need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is about 6'
long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I repair? should i pull
the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue the portion that has come
loose? how do i remove old contact cement?

wrote:
need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is
about 6' long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I
repair? should i pull the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue
the portion that has come loose? how do i remove old contact cement?

If you want to get it off in one piece, just heat it up with an iron like
the one used on clothes. Put a cloth over the piece and work it loose. Then
recoat and re-attatch.

R

"Roanin" wrote:



wrote:
need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is
about 6' long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I
repair? should i pull the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue
the portion that has come loose? how do i remove old contact cement?

If you want to get it off in one piece, just heat it up with an iron like
the one used on clothes. Put a cloth over the piece and work it loose. Then
recoat and re-attatch.

I'd try the iron on the un-stuck piece first. Some of that old
glue was heat sensitive. It might just melt and heal the boo-boo.

If that failed, I'd try to glue the end on without removing the whole
thing.

I haven't tried this-- and thought it was a joke name when someone
up-thread posted it. . . but it is real and looks like it might
work;
http://stickyassglue.com/

Jim

On Dec 11, 3:59*pm, wrote:
need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is about 6'
long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I repair? should i pull
the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue the portion that has come
loose? *how do i remove old contact cement?

Are you referring to the top or the 2" tall edging piece? If it is
the edging, I would try some crazy glue dripped into the crack. If
the edging is totally loose alomg that 2' stretch, you could apply the
crazy glue directly to the surface except where the piece is still
adhering. If it is the top that is loose, I would try ironing it down
first as others have suggested. You need to get it hot enough to melt
the old contact cement, but not burn the surface of the formica. Try
racheting up the heat a little at a time, and iron thru some clean
white paper towels to prevent scorching and scratching the formica. I
have done this a couple of times on various surfaces and lucked out
both times.

wrote in message
...
need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is about 6'
long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I repair? should i
pull
the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue the portion that has come
loose? how do i remove old contact cement?

I have not had good luck in regluing veneer or plastic laminate with
contact cement unless I was able to get all the old glue off and had a
really good way to clamp the veneer into position such that pressure was
applied over the whole surface. I have had better success in regluing with
epoxy. Try using quick-set epoxy and you won't have to worry as much about
clamping.

To remove the old glue, try using a hydrocarbon solvent like mineral
spirits and a lot of disposable cloths.

Good Luck.

On Dec 13, 2:22*pm, "Baron" wrote:
wrote in message

...

need to re-glue formica edge of old bathroom vanity. The strip is about 6'
long, and about 2' of one end has come loose. how do I repair? should i
pull
the whole strip off and re-glue or just glue the portion that has come
loose? *how do i remove old contact cement?

* * I have not had good luck in regluing veneer or plastic laminate with
contact cement unless I was able to get all the old glue off and had a
really good way to clamp the veneer into position such that pressure was
applied over the whole surface. *I have had better success in regluing with
epoxy. *Try using quick-set epoxy and you won't have to worry as much about
clamping.

* * To remove the old glue, try using a hydrocarbon solvent like mineral
spirits and a lot of disposable cloths.

Good Luck.

..."a really good way to clamp the veneer into position such that
pressure was applied over the whole surface."

I have often used the "reverse" of clamping to hold things in place.

If I can't get a clamp around something, I'll make a long T out some 2
x 4's and wedge one end against a wall or some other solid object to
apply pressure where I need it.

For example, I was using some silicon adhesive to install some vinyl
base molding and one section kept bowing out. I made a T, jammed it
against the toilet and left it in place until the adhesive dried.

I've used the same method to hold a form against a concrete foundation
wall so I could pour a repair patch in my garage, jamming the T
against the opposite wall.

..."a really good way to clamp the veneer into position such that
pressure was applied over the whole surface."

I have often used the "reverse" of clamping to hold things in place.

If I can't get a clamp around something, I'll make a long T out some 2
x 4's and wedge one end against a wall or some other solid object to
apply pressure where I need it.

For example, I was using some silicon adhesive to install some vinyl
base molding and one section kept bowing out. I made a T, jammed it
against the toilet and left it in place until the adhesive dried.

I've used the same method to hold a form against a concrete foundation
wall so I could pour a repair patch in my garage, jamming the T
against the opposite wall.

Excellent jig for this situation. I was thinking more about regluing
veneer when the surface is not a relatively thin straight strip. In those
cases, I try to use a vacuum press or make a caul but unless the piece is an
easy one to fix, I don't have much luck.