Furniture edges - a tape material that protects our lungs from toxic fumes during the operation of interior items made of chipboard, MDF and laminated chipboard. Modern technologies that are implemented in the manufacture of furniture can minimize the use of harmful components. However, it is still better to close the ends with a special edge.
Currently, a wide variety of furniture edges are available to the consumer audience. Individual varieties differ according to the material of manufacture, installation method and cost. Among other things, each facing means has its obvious pros and cons. Let's take a closer look at the types of furniture edges.
Destination
In addition to giving furniture aesthetic qualities, furniture edges allow you to protect the ends of products made of chipboard, MDF, and other common materials from the harmful effects of moisture. It is through the ends that insects, microorganisms, fungal spores penetrate into the inner layers of wood, which accelerate the process of decomposition of materials. Furniture edges alloweliminate the above manifestations.
Application areas
Furniture edges have been successfully used for the following interior items:
- countertops, kitchen and office tables;
- top covers of mobile and side cabinets;
- sides and bottoms of cabinets;
- ends of hinged shelves, drawers, pedestals.
Melamine edging
This self-adhesive furniture edge is a paper-based facing material. Products of this category are treated with impregnations in the form of melamine resins. It is the latter that endow the edges with protective qualities.
Based on the number of layers used in the production of paper, multi-layer and single-layer melamine end tapes are distinguished.
If we talk about the advantages of the edges of this category, first of all it is worth noting the widest range of available options. Thanks to this, the consumer gets the opportunity to choose exactly the end tape, the shade and parameters of which most closely match the existing needs.
When pasting furniture with melamine edges, there is no need to use expensive equipment. For installation, it is enough to use an ordinary household iron. Any housewife can cope with such a task.
The disadvantage of melamine tapes is their low thickness (from 4 to 6 mm). This implies the inability of the material to withstand significant mechanical stress. Due to the paper structure, such edges are not effective enoughprotect furniture ends from moisture penetration.
PVC furniture edge
This type of end tape is much more durable and resistant to all kinds of external influences compared to the previous solution. The material is produced in two versions - 2 and 4 mm thick. Thin tapes are usually used for decorative processing of the ends, which remain in sight. 4 mm edges are applied to hidden surfaces where there is an increased risk of damage.
For the installation of edges made of PVC, the use of special machines is required. Therefore, the processing of furniture with the help of such tapes is carried out only in the conditions of production workshops.
Advantage of PVC edging:
- durability and wear resistance;
- effective protection of furniture ends from mechanical stress and moisture;
- resistance to acids, alkalis, fats and s alt solutions;
- absolute incombustibility.
As for the disadvantages of polyvinyl chloride edges, here we can highlight the lack of the possibility for self-processing of furniture ends at home, as well as some difficulties in obtaining perfectly smooth, glossy surfaces.
ABS edging
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is an extremely durable, highly durable cladding material that does not contain chlorine. Therefore, edges made from this base are widely used in the furniture industry due to theirsecurity.
ABS has a more pliable, softer texture than PVC. The material is easy to process, does not accumulate static electricity, and the process of cutting it is not hindered by the sticking of small chips.
ABS Edge Benefits:
- preservation of the original, saturated shade throughout the entire service life;
- presence of a perfectly smooth surface;
- no toxic fumes during processing and heating.
The only downside to ABS edging is that it is quite expensive compared to the same melamine products and PVC facing tapes.
Acrylic edging
What does such a furniture edge look like? A photo of such products indicates their multilayer structure. The lower part contains a decorative finish or pattern. The top layer is presented in the form of transparent plastic. Thanks to this structure, the effect of a three-dimensional image is created. It is for this reason that acrylic products are also called 3D edging.
Among the advantages of such products are a high level of rigidity and resistance to mechanical stress. Acrylic edges successfully protect the ends of furniture from scratches, bumps and chips. The main disadvantage here is the high price.
Softforming and postforming edge
Considering furniture edges, what materials are used for this purpose, it is impossible not to note the options with surface treatment by softforming and postforming. These solutions allow you to give the endsfurniture, countertops and facades absolute tightness.
Materials of this category have different thicknesses and are sold by running meters. Edges that can be cut for sale are sealed with PVC or aluminum joining strips.
In general, there is no particular difference in the characteristics of these materials. The only difference is the possibility of laminating embossed surfaces that have been processed with softforming edges.
How to glue the furniture edge?
The use of melamine edges allows you to independently process furniture ends at home. The material is seated on the glue, after which it is fixed by processing with a hot iron. Such a solution is quite acceptable when it is necessary to carry out a quick, relatively cheap repair of old furniture.
The work is carried out in several stages:
- To begin with, any old Soviet iron is heated up. In addition to it, a knife, fine sandpaper, and a rag are required.
- The edge is trimmed with a margin of a few centimeters. The segment is applied to the furniture end, pre-treated with glue, after which it is heated with an iron.
- After melting the adhesive, the edging tape is pressed firmly with a rag.
- As soon as the material is firmly fixed on the surface, all excess is cut off. First, the end parts are removed and only after that - the longitudinal ones.
- Finishing the surfaces with sandpaper.
When trimming excessedges, it is recommended to hold the knife at an angle. Blade movements must be directed at the material, not outward, to avoid lagging behind the surfaces.
To ensure the convenience of doing work, it is advisable to find a knife with a sharp blade that will not leave burrs. In the process of cutting, care must be taken not to remove excess.
Using the same iron, it is convenient to clean surfaces from the remnants of the old edge tape. To do this, it is enough to warm up the plane of the device well, walk along the end and pry off the unnecessary tape with a spatula or knife.
In the end
If the main task in the manufacture of furniture is to obtain the highest quality result, it is better to resort to factory edge trimming. When only cosmetic repairs of old interior items are on the agenda, you can limit yourself to self-pasting surfaces with colored tapes. Fortunately, today there is a wide variety of edges on sale that imitate natural materials and are distinguished by a whole mass of original shades.
