. As we iron the linen, we heat the edge, and then we rub it with a bar with a cloth with effort. She stuck, but her size is larger,

therefore, we cut it off with a knife, always from ourselves, and we start from the middle.

So we cut off from all sides. We glue the edge on the other sides of the part.

Now we clean off the remnants with a bar with sandpaper (do not get carried away, hold it once, without pressing, there will be plenty). One piece is ready

we do the same with the rest.
Moreover, peeling off this paper edge is as easy as shelling pears: we heat it again with an iron and remove the damaged or simply unnecessary paper edge for some reason.

That's all wisdom.