A seam on my counter top is separating and beginning to rise. Is there something I can do to repair it without replacing the formica counter top?
2007-01-03 15:59:41 · 8 answers · asked by rogue 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
it sounds like the seam has been getting wet and the substrate is starting to separate. there isn't much that you can do if the particle board is falling apart, other than seal it with silicone and live with it. if it is just that the seam popped, that can be sealed together with an iron, set on medium it will soften the glue, then put bricks on it. hope this helps you determine your course of action with what it's doing, good luck.
2007-01-03 16:23:45 · answer #1 · answered by car dude 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
dsm and car dude are on the money, your probably talking about the miter seem in a corner and there isn't a lot you can do, if the substrate which is usually particle board has been exposed to moisture, then the problem isn't with the formica or the glue it is simply with the particle board, when it gets wet it swells. This is what is used in most prefabricated counter top material.
I Tend to think this is the case with yours because you say it is "separating" as well as "beginning to rise". when the two adjoining pieces absorb water and swell they will push themselves apart causing the separation you speak of. Open the door of the cabinet, and remove the drawer if there is one at the seam and you can see the bottom of the counter top and tell it it is particleboard and you may be able to see the seam to determine it is doing the same thing underneath.
However if it is not a miter seam and the cabinet top is plywood maybe you even find the seam is in the laminate and not in the material underneath then it was probably built in place and the laminate was glued with contact cement, and some of the other suggestions about adding glue, weight, even iron will possibly make the laminate re-adhere. If you use the iron be careful that it is not too hot. Laminate is really no more that many layers of paper the top of which has the pattern you see which have been bonded together using extreme pressure and heat. If you apply too much heat it will "pop" causing the layers to seperate and you will get a bubble of sorts.
If you can't live with the problem, then you can do a replacment, Laminate counter tops are the least expensive of the many counter top options and have the most choices for color and pattern, Formica is just one of many brands avaliable. A person with some home improvment skills can do this as a DIY project.
good luck.
2007-01-04 05:21:18 · answer #2 · answered by goodforwho 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Might want to let a pro look at this one. The formica is NOT put down with a mastic, it is a contact type cement. It is much stronger than regular contact cement, however.
If, as some have suggested, it is actually the underlying wood that is falling apart, you have a serious problem. If it is just the formica coming unglued, it is much easier to fix.
There may well be a filler available to match your countertop. It might help you to patch the repair after it is done, if there is a gap. Many companies produced colors to match a particular laminate when that color was popular. If the color is 20 years old, it is probably not available.
If anyone is not familiar with this name, Formica is a brand name of a plastic laminate that is commonly used for countertops. I don't know what it is called in other countries.
2007-01-03 17:10:44 · answer #3 · answered by DSM Handyman 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Formica Seam Filler
2016-11-10 21:00:09 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its eems your board is falling apart either due to moisture or water entering it from the seam or due to very high hiumidity conditions prevailing in your home.
Your can slow down the process by using de-humididiers in your house and also apply some 100% silicone caulk or join compound to slow down the separating countertop. If installing de-humidifier (costs $50 or so from ebay) and slicone does not help then it is that your board below the formica has aged and needs replacment.
2007-01-03 16:49:13 · answer #5 · answered by Smelly J 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can replace seams with new one or using aluminums L grab around of counter or installed new layer on top with fire proof quality.
2007-01-03 16:09:01 · answer #6 · answered by muhammad irwan 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You may be able to squirt hot glue into the seam and then weigh it down with something heavy, until the glue has cooled.
2007-01-03 16:12:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
IT SOUNDS LIKE NOT ENOUGH MASTIC OR NOT PUT ON EVENLY. U COULD USE A SYRINGE WITH A NEEDLE TO SQUIRT IN SOME MASTIC, ROLL OUT WITH A ROLLING PIN AND PUT SOME WEIGHT ON IT FOR 24 HOURS. GOOD LUCK
2007-01-03 16:07:01 · answer #8 · answered by john t 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋