Making furniture with your own hands brings considerable savings Money. Basically, laminated chipboard, a material glued together from sawdust, is used for this purpose.
The main task of furniture edges is lining the end surfaces of laminated chipboards.After cutting, its edges have an unattractive appearance and require further processing.
The tabletop is the most vulnerable element of furniture, and its edge must be given special attention.
At the moment, there are several ways to give the ends of the tabletop an aesthetic appearance. Only 2 of them are suitable for making edges at home:
Applicable edges
Modern technologies allow the production of various edges. However, not all are suitable for gluing at home. Melamine tapes are produced in widths of 19-54 mm. With a thickness of 0.2-0.4 mm, they allow you to refine the edges of countertops of various shapes.
A large assortment decors that match the color scheme as closely as possible with chipboard.
A PVC strip of the same width may be slightly thicker. For gluing the ends of the tabletop, edges are produced with or without an applied adhesive layer.
PVC plastic obtained by extrusion is able to withstand temperatures from minus 10 to plus 50 degrees.
Tools
If you decide to glue the edge yourself, check that you have the tools. Prepare before starting work:
To fix the PVC edge, you can use a clamp and a wooden block. If possible, use a hand router to finish the edging.
The router is expensive and it is not profitable to buy it for one-time pasting.
Prepare your workspace, taking into account the space for turning the tabletop. And, most importantly, buy the appropriate melamine tape or PVC edge.
Choose a ribbon that matches the color of the countertop.Melamine tape
Cheapest and affordable way edge enhancement. Does not require the purchase of glue or specialized tools. Everything you need can be found in any household, and the process will take a few minutes.
The edge processed in this way looks very neat.
Should be used for finishing hard-to-reach edges of table tops. At the same time, do not forget about dampness, which will penetrate under the edge and destroy the material.
The gluing technology looks quite simple.
PVC strip
A more progressive and aesthetically pleasing way. True, its implementation requires some skill, but after practicing on scraps, you can master this method.
The edge, resistant to abrasion and moisture, will ensure long-term use of the tabletop in any interior.
When gluing the PVC edge, follow the following sequence.
A properly selected and glued edge will give the tabletop an attractive appearance, and it will serve you for many years.
You can also get such a smooth and neat edge yourself.
VIDEO: Gluing furniture melamine edges with an iron.
50 original types of countertops:
Melamine edging, which you can buy on our website, is the most common and affordable edging material for furniture finishing. This edging tape is made from textured paper web by applying urea (melamine) resins to it. To protect the material from melamine evaporation, a layer of special varnish is applied to it. The variety of colors and textures of the edging tape is provided by multicolor printing.
Which melamine edging should I buy?
Melamine furniture edging is sold by manufacturers in two versions:
- Edge without glue - designed for automated production. When applied to furniture, it requires specialized equipment to heat the granular adhesive.
- Melamine edge with glue - can be applied to chipboard cuts or furniture facades by direct heating.
On the MDM-Komplekt website (Moscow) you can buy edging material wholesale and retail. Melamine edges with and without glue are sold in reels, the price of the product is per linear meter.
Why edge chipboard is done and how to glue the edge with an iron
Chipboard is the most suitable material for the production of reliable and high-quality inexpensive furniture. In order to hide the not very aesthetically pleasing internal structure of the product, edging is performed on the end side - the installation of special decorative panels made of melamine, PVC or other available types synthetic plastics.
Why else do they edge furniture?
In addition to the most obvious goal - to provide an elegant appearance, furniture edging performs several more equally important tasks:
- Moisture protection. It is known that when wet, chipboard swells and loses its original shape and strength. The plastic edge prevents moisture from penetrating from the ends. This is especially true for rooms where there are constant flows of water - kitchen, bathroom, dining room, etc.
The edge, in addition to giving the furniture a finished look, performs several other important functions.
Where should edging be done?
Furniture manufacturers often edge only the visible parts of the end surfaces. From the point of view of economy, this seems quite understandable, but taking into account the above facts, this approach can lead to certain problems - the protective edge must be present in all places where there is an open internal structure of the chipboard.
If you purchased furniture with unprotected edges, you can easily do their edging yourself at home. To do this, you do not need to have any special equipment - the edge can be glued with a regular iron.
Don’t be lazy to spend a few minutes on this operation - you will reliably protect yourself and your furniture and significantly extend its service life. Next, we will look in detail at how to properly glue the edge tape with your own hands.
Edge materials
Edging open furniture surfaces can be done using different decorative elements, differing in the quality of the material, appearance and, accordingly, cost.
- Melamine tape. The simplest and cheapest edge. It is used in budget products and can be destroyed by moisture or mechanical stress. The main advantage of such a tape is its price and ease of application.
Advantages and disadvantages of melamine edging
How to glue an edge with an iron
In production, edging is done using tape with a clean base. The adhesive composition is applied to it during installation at a high temperature, ensuring the formation of a thin, even layer. In order to glue the edge, several rollers are used, pressing it tightly to the base of the chipboard. Then special cutters cut the tape to the size of the part, remove any remaining glue and base material, and sand the joint until a smooth and beautiful surface is obtained.
You can also glue the edge at home. To do this, you need to use a tape with already applied adhesive composition. Further, the process largely repeats industrial edging, since it is performed in a similar way:
- Melamine tape can be glued with a regular household iron. To do this, you need to cut off a piece of edge with a margin of length and width, place it on the end being processed and carefully smooth it with an iron. After passing the iron, the heated surface must be pressed using a wooden block or any other object capable of transmitting the necessary load.
When heated, the adhesive firmly adheres the edge to the chipboard
The knife used to remove excess edges must be very sharp.
You can find out more about the process of gluing edges on chipboard below:
Paste U-shaped profile on the end of the chipboard is somewhat simpler. We have already discussed this method earlier. This edge is much stronger than melamine, bends quite easily and reliably protects from damage.
The presence of microgaps between the U-profile edge and the front surface of the chipboard does not allow gluing it in the kitchen or bathroom, so edging with this material is mainly used for office furniture.
Edging chipboard, of course, is best done in the factory. At the factory, you can order tape from any materials, including plastic, PVC and other modern composite materials. Edging on a machine will ensure perfect evenness and precision of application. decorative cladding, but requires certain costs. If the main task is to meet a predetermined small budget, applying melamine tape with your own hands will allow you to combine acceptable quality and the minimum price.
You might be interested to know
http://drevplity.ru
Melamine edging is a traditional edging material used in the manufacture of cabinet furniture from laminated chipboard. Despite the fact that today there are more wear-resistant edge materials, for example, based on PVC or ABS, melamine edge is one of the first places in terms of applicability. There are two main reasons for this: low price and simplicity of edging technology. We will show you how, using simple and accessible tools, you can qualitatively edge a part made of chipboard.
Edging tools:
- Iron. Any one will do, but preferably small in size, without steam holes and with a thick sole. It is important that the soleplate of the iron is clean and free of deep scratches.
- Knife. You can work with an ordinary stationery (construction) knife, which will be discussed below. A shoe knife and a plane knife will also work. There are special ready-made devices for quick edge cutting, for example, from Virutex.
- Bar with sandpaper. You can buy a ready-made one or make it yourself by gluing a piece of sandpaper onto a workpiece of suitable size (it’s convenient when the block has sandpaper of different grain sizes on different sides). Recommended grain size is 150 units.
Edge technology.
It should be said that the quality of edging largely depends on how well the laminated chipboard is cut. The surface of the end of the part should be smooth, without a visible step from the scoring (sawing) disk of the format-cutting machine, there should be no obvious chips of the laminate and “lifting” of the laminate when a chip has just begun to form. High-quality and fast cutting of laminated chipboards is performed only on special equipment. The edge must be used with pre-applied adhesive. The edge is sold in rolls of 200 rm, but you can almost always buy it in lengths of 1 rm. A typical melamine edge is 19 mm wide and 0.3-0.4 mm thick (excluding adhesive thickness).
The process of edge processing of one end of a part consists of the following steps:
- The part is installed vertically in an improvised holding device so that the processed end is on top.
- An edge segment is measured 2-4 cm longer than the length of the processed side of the part.
- The edge is placed exactly in the center on the end of the part, with equal releases along the edges.
- Holding the position of the edge on the part with one hand, the edge is smoothed with a hot iron (the temperature of the iron is selected experimentally; at too high a temperature, the edge begins to bubble, at a low temperature it does not stick well or takes a long time). Press the iron with moderate force. Excessive pressure may cause the edge to move, but not enough pressure will cause the glue to fail. Indirect confirmation of good heating of the edge can be slightly squeezed out glue from under the edge. Special attention should be given to the ends of the edge and the places where it contacts the laminated surfaces of the part.
- After warming up the edge, it needs to be cooled. A small cloth will do for this operation. Smooth the edge with a cloth, pressing lightly so that when it cools, the edge does not come off. After the edge has cooled to about 50°C (there is no point in waiting until the edge reaches room temperature), you can start cutting off the excess.
- First, remove excess from the ends. To do this, the free ends of the edge are carefully bent down, the edge is broken, the break point is lightly sanded using an emery block and the excess is simply torn off. All that remains is to work a little more with the sanding block so that the edge is flush with the mating side (does not protrude or catch).
- To cut off excess edge length, you need to set the knife blade at approximately 45° (see photo) and run the knife along the end of the part. Angle of inclination (adjacent) relative to the plane of the part is determined experimentally (depending on the knife). This operation requires skill and practice. It is important not to damage the laminate (do not cause chips). After cutting off all the overhangs, you need to lightly process the edges of the end of the part with a block of sandpaper, and the edging can be considered complete. Excess glue can be easily removed with a cloth soaked in acetone or gasoline. If a local gap is noticed, the problem area should be heated with an iron and pressed again with a cloth. Also, by reheating, the edge can be completely removed from the part.
Edging kit: iron, knife, block with sandpaper.
A block with sandpaper glued on it.
When making furniture from laminated chipboard, the edges of parts without treatment have an unsightly appearance. To put them in order, furniture edges and profiles are used. It’s more convenient to work with them using special equipment, but you can also achieve good results with your own hands at home.
Types of furniture edges
One of the most popular materials for making furniture is chipboard. Its disadvantage is the unsightly edges that remain when cutting the part. These edges are masked by the furniture edge. It is made from different materials, and accordingly, it has different properties and prices.
Paper or melamine edges
The cheapest option is melamine-impregnated paper edges. The paper is taken of high density, impregnated with melamine to increase strength and glued to papyrus paper. Papyrus can be single-layer (cheaper) or double-layer. To prevent the melamine coating from wearing off, everything is covered with a layer of varnish. To make it more convenient to edge the parts, an adhesive composition is applied to the back side of the melamine furniture edge. When working, you just need to slightly warm up this composition and press it well against the end.
Paper or melamine edge is the cheapest, but also the most short-lived option for finishing the ends of furniture
The thickness of paper edge tapes is small - 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm - the most common. There is no point in making it thicker, and it will be expensive.
This type of edges is distinguished by the fact that it bends very well and does not break when bent. But its mechanical strength is very low - the edge quickly wears out. Therefore, if it is used, it is only on those surfaces that are not subject to load. For example, on the back of shelves, tabletops, etc.
PVC
Received in Lately Polyvinyl chloride is also widely used in the production of edges for furniture. From painted to specific color mass, a tape of a certain width and thickness is formed. Its front surface can be smooth, monochromatic, or it can be textured - with imitation of wood fibers. The number of colors is large, so it’s easy to choose the right one.
PVC furniture edging is the most popular material used by both home craftsmen and professionals. This is due to the relatively low price and good performance properties:
Furniture edging PVC is produced different thicknesses and width. Thickness - from 0.4 mm to 4 mm, width from 19 mm to 54 mm. The thickness is chosen depending on the expected mechanical load or external appearance, and the width is slightly larger (at least 2-3 mm) than the thickness of the workpiece. There is a furniture PVC edge with an adhesive applied, and there is one without. Both can be glued at home (more on that below).
This type of edging material also has disadvantages: not very wide temperature regime: -5°C to +45°C. For this reason, furniture cannot be left outside in winter, and when pasting with heat, you must be careful so as not to melt the polymer.
Made from ABS plastic
This polymer does not contain heavy metals, characterized by high strength and durability. The disadvantage can be considered the high price, therefore it is used extremely rarely, although it has excellent properties:
This type of edge can be matte, glossy or semi-gloss. There are also options that imitate various types of wood. In general, this material is more convenient to use and more durable to use.
Veneer edge
Veneer is a thin section of wood, colored and shaped into a strip. This furniture edge is used in production for gluing sections of veneered products. Working with this material requires certain skills, and the material is expensive.
Veneer is not the most popular material for edging
Acrylic edge or 3D
Made from transparent acrylic. On back side stripes are applied. The layer of polymer on top gives it volume, which is why it is called a 3D edge. Used in the production of unusual furniture.
Profiles for processing furniture edges
You can trim the edge of furniture not only with edge tape. There are also furniture profiles that are attached mechanically. They are available in two sections - T-shaped or U-shaped (also called C-shaped).
For T-shaped furniture profiles, a groove is milled in the edge being processed. The profile is hammered into it with a furniture (rubber) mallet. The edges are cut at 45° to make the angle look attractive. It is brought to perfect condition with fine sandpaper. This type of profiles is produced from PVC and aluminum; with the same installation method, they look very different, and the differences are significant.
In width they are available for laminated chipboards of 16 mm and 18 mm. There are also wide ones, but they are much less common, since they work less with such material.
C- or U-shaped profiles are most often mounted with glue. They coat the edge with it, then put on a plastic profile, press it well and fix it. These PVC profiles there are soft and hard. Hard ones are harder to bend and it’s difficult to paste them over curved edges. But they have great strength.
If you still need to “fit” a rigid C-shaped furniture profile onto a bend, it is heated with a hair dryer, then given the desired shape and secured with masking tape until the glue dries.
We glue furniture edges with our own hands
There are two technologies for gluing furniture edge tape. The first is for those that have glue applied to the back. In this case, an iron or construction hair dryer. The second is for gluing tapes without glue. In this case, you need a good universal glue that can glue plastics and wood products and a furniture roller, a piece of felt or a soft rag so that you can press the edge well against the cut.
A little about what thickness of edge to glue on which parts. Those edges that are not visible, according to GOST, do not need to be glued at all, but basically they try to treat them so that less moisture is absorbed into the chipboard, and also to reduce the evaporation of formaldehyde. Melamine tape or 0.4 mm PVC is glued to these edges. The edges are also processed drawers(not facades).
It is better to use 2 mm PVC on the front ends of the facade and drawers, and 1 mm PVC on the visible sections of the shelves. The color is chosen either to match the main surface or “in contrast”.
How to glue edging yourself with glue
The adhesive composition is applied to the melamine edge; it can be applied to PVC. If you choose PVC, it’s easier to start with thin ones - they are easier to process; any melamine ones are easy to glue.
We take an iron and a fluoroplastic nozzle on it. If there is no nozzle, thick cotton fabric will do - so as not to overheat the tape, but to melt the glue. A hair dryer is also suitable for this purpose. We set the iron to about “two”, while it is heating up we cut off a piece of tape. The length is a couple of centimeters longer than the workpiece.
We apply the edge to the part, level it, smooth it out. There should be small pieces hanging off both sides. We take an iron and, using a nozzle or a rag, iron the edge, heating it until the glue melts. It is necessary to heat evenly over the entire surface. After the entire edge is glued, let it cool. Then we start processing the edges.
The edge can be cut with a knife, both with the sharp and blunt sides. Some people use a regular metal ruler, while others find it more convenient to use a stainless steel spatula.
So, take the tool you have chosen and cut off the hanging edges of the edge. They are cut close to the material. Then cut off the excess along the part. Melamine and thin plastic are easily cut with a knife. If the PVC edge is thicker - 0.5-0.6 mm or more, difficulties may already arise. Such edges are possible if there is one. This guarantees good results in a short time. The processing will take longer if you use sandpaper, but the result may not be worse.
One important point: when gluing thin edges, the cut of the part should be smooth, without protrusions and depressions. The material is plastic, which is why all defects are visible. Therefore, first go over the cuts with sandpaper, then thoroughly remove dust and degrease. Only after this can you glue.
Edging with PVC tape (no glue on the back side)
With this method of gluing PVC edges yourself, you need universal glue and a piece of felt or rag. We read the instructions for the glue and carry out all the steps as recommended. For example, for Moment glue, you need to apply the composition to the surface and distribute it, wait 15 minutes, and firmly press the surfaces to be glued.
Apply glue and wait - no problem. To press the edge tightly to the cut, you can use a wooden block wrapped in felt. Instead of a block, you can take a construction float and also attach felt to its sole. As a last resort, you can roll up thick fabric in several layers and press the tape to the surface.
The selected tool is pressed against the laid edge, pressed with all its weight, pressing it against the surface of the chipboard. The movements are stroking. This is how they iron the entire edge, achieving a very tight fit. The part is left in this form for some time - so that the glue “seizes.” Then you can start processing the edges.
Furniture edges are a tape material that protects our lungs from toxic fumes when using interior items made of chipboard, MDF and laminated chipboard. Modern technologies that are implemented in the manufacture of furniture allow us to minimize the use of harmful components. However, it is still better to cover the ends with a special edge.
Currently, a wide variety of furniture edges are available to the consumer audience. Individual varieties differ according to the material of manufacture, installation method and cost. Among other things, each facing product has its own obvious pros and cons. Let's take a closer look at the edges.
Purpose
In addition to giving furniture aesthetic qualities, furniture edges help protect the ends of products made from chipboard, MDF, and other common materials from the harmful effects of moisture. It is through the ends that insects, microorganisms, and fungal spores penetrate into the inner layers of wood, which accelerate the process of decomposition of materials. Furniture edges make it possible to eliminate the above manifestations.
Areas of application
Furniture edges are successfully used for processing the following interior items:
- countertops, kitchen and office tables;
- top covers of mobile and side cabinets;
- sides and bottoms of cabinets;
- ends of drawers, cabinets.
Melamine edge
This self-adhesive furniture edge is facing material on paper based. Products in this category are treated with impregnations in the form of melamine resins. It is the latter that endows the edges with protective qualities.
Based on the number of layers of paper used in the production, multi-layer and single-layer melamine end tapes are distinguished.
If we talk about the advantages of edges in this category, first of all it is worth noting the widest range available options. Thanks to this, the consumer has the opportunity to select exactly the end tape, the shade and parameters of which most accurately correspond to the existing needs.
When gluing furniture, there is no need to use expensive equipment. For installation it is enough to use a regular household iron. Any housewife can cope with such a task.
The disadvantage of melamine tapes is their insignificant thickness (from 4 to 6 mm). This results in the inability of the material to withstand significant mechanical stress. Due to the paper structure, such edges do not effectively protect furniture ends from moisture penetration.
Furniture edging PVC
This variety end tapes much more durable and resistant to all kinds of external influences compared to the previous solution. The material is available in two versions - 2 and 4 mm thick. Thin tapes are usually used for decorative processing ends that remain in sight. 4 mm edges are applied to hidden surfaces where there is an increased risk of damage.
The installation of edges made of polyvinyl chloride requires the use of special machines. Therefore, furniture processing using such tapes is carried out only in production workshops.
Advantages of PVC edges:
- durability and wear resistance;
- effective protection of furniture ends from mechanical stress and moisture;
- resistance to acids, alkalis, fats and salt solutions;
- absolutely non-flammable.
As for the disadvantages of PVC edges, we can highlight the lack of opportunity for self-processing furniture ends in living conditions, as well as some difficulties in obtaining perfectly smooth, glossy surfaces.
ABS edge
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is an extremely durable, highly reliable facing material that does not contain chlorine. Therefore, edges made from this base are widely used in the furniture industry due to their safety.
ABS has a more pliable, soft structure compared to PVC. The material is easy to process, does not accumulate a static charge of electricity, and the cutting process is not hampered by the adhesion of small chips.
Advantages of ABS edges:
- preservation of the original, rich shade throughout the entire service life;
- the presence of a perfectly smooth surface;
- no toxic fumes during processing and heating.
The only drawback of ABS edges is their rather impressive cost in comparison with the same melamine products and polyvinyl chloride facing tapes.
Acrylic edge
What does such a furniture edge look like? Photo similar products indicates their multilayer structure. Bottom contains decorative finishing or a drawing. Upper layer presented in the form. Thanks to this structure, a three-dimensional image effect is created. It is for this reason that acrylic products are also called 3D edges.
Among the advantages of such products are: high level rigidity and resistance to mechanical stress. Acrylic edges successfully protect the ends of furniture from scratches, impacts and chips. The main disadvantage here is the high price.
Softforming and postforming edge
Considering furniture edges and what materials there are for this purpose, one cannot help but note the options for surface treatment using softforming and postforming. These solutions make it possible to provide absolute tightness to the ends of furniture, table tops and facades.
In general, there is no significant difference in the characteristics of these materials. The only difference is the possibility of laminating relief surfaces that have been processed with softforming edges.
How to glue furniture edges?
The use of melamine edges allows you to independently process furniture ends at home. The material is placed on glue and then fixed using a hot iron. This solution is quite acceptable if it is necessary to perform quick, relatively cheap repairs of old furniture.
The work is carried out in several stages:
- To begin with, any old one is warmed up. In addition to it, you need a knife, a small fraction, and a rag.
- The edge is trimmed with a margin of several centimeters. The piece is applied to the furniture end, pre-treated with glue, and then heated with an iron.
- After melting the glue, the edge tape is pressed tightly with a rag.
- Once the material is securely fixed to the surface, all excess is cut off. First, the end parts are removed and only then the longitudinal parts.
- Finally it executes finishing surfaces with sandpaper.
To ensure ease of work, it is advisable to find a knife with a sharp blade that will not leave burrs. During the cutting process, you must be careful not to remove excess.
Using the same iron, it is convenient to clean surfaces from remnants of old edge tape. To do this, just warm up the surface of the device, walk along the end and pry off the unnecessary tape with a spatula or knife.
Eventually
If the main task in the manufacture of furniture is to obtain the highest quality result, it is better to resort to factory edging of the ends. When the only thing on the agenda is cosmetic repairs of old interior items, you can limit yourself to gluing the surfaces yourself with colored tapes. Fortunately, today there is a wide variety of edges on sale that imitate natural materials and are distinguished by a whole host of original shades.
Hello dear friends!
As a rule, the melamine (paper) edge is self-adhesive and 0.5 mm thick.
Although, I believe that everything that can be cheaply ordered on the side should be ordered, freeing yourself from unnecessary routine work.
But there are still times when you have to do this procedure yourself.
In general, I do not recommend using melamine edges to process the ends of parts, since the savings are meager, and the quality of such a product will be low.
But sometimes you can glue PVC (but not thick one, so if its thickness is 2 mm, then special equipment will be needed for such an operation).
So, what do you need for gluing?
Firstly, you need special stops into which the part is inserted.
They are usually made from waste chipboards yourself (they can be clearly seen in the photographs).
At a minimum, there should be two of them, in case the part is large.
Secondly, you need an iron.
It should be heavy and on a spiral (old versions). In this case, he will hold for a long time high temperature(it is measured visually with a finger on which there is saliva).
Such irons can be bought at flea markets.
Warm it up and try it.
It should not burn the edge, but it should also melt the glue that is applied to its reverse side well.
The measure of all this, of course, is experience. You just need to try it a couple of times and everything will become clear.
Next, you need to have or sharp knife, or a scalpel, or a razor, etc. They trim off the excess edge hanging from the edges of the part.
And the last thing you need is a block with small “knife” stuffed on it. The processed ends are smoothed with it.
This is done so that the glued edge cannot be accidentally torn off.
Yes, I forgot. You also need a piece of felt to press against the newly glued edge.
And the process itself is quite simple
The part is installed on the stop.
According to its size, a piece of the edge is broken off (cut off) (with a small margin) and placed on the desired edge.
After this, a heated iron is passed over it “under pressure”, while at the same time rubbing the glued part of the part with felt with force.
When the edge has “set”, it is cut with a knife.
This operation must be done correctly.
The blade of the knife should go along the plane of the part, thus evenly cutting off the protruding part of the edge.
If it goes at an angle to the plane of the part, it will constantly “cut” into the corner edge, and this will leave chips.
After the remains are cut off from the part, all edges along the edges of the part are rubbed down with a sandpaper.
If the part is , or with curves, then the situation is more complicated.
First, you need to process such a part with a router so that it has the correct edges, and only after that proceed to gluing.
But in this case, the whole procedure, of course, will be more complicated.
Therefore, I repeat: order these things “outside”.
That's all.
If you make your own furniture from laminated chipboard or MDF, then after cutting the sheets it is necessary to protect their end parts, which will increase the service life of the product and give it a beautiful appearance. For this purpose, PVC furniture edges are often used, but there are other varieties. In this article we will talk about all the types, the need for edging and how to glue it yourself.
Self-adhesive furniture edge - a narrow strip of melamine, polyvinyl chloride, ABS plastic or other material. It protects and decorates the cut area. When producing cheap furniture from laminated chipboard, edging is simply necessary, as it protects people from exposure to harmful formaldehyde. In addition, it gives strength and protects the material from moisture getting inside.
Types of edges
The most popular types of furniture edges are: 
- Melamine edge with glue is the most budget-friendly, but not the highest quality type. It is afraid of moisture and can fall off over time (even without mechanical impact), easily crack and wear off at the corners. The only plus is the pre-applied layer of adhesive, so melamine edging remains a popular option at home.
- Furniture edging made of PVC 2 and 0.4 mm is best option. It is much more stable and durable. A thickness of 0.4 mm is usually used to process hidden places, and 2 mm is glued to the outer ends that will be visible. However, its application requires special machine for edge processing, so it is used only in production.
- The edge made of ABS plastic is a more environmentally friendly analogue of the previous option, which is less common on sale.
- Mortise T-profile - inserted into a milled groove in chipboard end. It was popular in those days when a special machine for PVC edges was rare, and there were plenty of milling machines in the shops.
- The C18 U-profile overlay is a good option because it can be used for chipboard at home. Usually the C18 U-profile is simply put on the end and glued to liquid nails. The downside is that the edges protrude a few millimeters, under which dirt gets clogged. On the other hand, this feature is very convenient if you do cutting chipboard with your own hands, large edges will hide uneven cuts and chips. This type is often used for.
- PVC edge 2 mm – 40 rub.;
- PVC edging 0.4 mm – 25 rubles;
- edge for melamine chipboard – 25 rubles;
- You will have to pay additionally for processing curved areas.
- On the internal inset shelf, only the front edge is treated with a layer of 2 mm.
- The top cover is on all sides (the back edge is 0.4 mm, the rest - 2 mm).
- The drawer front is processed on all sides with a thickness of 2 mm.
When purchasing furniture, it is important to pay attention to the quality of finishing of the ends. It is better not to buy furniture treated with melamine, as it will not last long.
Mortise T-edge 
Profile C18
For gluing on the machine, use a special hot melt adhesive for PVC edges. It is sold in granule form and becomes liquid when heated. The adhesive is applied to the tape either when heated or during the production of the tape.
Chipboard edges
To ensure that your countertop or cabinet edge is beautiful and durable, in the best possible way will order edging at production. This is usually done in the same place where laminated chipboards are purchased and ordered.
Approximate prices for application (per 1 linear meter including material):
The most popular PVC edge in Russia is Rehau, it has wide choose color range, so you can choose a color to match any chipboard. The width of the tape varies - from 15 to 45 mm. 
To order this service for a store, you must first prepare a diagram of how to glue the PVC edge: in what places to apply it and what thickness. Those places that will not wear out can be covered with 0.4 mm PVC to save money (for example, the back and bottom edges). All visible areas are treated with 2 mm PVC. Where the joint will be attached to the joint with another part, no processing is needed. 
Difference PVC coating 0.4 and 2 mm
Let's give an example.
To simplify calculations, you can use special furniture programs; they create a project automatically. As a result, to assemble an average wardrobe, a PVC edge for chipboard will cost 1.5-2 thousand rubles. It won't be very cheap, but it will be of high quality, safe and durable.
Glue the edge yourself
For those who want to save money, there is a melamine edge with glue that is glued with an iron. This option is quite suitable for repairing old furniture - there is no need to carry several small boards to the workshop. To solve the question of how best to glue the edge to the tabletop, it is better not to be lazy and contact the manufacturer, or still use an overlay profile, since melamine will quickly deteriorate from moisture and abrasion.
An old Soviet iron or a hair dryer is best suited for gluing. The iron thermostat is set to approximately 2.5 position. In addition, you will need a rag, a knife, fine sandpaper and a stand for fixing the parts.
You can also remove old edge tape using an iron. To do this, it is heated and pryed with a spatula or knife.
In this video you can see how to glue a 2 mm edge at home:
To achieve truly good result It’s still better to order factory edging. The overpayment will not be too large, but the durability will increase significantly. Now on sale you can find almost any color of tape to imitate wood or a plain version.
Today we’ll look at a more professional technique for gluing end decorative edges. This is edging with hot glue using a hair dryer. Naturally, not having professional equipment, we will disassemble it in an amateur manner, accessible to any garage technician.
To work, we will need a 2 mm PVC edge with hot-melt adhesive applied to it - it is applied with a special roller in the form of a mesh.
It can be purchased at furniture stores by the meter. If the store does not sell edges with applied adhesive layer, then it can be applied in furniture shops for a fee (as a rule, it does not exceed 5 rubles per linear meter).
- In addition to the edge itself, we will need a heat gun (aka an industrial hair dryer),
- and edge router, with a molding cutter with a ball bearing installed in it.
- Additional elements are a fabric glove (one is enough) and a felt block.
Let's move on to consider the methodology itself. It is better to set the hairdryer to medium values (about 300-400 degrees Celsius).
We fix the workpiece on the workbench (horizontally if it is large and vertically in a clamp if it is small). First, we warm up the tip of the edge tape - it should soften a little and become elastic.
While the glue has not hardened, apply the heated edge to the end of the workpiece. Using a felt block, press the attached edge tightly against the part for 10-20 seconds until the glue cools.
Then, directing a stream of hot air into the gap between the part and the edge tape, we warm up the latter, 10-15 centimeters in length,
after which we put the hair dryer aside, take a block and roll the heated tape with sliding movements.
This manipulation is repeated again and again. At the same time, you should not overheat the edge (it should not acquire pronounced plastic properties). If only to a minimal extent - the edge seems to begin to reach towards the workpiece - then stop heating, you need to press. This moment comes with experience.
It is important not only not to overheat, but also not to underheat. In the first case, the edge will acquire excessive plasticity and may become wavy. In the second case, it simply won’t stick.
Now we move on to the next stage, which is quite difficult at first - this is processing or gluing the corner radius (and it is easier to glue the outer one than the inner one). I described >>.
In this case, the edge must be just overheated so that it can easily be molded onto the profile being glued.
After warming up, when the edge has softened, we quickly press the edge to the surface, trying to move along the entire corner.
At first it may not work out, that is, you need to practice first.
After we have glued all the edge tape, we move on to removing the excess, that is, overhangs. The ends can be cut off with pruning shears or simply broken off after scratching with a sharp object (I usually use method 1).
Overhangs on the edges are removed with a special edge router.
Doing this manually is quite problematic due to the large thickness of the edge. The cutter cuts off the excess while rounding off the remaining edge. 
Excess glue, which is often not removed with a cutter, can be scraped off with a simple metal ruler.
Often, after removing the overhangs, visible areas are not glued together.
Personally, I usually get them on the corners. What to do with them? We take the hairdryer again and heat up the un-glued area from the outside, trying to get a stream of air to blow into the gap.
After warming up for 5-6 seconds, put the hair dryer aside and firmly press the area with a felt block to the surface of the part for 20-30 seconds.
As a rule, this is enough to glue the edge and remove the gap.
Now all that remains is to polish the milled edge, which has a rough structure.
To do this, we make several vigorous movements along the cut edge of the edge.
At the same time, the felt warms up a little, melts the PVC, which smoothes out all the unevenness.
And photo finished work(this will be a tabletop with a rounded corner).
This technique is used even in small professional workshops when processing radius parts because large stationary automatic edgers, as a rule, do not have the ability to apply edges to curves, and not everyone considers it cost-effective to purchase small specialized units (at least in a furniture workshop, with with whom I collaborate, this is exactly the case).