understanding the basics of a laminate countertop with bevel edge and a undermount sink 

Bill, thank you for making these video your time to do these are much appreciated.

Great craftsmanship! Very good to see someone who knows what they are doing and values quality.

You make it look easy! I was scared of bevel edge and undermount sinks until I saw this.

Thanks for making this GREAT video. In my head I thought I could do it, but now I saw how it is done, it look harder then I thought, but you make it look easy and I guess that come with experience. I learn something new every day. Have a great day.

You’re a life saver Bill and I thank you. This countertop is 23 yrs old so the glue did last for awhile. The bid air pocket was right above the dishwasher where a lot of steam is and I cut across and the one big piece came right off but it does look like the rest of the laminate is on pretty good so I will use your advice with my heat gun. Will 23 year old glue still reactivate,,,,,,, please please tell me yes. LOL Thanks again Bill for all your knowledge and help.

I like your square horses. I've been thinking for years I should make something similar instead of the traditional saw horses for counter tops. Good step by step process, I do my bevel edges the exact same way with the clear packing tape.

Thank you very much for doing this full "how to" video. It is very informative and you are very good at your craft.

I've watched most of your videos. You do great work. I especially like the solid surface countertop vids. Your tops look fantastic. keep up the good work.

I used a standard undermount sink in my island countertop. I have 3/4 inch particle board over 3/4 inch plywood. Plenty of screws and construction adhesive. It's super strong with 8 inch overhangs on 3 sides. The sink is a simple rectangle so I inverted it onto the particle board, traced the rim where I wanted then used a router to make a dado cut slightly deeper than the thickness of the 18ga steel rim. Cut out the hole, drop the sink in then bondo. Used standard epoxy at the edge rather than solid surface adhesive. We'll see if it lasts. I'm saving up for Cambria so if/when my system fails, that's when I'll know I've saved enough. Thanks for the (non)tutorial.

Festool has a great dust extraction system. You have sawdust blowing out the back of the track saw. The counters look good.

Gooooooooooood workshop, You have all of the tools, and you are professional :)

Excellent video!

I love this video ,I always had curiosity about this because I just know countertop in rock very interesting this tecnique

Need your expertise advice and an education if you would Buffalo. I have a couple of areas in my countertop that have air pockets under the laminate. Would it be easier to cut out the laminate where the air pockets are, sand it down and reinstall the laminate and then install all new laminate over the entire countertop or just remove all the laminate and sand down my entire countertop and re-laminate every thing including the sides. Nowhere on RU-vid is there a video that shows how to remove the old adhesive so I don’t know how hard and messy that would be and do I need to get every little spec of the old adhesive off. My countertops were done with 2 pieces of 5’ x 12’ pieces so I only have 2 small seams on the top, both about 2 inches long, one behind and in front of the sink. You are the best I have seen on RU-vid so I thought I would ask you for you help and opinions.

greatest work! i want learn it!!congratulations!! west,Brazil

Really good video, very informative, thanks for posting it.

i have to build a couple trash cans for a dairy queen that we are remodeling and we are putting laminate around the trash cans is there another easy way to apply the glue without a gun this is my first laminate job EVER and have no clue what i am doing but after watching this i have alot more confidence in myself.

Thank you for getting back to me, i will try it.

Well done,great jobs.

Very nice video and very interesting to watch. only thing I will point out is the shims used under the sink, you sued melamine laminate pieces that are very slippery and you didn't glue them down so they are likely to fall out and defeat the purpose. lastly I didn't understand where you making all that in the workshop or on site as a large hefty worktop can easily break during transport and another reason for those shims to fall out from the movement. other wise great VID

Hello you can go to home depot and buy wilsonart 600 glue it comes in a gallon can. They also sell a roller with a special sleeve to put the glue on. You should put 2 coats of glue on the laminate and 2 on the substraight. Thanks Bill

Just good fun to watch. You can really crank. I heard my wife gasp at the speed with which you get that whirring laminator onto those edges. Thanks very much for all the tips. Would you mind revealing the brand/type of clear tape? I've never seen one stretch that much - must be darned useful. Great vid.

Great video! Boy wouldn't that ruin your day if you try to replace the sink ;-)

Excellent job !

Very professional finished job. Thanks for sharing your trade. What kind of wood do you use for the counter tops?

Hello to tell you the truth my spray gun is over 30 years old my father used it to paint cars! I have a buddy who picked up a 30 - 40$ gun from harbor frieght and it does just fine. The glue is wilsonart 950 if you want clear instead of red then use 900. Happy laminating !!!

very good job done with laminating. On the other hand I do not understand why the customer chooses laminating for kitchen counter desk. It is risky to use this for a potential wet areas - and kitchen is this case.

Hello you can use plywood but you really want to get a good plywood and some flat pieces. I found putting seams together in plywood is alot harder to get flat with a belt sander. Hope this helps thanks for the question.

It looks like you have 2 router bits. the 1/2 in flush cut seems straight forward but the other bit that is meant to ride on laminate is difficult for me to understand and buy. can you provide a amazon or other such link so I may purchase the same bit? Great video and Thanks

The router used on the lam after the deck was stuck has a 1/2 inch bit with a bearing. The router used at the end was a trimmer with a self guided bevel bit made to ride on laminate. Hope this helps!

thanks for the video, nice tools that you have..

It looks good but I'm still a little concerned with the rim of the sink. Will it withstand any knocks and water ingress over time? Obviously you're confident enough to trust it so who am I to question it? I've never seen colored contact adhesive before, that's brilliant! I'm a little out of date now so it's probably around here by now. Thank you, Colin

I'm also doing a 14 in overhang on my island. What are your thoughts on brace support brackets? if so how close together? Thanks.. Nice series of videos.

Is a really good video, i didn't understand how the trimmer worked to cut the edges, is that the same as the router but with a different bit?

I am a DIYer and I am thinking of tackling making my own replacement counter tops. The locals around here want around 1500 for the tops with install. I think I can get it done for around half that if not less looking at the tools and materials needed. I would like to know what kind of Flakeboard you used since I looked up flakeboard the term seems to cover a wide variety of manufactured wood products. I'm just worried about swelling and contractions due to humidity breaking the bonds of the glue

the added pigment is added matter, therefore making your glue cling together into larger clumps.

I also never heard that clear glue leaves less bumps what is your source for that info? My customers find this video very helpful and your the firs person that didnt like it. Maybe you just need to look out side of the box? Thanks for watching.

Thanks for sharing!

Dude your as good with the spray gun as you are with the router. Bad to the bone.

Great video ,could you tel me what kind of spray gun / contact cement you use. I have a small shop and would like to spray contact cement. thanks

I’m a little late to the game, but did you have to do any finish work to the edge of the sink cutout after you routed it? I know you applied tape to the sink to protect it but anything needed after you rout?

One more question, please. Have you found a way to bend the laminate from top to side without using IdealEdge? Somehow the slightly curve edge popular in stone surfaces looks a lot nicer and fabricators can do it. You have been most helpful with my questions and I am thankful.

How are the inside corners on the bevel edge finished to cleanly follow the radius left by the flush trim bit?

Help me out, guys. I want to build a laminated desk for my RV. Two sides will fit into a corner against walls. I'd like the opposite corner to have a large radius curve, with the entire exposed top to have a rounded over edge. Is this even possible with laminate? The woodworking/routing is no problem. Could I heat the laminate to bend it over that rounded over edge, even in the radius corner?

*it can also absorb moisture and change thickness. Particleboard can swell from moisture as well, but I'm assuming not as easily. Plywood could change thickness in a day just from the difference of moisture in the air between the store and wherever you store it.

Hi there, awesome video. However, where did you buy these huge countertops, and laso what is the tool that you are using for the saw? (the straight line thing). And also what glue are you useing, and what is the red thing that u used to glue stuff? I want to change my top in home, and your video helped a lot, but i need the name of the tools so it will be easier. Thank you

Excellent video! I was thinking of redoing our home countertops like this. And I wanted to ask if there were any issues using plywood instead of MDF or particleboard?

Tks for video!

Super work

Hey Roberto, he uses chipboards and her in Germany we use chipboards V100 waterproof, so buy your self some glases :-)

very nice work, thanks a lot for sharing

Did you use the special drill bits from karran for the sink or did you use a reg 10 deg bit? I am not sure how important the oversize bearings are and if I can find such a bit aside from karran.

I dont tape all the edges completely just every 4-5 inches plus the glue sets up enough that I take the tape off in 45 mins then clean it. Ready for install the next day! Thanks for the question.

So you don't have to bondo the sink? I've always done the bondo.

KIDS>>>>>>>this is how you make multi millions(over a life time) not by going to school for yrs on end wind up with many thousands in school debt then get out sourced by someone else ! if you want to make money then you need a JOB like this ! I promise you'll have the biggest house and nicest cars or go to college and when you get out with 50-120k in debt im sure something will come up! I mean sub way is always hiring. nice job and your sir are a true artist !

ya and sometimes people get set in there ways and cant see there are other good ways to make a top.

In another video, you mentioned about having the joint seam in the middle of the sink and using a lap joint in the substrate to support it. Won’t the laminate seam open up in no time because of water issue? Thank you again.

Where is the detail of dealing with the inside 22.5 degree trim with the rounded inner edge left by the router?

:( need to do this somehow for my kitchen. I'm using a manual very cheap cutter, and it will take me years to cut it off. Any idea how I can buy such a cool machine but much slower and at a reasonable price.

but i must say, nice outcome. maybe you hold a different industry standard. how was the install?

I love the pattern of the laminate sheet. May I know the model number so I can order it? Enjoyed your video. Great job and thank you!

Hello I like to use Boise Cascade flakeboard or as they call it particleboard! Look them up at bcdotcom. They have a large list of suppliers. Thanks for the question!

Your title say's countertop with BEVELED EDGES but no where in the video did you show how it is done, do you have another video? You are very good at what you do, nice project turnout.

you really pro good job

Beautiful :)

You can order it! You just have to find a retailer that buys from your local distributor. Some colors will be stock and take a few days to get and the rest will be ordered and take 3 weeks to get.

Hello, I know this is an old video but hopefully you still get notifications. Can you install an undermount if the sheet was already applied? I ordered a custom one without a backsplash but I have not installed or cut into it yet. I'm still trying to decide on the type of sink. I like the idea of the undermount but I'm not sure if it has to be done before the sheet is placed on the countertop. Are you in Buffalo?

Good job mate

wau , good job . i not know the red glue that you use in the video with the air gun . what is this . can you link me on ebay the product . sorry for my english

fine job

@glasscity65 He answered your question before you asked it. Uniform thickness. Plywood can bow and warp because it has a grain pattern. It can also

Nice work, how did you laminate the edging?

buon lavoro! complimenti! :)

Hello the strips I added to the bottom overhanged the sink opening. That gives you 3/4 inch drop from the top. The rim of the sink is just under 3/4 inch so I needed to shim it up alittle. Hope this helps thanks for the question.

are the laminate sheets pretty exspensive?

How durable is the countertop with a under mount sink?

Hello I never noticed one falling out before. The hot glue will grab alot of them as long as there exposed. I will check that out next time I do a undermount. I dont fully understand your second part of the question with that said I allways make my countertops in the shop and never had one break in the van driving to the job site. Hope that helps thanks for watching!!!

where did u get router bit for oversizeing laminate. Have looked every where for one

where did you get the strips you place 21:24 minutes? thanks.

great youtube mate.

What's the name of the tool you use to cut in 24:40 and in 25:38 and thank you,from argentina

Wow where are you? Anyways there are different ways to build a countertop I understand that. This is the way we here in buffalo build countertops not saying your way is wrong! The places where I worked did it this way for 30 years and I do it the same way as everyone else. I never had a seam break because I didnt uses biscuits. I did come across a 1 1/4 thick countertop once or twice in 20 years. Flakeboard is a well used term around here and I never herd of K3 and MDF is not flakeboard!

As this is MDF , is there an overflow spout on that sink ? Why MDF ? I have a lot of cognitive dissonance about using it near water.

How come the end caps aren't put on before the top? If the top was applied second you wouldn't see the end cap from the top.

not shown is how did you make that beveled edging.

Hey Thanks!!!

merci b1 goooooood

why didn't you use plywood

MDF - that is like a sponge for water - for a sink countertop? Disposable product...

nice

good...

Wow, and you do this for a living? Talk about a rough job.

i am a flat lay guy. I live in BC, and that is NOT how we build countertops here. ever heard of biscuits? they add structural integrity, ouija wafers do not. also, the typical c top is 1 1/4 thick. any other sized laminate edge must be custom ordered, unless you do what I do, and that is to make your own bevelled laminate edge. I hope your customers have not seen this vid. why would u use the term flakeboard? it is very bland terminology. try using the term K3 or MDF. clear leaves less bumpage.

That is definitely not the recommended installation method by Karran. I've installed dozens of them and I've never installed the sink before laminating the deck. There's a reason why there is a ring of solid surface around the sink, you're supposed to glue it down with solid surface glue...

There is a book written by the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) perhaps you should read it before posting videos.

Ignore that young punk trying to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. He talkes like he's got 30 years experience, but it's closer to 3 years.

undermount sink with laminate is not a good look.

I don't like my old laminate countertop.

If you are going to make "how to" videos, get a photographer. Do not try to hand hold the camera. Explain what you are doing. Don't do work outside of the frame. Get the audio to be audible!

Impressively stupid, no dust extraction. I see you're not planning to live long!