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Re: [Shop-talk] Formica counter

To: Brian Kennedy <kennedybc@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Formica counter
From: "Peter J. Thomas" <pj_thomas@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:25:34 -0400
On 7/25/2011 7:56 AM, Brian Kennedy wrote:
> We have a formica countertop that's at least 20 years old, probably more like
> 35 years. Near as we can tell, the countertop is glued down. No nice little
> brackets. We pried up a corner of the formica an don't see any screws or nails
> going in from the top, but that may be the case.
I doubt the sub-straight was nailed/screwed from the top and the 
laminated appied over that.  The fasterners would telegraph though the 
formica.  Most likely either screwed from the underneath and you haven't 
found them yet or it was caulked down.

On an outside corner try driving a thin flexible mudding knife between 
the cabinet and the counter top.  You'll find the fastener pretty quick 
or just cut away the caulk.
> We're concerned that if we pull up the counter top, we'll damage the cupboards
> that are still in good shape.
> We're thinking about going over the existing formica after re-gluing the
> raised corners. Bad idea?
Better than re gluing is to use a clothes iron to reactive the original 
contact cement used to glue down the formica.  Saw this on Ask This Old 
House and it really works. If you try to reglue it you'll never get it 
right.
> Next thought is to remove the existing formica. This one sounds like a lot of
> work and maybe we mess up the countertop?

A clothes iron can also be used to remove old formica.

Never refaced formica though I know you can apply a new layer or tile 
right over the old formica.  You'll have to sand the old formica to give 
it some tooth.  Problem see with this is you still have the 35 year old 
glue holding everything down.
> Any ideas?


> Brian K
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