Iron on Edge banding

[Alli]

Hi, I am wanting to build some kitchen cabinets and I am thinking of using iron on veneer edging/banding but have never done it before. My only experience is on old flat pack furniture that has chipped and pulled away in places.

I know modern glues are a lot better than old but how reliable would it be long term. I was wondering what your experiences are of it? Am I worrying about nothing and as long as applied correctly will last a long time?

Previously, when I have used veneered panels, I have glued a 10-15mm strip of hard wood onto the edge which works well for me. Would you favour this over a thin banding?

Thanks David

 

[TRITON]

My only experience of the iron on stuff, is put on with a domestic iron and a bit of brown paper to protect it.
Then trim the overhang with the flat side of a chisel.

You can fit solid to the edges using a router bit pair like these
Probably best done on the router table, especially the small lipping bit.

We used to just make a long strip, about 20mm x20mm then biscuit it directly onto veneered mdf, then sand off any proud as the veneered boards are 19mm thick . Got to be careful though not to go too deeply and go through the veneer.

 

[Bingy man]

Ive recently been in touch with a veneer company regarding their pre glued edge banding - I was asking how effective the glue is- p s a ( pressure sensetive adhesive .) there advice was to make sure the edges are sealed with a couple of coats of sealer to give the glue something to grab onto . It might be similar for the iron type .

 

[robgul]

I'd go for edging with wood every time rather than the paper-thin edge-banding tape - the slightest knock and the tape stuff chips and looks awful.

 

[TRITON]

I'd go for edging with wood every time rather than the paper-thin edge-banding tape - the slightest knock and the tape stuff chips and looks awful.

Yeah and with solid you can put a bit of moulding on it or a simple round over.

 

[Alli]

Thank you all very much. I'll stick with using sold wood. I was hoping somebody was going to say no edging is the way to go, which would of speeded up the process, but my fears of damage seemed to be well founded.

Time to dig out all the clamps I own, maybe I need more clamps, ooohhhhhh clamps

Thanks again David

 

[robgul]

Thank you all very much. I'll stick with using sold wood. I was hoping somebody was going to say no edging is the way to go, which would of speeded up the process, but my fears of damage seemed to be well founded.

Time to dig out all the clamps I own, maybe I need more clamps, ooohhhhhh clamps

Thanks again David

If you were using nice Birch ply then exposed edges are very attractive IMHO

 

[Sachakins]

Comparing true veneer iron on edging to the iron on conti board edging is a bit of a red herring.
True wood veneer edging is not prone to the chipping like the old flat pack conti board stuff, as that was more of a thin formica strip which does chip and break easily, true wood veneer is far softer and more flexible and less prone to the same issues.
I would have no issues using the true wood veneer.

 

[Spectric]

I can recomend these cutters, I use the T&G set which work well.

https://www.infinitytools.co.uk/router-bits/edge-banding-bits/

 

[user 43410]

Hi, I am wanting to build some kitchen cabinets and I am thinking of using iron on veneer edging/banding but have never done it before. My only experience is on old flat pack furniture that has chipped and pulled away in places.

I know modern glues are a lot better than old but how reliable would it be long term. I was wondering what your experiences are of it? Am I worrying about nothing and as long as applied correctly will last a long time?

Previously, when I have used veneered panels, I have glued a 10-15mm strip of hard wood onto the edge which works well for me. Would you favour this over a thin banding?

Thanks David

Hi David, Iron on is quite good as long as you experiment to get the correct temperature, too hot and the pass too slow and all you do is bake out the adhesive, too fast temperature too low it just peels away. A customer of ours sending a container load of white melamine coated chipboard with hot melt melamine lippings had not bargained on the furniture sitting in a sealed container on a quay in a middle eastern oil rich country , so ensure that the end use is not subjected to high temperatures.
When Ironing on have a couple of filled sturdy glass bottles screw top stoppers in the 'fridge down to around 3deg c, after the initial 'dab' on the veneer and follow the iron to rapidly chill the adhesive. As for cleaning off the surplus veneer, medium to coarse engineers file at about 45deg and gently push forward at an angle toward the panel (compressing the glueline. Both these tactics will work on straight runs or curved work, so just get 'stuck in.

 

[TRITON]

Thank you all very much. I'll stick with using sold wood. I was hoping somebody was going to say no edging is the way to go, which would of speeded up the process, but my fears of damage seemed to be well founded.

Time to dig out all the clamps I own, maybe I need more clamps, ooohhhhhh clamps

Thanks again David

Edging clamps

I bought a pile of these many moons ago from Axminster. Cheap enough, but they work fine, and you can offset it.
Trying to clamp up on wide boards you're trying to use multiple long F clamps or sash and thats not always appropriate or easy, so these are lightweight but supply enough pressure and dont cost the earth. I've found them invaluable. One of my better purchases.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/3-way-g-...VPo9QBh1MvQByEAQYASABEgI8XfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Alli]

If you were using nice Birch ply then exposed edges are very attractive IMHO

I agree with you, I really like the the finish of Birch ply but I think in this case it will probably end up being a MDF substrate, from what I can see birch ply, is about £100 more expensive than a mdf core when looking at melamine boards.

 

[Alli]

Comparing true veneer iron on edging to the iron on conti board edging is a bit of a red herring.
True wood veneer edging is not prone to the chipping like the old flat pack conti board stuff, as that was more of a thin formica strip which does chip and break easily, true wood veneer is far softer and more flexible and less prone to the same issues.
I would have no issues using the true wood veneer.

That's good to know, I'll keep it in mind and try and research it further. Thanks very much

 

[Alli]

Hi David, Iron on is quite good as long as you experiment to get the correct temperature, too hot and the pass too slow and all you do is bake out the adhesive, too fast temperature too low it just peels away. A customer of ours sending a container load of white melamine coated chipboard with hot melt melamine lippings had not bargained on the furniture sitting in a sealed container on a quay in a middle eastern oil rich country , so ensure that the end use is not subjected to high temperatures.
When Ironing on have a couple of filled sturdy glass bottles screw top stoppers in the 'fridge down to around 3deg c, after the initial 'dab' on the veneer and follow the iron to rapidly chill the adhesive. As for cleaning off the surplus veneer, medium to coarse engineers file at about 45deg and gently push forward at an angle toward the panel (compressing the glueline. Both these tactics will work on straight runs or curved work, so just get 'stuck in.

Thanks very much for all the info. I must have a go and see how I get on.

 

[Alli]

Edging clamps

I bought a pile of these many moons ago from Axminster. Cheap enough, but they work fine, and you can offset it.
Trying to clamp up on wide boards you're trying to use multiple long F clamps or sash and thats not always appropriate or easy, so these are lightweight but supply enough pressure and dont cost the earth. I've found them invaluable. One of my better purchases.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/3-way-g-...VPo9QBh1MvQByEAQYASABEgI8XfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Haha. I must have about 50 of these. I bought 20 from Screwfix and they sent the order out twice. After 3 times contacting them to get them returned I gave up and kept them. But its amazing how quickly you run out and need to keep gluing up in batches. Maybe a good excuse for more clamps