Many people assemble their own furniture for home, office. In the course of work, they often have the question of how to glue the edge tape. It happens that such material is needed when furniture manufacturers made a design mistake, and buyers are trying to correct the shortcomings with their own hands. Before gluing the edge tape on the chipboard, you must read the instructions. You should find out what tools are needed for this kind of operation. In today's article, we will look at all these nuances.
Features of melamine tape
It is almost impossible to stick a standard plastic edge at home on your own. This will require special equipment. In such situations, melamine tape helps, which can be produced in various colors. Many people have a question about how to glue melamine edging tape with glue. An edge of this type cannot simply be glued, since a thermal composition is applied to it. Its main advantage isthat it holds perfectly on chipboard. If it is heated, it covers well even irregularities. It is ideal for working with surfaces that have a small radius of curvature. The edge itself is made of paper, after which it is impregnated with special resins. The drawing is done on the front, usually it matches the color of the chipboard. The tape is varnished, so it has good moisture resistance. Please note that the hot melt adhesive is only applied to the inside of the edge.
What tools are needed for the job?
Before gluing the melamine edging tape, you need to prepare the necessary tools. To work you will need:
- Special building hair dryer. It is distinguished by its heating temperature, which reaches 250 degrees. The glue starts to melt. When it cools, the edge is firmly mounted on the surface of the part.
- Construction knife required to remove excess edge.
- Thick gloves.
Preparatory stage
Preparatory work should be carried out before gluing the edge tape. First you need to clean the end of the plate. It is important to check that there are no sawdust or “burrs” left on the surface. If you do not clear the place under the edge, then the tape will not hold well. The adhesion of the product to the surface should be maximum. To make the end of the plate perfectly even, it is better to use a wood cutting machine.
Tape sticker algorithm
Toto understand how to glue the edge tape for furniture, you must follow a certain algorithm exactly. From the roll you need to cut off a part longer than necessary, a few centimeters. The beginning of the segment that is glued must be cut. For this, any scissors that are at home will do.
The edge must be attached to the end of the plate. When people ask how to glue edge tape on chipboard, remember that the edge is wider than the board. It comes in a standard width of 20mm. It will be somewhat wider than a chipboard sheet. It needs to be leveled. It is best to cut along one edge. The next step is to use glue and install the tape in the right place.
Features of edge bonding
It is worth knowing how to properly glue the edge tape with glue. A strip of a certain length should be applied to the surface of the part. Using a hair dryer, you need to warm up the edge, then press it.
To make it more convenient to glue, you can warm up the edge partially, in segments of twenty centimeters. It is important to keep the temperature of the hair dryer around 250 degrees. Glue under the influence of hot air melts quickly. But in order to reach such high temperatures, it is advisable to have a building hair dryer.
To understand when the glue started to work, you should look at the strip of the edge. If it stops being curved and straightens, then the glue has melted. It is worth pressing hard on the end of the strip so that it is firmly glued to the base. Do not forget about safety at work. It is recommended to wear gloves, as the edge will be hot after heating the glue. The hair dryer should not be directed at the face and hands. You can easily get burned, so you need to work carefully.
Work should be in a heated room. The glue will harden more slowly than in the cold. The person will have time to correct the unevenness on the edge.
Melamine tape sticks better when partially warmed up, in pieces no larger than twenty centimeters. While the glue hardens, you can have time to eliminate defects and evenly stick the edge. If you need to glue the end of the surface, which is equal to sixty centimeters, it is better to divide the work into three stages. First of all, you should glue the initial segment, then the middle one. The final step is to glue the end of the tape.
Some use an iron to heat the glue. Professionals do not recommend doing this, there is a risk of spoiling the iron, as the glue begins to drain outside the edge when heated. When the surface cools, you need to make sure that it does not swell. It is important that the edge does not move during curing.
How to remove a seam when cutting an edge?
When people learn how to glue edging tape, they wonder how to remove the seam when cutting. Since the selvedge is made of paper, a white seam is unavoidable if part of the tape is cut off. To remove it, use a special stain designed for wood. The agent is absorbed into the edge and becomes a certain color. For each chipboard, you need to individually select a color. For example, if the sheet is presented in the color "cherry", then the stain should be bought in colors"mahogany".
There is a water-based stain. If she wipes a fresh cut, the color of the seam will change. To make the seam not very noticeable, before gluing the edge tape, you need to find a knife with a thick blade. Even a shoe will do. It must be held at a certain angle to the edge. The angle is usually 40 degrees. In hardware stores you can find a special device for cutting edges.
Pro Tips
If bubbles appear on the surface after finishing work, they must be removed in a timely manner. You can heat the area with a hairdryer, while the glue is heated, straighten the surface, thereby removing the bubble. If the edge has shifted, it is also heated with a hairdryer. After that, you need to smooth the area with longitudinal movements of the hand.
Residual adhesive must be removed while the surface is hot. When it hardens, it will be more difficult to remove the excess. It is important to wear gloves.
Masters advise to be sure to glue the edge tape on the chipboard. It increases the strength of the material. Thanks to the tape, the protective impregnation does not evaporate. The use of edging tape for restoration work is recommended.
You can also grind the edge with improvised means, for example, sandpaper. Many use sandpaper for sanding, which has a sticky base.
It is worth buying products only from trusted manufacturers. The Tilit Super and Energoflo tapes have proven themselves well. The cost of the edge tape of these brands will befrom 600 to 700 rubles per meter. It is available to consumers with an average level of income. Ribbons come in a wide range of colors and shades. It's easy to find the right color for your home.
Conclusion
So, we have looked at how to fasten the edge tape. Even a beginner can cope with the gluing process. It is important to strictly follow the recommendations and observe safety rules when working with this type of material.
