Best way to finish/attach hardwood edging to laminate

[Ian Scofield]

I'm in the process of finishing the top of my router table and am wanting to get some advice. I'm looking to do something like this:
http://wwwcdn.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/wood_2D00_edging_5F00_31.jpg

They describe their process here: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/aw-extra-10313-wood-edging-on-laminated-tops

Currently have two pieces of 3/4" baltic birch glued together with formica on the top flush trimmed. I will be attaching hardwood on the edges to cover up the plies and provide more durability / decoration.

I have a slot cutter router bit that I'll cut in both the plywood edge and hardwood (think spline?) to ensure it stays parallel to the top and assist with the glueup.

I will be putting on some wipe-on poly for the hardwood edging and this is where the order of things is coming into question.

Method 1)
-Wipe on poly on hardwood edging
-Then cut slot for spline since the finish will add some height (possibly?) and the thickness of the finish will be taken into account to ensure both the laminate and the hardwood are flush

pros:
-laminate and edging height should match

cons:
-I'm using a lockmiter to do the corners and since the finish will be applied when the boards aren't joined, these joints won't flow together as nicely since the finish is done individually

Method 2)
-cut slot for spline in unfinished hardwood edging
-attach boards
-apply finish in place (this will allow lockmiter joints to flow together better)

pros:
-joints will look smoother

cons:
-run the risk of applying finish and getting some on laminate (even with masking it off)
-as finish builds slightly, it can cause a height difference between laminate and hardwood since slot was originally cut with non-finished wood as reference edge


Looking to see what other people's thoughts are as I'm sure others have tackled this problem. Any advice would be appreciated

[Wayne Lomman]

The best way is to apply the hardwood edging before you laminate and then trim with a bevel cutter or whatever. Since you have already laminated and polish thickness will matter, polish first and then glue. If you mark the face when clamping, fix that later. Your top edge will be good though. Cheers

[Joe Spear]

I made my router table top out of several layers of plywood and used contact cement to glue formica on the top and bottom. I edged the table with purple heart, with simple mitered corners, glued on with Titebond. I used no biscuits, dowels, or any other type of mechanical reinforcement. I made sure the edging was even with the top of the formica when I glued it on by turning the top upside down on a flat surface. Spread the whole thing on waxed paper so the squeeze-out doesn't glue the thing to your flat surface. I think I used my Besseys to clamp while the glue set. The table has lasted and stayed flat for over ten years so far, with nothing coming loose.

[Jim Becker]

For a router table, I'd personally put the edging on first and then do the laminate to overlap to the edge. This eliminates any change in the surface as material moves over it as well as hides the miter joint on the edge banding. A chamfer...perhaps of about 1/4"...will dress up the edge for appearance while keeping the smooth surface all the way to the edge. But that's me...

Other than that, I'd finish the wood after the laminate is applied and the wood is secured to the table. I see no need for things like biscuits, dowels or the like to hold the edging on...glue and, perhaps, some pin nails.

[Jim Morgan]

Applying the laminate after the edging would be best, but it's too late for that. It doesn't matter if the edging ends up a little lower than the laminate - won't interfere with stock moving across the table. Put a layer or two of blue tape on the top of your edging (thickness per layer = .004"), align that with the laminate during glue-up, remove & finish.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

The best way is to apply the hardwood edging before you laminate and then trim with a bevel cutter or whatever. Since you have already laminated and polish thickness will matter, polish first and then glue. If you mark the face when clamping, fix that later. Your top edge will be good though. Cheers

If I remember correctly, I laminated the top first, then I framed the top in oak and used a flush cut bit to trim the oak to the same height as the laminated top.

[Mel Fulks]

Around here they usually want the wood edge flush with the laminate. And sometimes it's 3/4 of an inch wide all flat. A routed wood edge with just an 1/8th flush isn't so bad.

[Ian Scofield]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Hindsight certainly is 20/20 and I will do edging first next time before laminate.