Tile Counter Edge

[Rick Bullick]

I have finally made my cabinets, hung them in place, and am ready to do a granite tile counter. I am using 2 sheets of 3/4 plywood for the base of the counter, and wish to attach a 3/4" thick maple edge with the left over wood from the cabinets. My question is how would I attach the edge without nailing to screwing through the face of the egde? Thanks for the help and here is a before and after (well, more like so far...):

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http://members.aol.com/troymcclure173/2.jpg

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http://members.aol.com/troymcclure173/5.jpg

[Bryan Parlor]

Hi Rick,

I finished my granite counter top a few weeks ago and just glued the oak trim.
The trim had a rebate on the plywood side which I used as a reference for the trim height and the 3/8in lip underneath the ply provided extra gluing area.

I agonized for a while over nailing and gluing but decided that nails created more problems than they solved.

I used webbing and spring clamps to hold the trim in place while the glue set and did one piece at a time, but dry fitted the next piece at the same time to make sure the mitered joint was ok. The trim was cupped and two webs were not enough on their own to close the gaps so I used a 1x1 railing spindle under the straps to provide uniform pressure. I used clamps to stop the trim moving vertically.

It seems very solid. I was worried about one section because the glue dried a milky color (probably because the temperature dropped quite cold that night) but it seems to be fine.

[Karl Knoernschild]

I used biscuits to attach edging to one of my workbenches, and it seems very solid. Another alternative would be a continuous tounge on the edging and a groove in the countertop. That will give you a ton of long grain gluing surface but will require extra thickness on the edge so it may not work if you have already purchased it.

[Jamie Buxton]

You're attaching the edge before the tile, right? Pocket screws would do a great job. I'd throw some glue in there too, because it can't hurt.

[Jason Morgan]

Ive done edges on MDF core counters and rounter table top and an MDF torsion box workbench. I just used biscuits every 12 inches or so and it worked great. Very solid. Use lots of glue.