Can I chamfer the edge of a formica counter before coating?

June 5, 2023 6:15 PM

I.m going to be coating a formica kitchen countertop using a counter kit (something like Rustoleum's counter coating kit). I'd like to chamfer the edge a little to make the finished counter appear more like a solid countertop. Something about the square edge feels less than luxe. Is it possible to get good results using a router, or will I suffer a world of chips?

Since I'll be coating it with multiple coats of the product, minor aesthetic chips are not a problem. I'd like to avoid major chipping. The formica (laminate, not sure if it's technically formica) is worn but is still undamaged and well-adhered to the substrate.

I know routers are used for final edge trimming of laminate so I feel like this won't be a problem, but I'll be removing a little but of the substrate as well and I don't know if that will introduce problems.

I'm talking about maybe 3/16" in/down from the existing corner. So not very much.

I'm trying to give the kitchen a glow-up until we can get some real renovations in a couple years.

posted by under_petticoat_rule to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

If you have a decent quality bit this should be doable, but beware that many will take off the chamfer AND the vertical face, so make sure you’re buying the correct geometry with a length of cut that meets your needs.

…you might wanna visit a specialist woodworking store to help get the right bit; they can get pricey if you start guessing wrong online.
posted by aramaic at 6:30 PM on June 5, 2023

I would avoid doing this. Right now, the fiberboard under the laminate is still fully protected from water on the countertop, and will continue to last until it loses that integrity and water gets in, swelling ensues, and the whole thing goes to shit. If you route the edge, then you are depending on a much thinner and less robust layer of essentially paint to have 100 percent integrity against water infiltration. In my experience with any DIY coating, this is simply not a practical expectation. You are basically guaranteeing that your countertop is going to swell and fail.
posted by rockindata at 7:00 PM on June 5, 2023

Perhaps you could consider bonding a ¼" thick strip of some suitably stable and waterproof material - hard PVC perhaps? over the existing laminate all the way along the edge of the counter, sand the strip edge and glue line level with the countertop, then route your luxe chamfer into that before hiding the whole lot under your recoat? You might even get away with a hardwood moulding that already has a suitable chamfer profiled in.
posted by flabdablet at 8:08 PM on June 5, 2023

A possible answer to rockindata's perfectly reasonable objection is to rout a larger chamfer. Then attach a laminate strip to the chamfer with contact cement. Then trim rout the edges of the strip to be flush with the top and edge of the countertop. More complicated but more likely to last.
posted by H21 at 8:17 PM on June 5, 2023

Try to chamfer a veneer seems like a bad idea.
posted by Artifice_Eternity at 10:04 PM on June 5, 2023

This is certainly possible. I would recommend routing very slightly more than you intend, then coating the finished chamfer with two-part epoxy, preferably thickened, and then once dry re-cutting the chamfer to the desired depth. This will give you a solid epoxy layer over the substrate and a consistent surface for your top coat
posted by tillsbury at 10:33 PM on June 5, 2023

I share rockindata's concern. But if you do decide to go for it I'd consider a couple of very light passes with the router running a climbing/running cut. Not something you should do without thinking carefully but it's likely to help avoid chipping something so brittle.
posted by deadwax at 5:30 AM on June 6, 2023

Picture of your current setup would help.

Epoxy doesn't stick all.that well to laminates. We use melamine for mold building for that reason.

One approach would be to affix a new edge out of solid wood and then route that. For example a plain 3/4 x 1 1/2 hard wood molding. You could contact cement and screw it to the front of your counter making the top flush. Sink the screws into the wood and fill with wood filler. If you end up with a gap on top use filler there too. Sand and then route. Make sure the new trim won't interfere with the drawers.

For such a limited length of use I'd just buy a $10 carbide round over rather than a chamfer. Coatings generally have problems with sharp edges and a round over doesn't create any.
posted by Mitheral at 5:41 AM on June 6, 2023

The reward here does not justify the risk, that you will end up having to fully replace those counters much, much earlier then you plan.

I would even rethink the recoating plan. Painted floors look good for a day, and terrible for years. Maybe test it out with a cutting board for a few months before you commit to the counters.
posted by Dashy at 5:41 AM on June 6, 2023

So countertops are basically just a thin layer of formica over the top of plywood, so what you will be doing is sanding through the formica overlayer into plywood. I'm sure you could round the corners (it's very possible to buy formica countertops with rounded corners - they are far more common than squared off ones) but I'd personally be concerned that the top layer you will be applying wouldn't be even and it would be really noticeable that you sanded it.



IMO a better idea is going to Ikea and getting some new counterops. Theirs are like $80 for an 8 ft long rounded corner section for their basic colors (up in $$ from there), which is not that much more than buying the paint to fix one. Of course, removing a countertop and cutting a sink hole isn't easy, but since you seem to have a router it's very doable.

In my opinion, doing a good enough job of rounding the corner yourself would be equal to removing and installing new countertops.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:46 AM on June 6, 2023

And if we're brainstorming with you, I'll toss in the idea of doing your own granite tile countertop. Base of ply, layer of hardi, 24x24" tiles that make for good working surface aren't very spendy, I'm gonna bet you can figure out how to deal with the front edge and backsplash.
posted by Dashy at 8:55 AM on June 6, 2023

If your counter has a solid wood edge, this is no big deal. Our counters are laminate on particle board with a solid wood edge and have a small chamfer along the top edge. Looks nice, IMO, and the solid wood means that water can't get to the substrate. If you're skilled with a router, a climb cut may reduce the chance of chipping.
posted by that's candlepin at 7:45 AM on June 7, 2023

The risk of ending up with a crappy-looking, moisture-vulnerable counter is too great, so I'm scrapping the plan. Thanks for all the thoughtful, detailed answers!
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 6:58 PM on June 9, 2023