This stuff is super easy to use and works with a variety of different types of plywoods, but I think its easiest on the thicker plywoods. The width is typically just over 3/4 to accomodate a variety of plywood thicknesses. The first thing you want to do is apply the wood filler so that it covered all the plywood edges. I think Im taking waaaaay too long with projects at the moment. I'm using an HVLP system that lays down paint really smooth, but it needs to be thinned. Then paint away. Ive scraped my knuckles on sharp corners enough times that now I always knock down all corners on wood that will be exposed in the finished piece (of whatever Im building). . What you should be left with is an edge that is smooth to the touch. In the past I tried the reverse and had a terrible experience. Build like a Girl, All Posts, Cabinet Making 101, Cabinets, Painting, Projects and Plans. Watch the video below to see the full tutorial, plus a few tips! Im awful at edge drips and puddles. I generally paint two edges and one side at one time. ), How to Build Banquette Bench Booth Seating In Your Kitchen, How To Use A Wet Saw To Cut Tile (For Beginners!). I use a damp cloth to wipe the wood before applying ZAR. Having a couple dry edges gives me some way to turn or move the plywood as Im priming. unfinished look plywood can have. You don't want to angle the sandpaper or else your edges will not be sharp. Plans and information published on SawdustGirl.com may not be reproduced, republished or distributed in any manner without written permission from Sandra Powell, Sawdust Girl. Great tip as usual. I typically have a bit of overlay that needs snapped off or sanded down. For water-based latex paint, my system required 20-25 seconds for the viscosity cup to empty. You could just hold it in place while you melt some of the glue so it stays put. The stuff they use on cars. Another way to conceal the edge of the plywood is to cover it with a solid board. Ive searched all over the internet for your lovely tip. Edge banding or other adhesive veneer is best for sealing plywood edges. Would you always paint plywood before constructing the cabinet? If she's not DIYing, she's probably cooking up a homemade pizza. That is why wood feels bumpy or gritty after painting. Required fields are marked *. Double-check for length. It just as to be covered. Thanks again. If you do choose to spray the primer with an HVLP sprayer, you might need to add a few extra coats to ensure that the plywood is fully covered and the wood will not absorb any more of the primer. Youve confirmed what I was planning to do with the edges. I usually use a water borne primer (and paint) because I do not like cleaning up with chemicals. You can either choose to embrace the layers as this retro entryway bench does, or you can cover them up if you prefer. However, since seeing the wood grain is not necessary if you are painting, you can also opt to simply cover the plywood edge with wood filler or spackle, sand smooth, and paint over it. If you are using boards, sand the ends with a higher grit than you use on the surface. Finish with a quick sanding to get professional-looking results. There are special trimming tools that you could purchase to trim the edges, but we found they werent necessary. Then fold the excess edge banding over to snap it off. My mission is to help you create a home you love without breaking your budget. Previously I shared a post about how to paint MDF and get smooth edges. Join the thousands of others already receiving weekly tips and tricks to create a home they love on a budget. Watch as This Old House DIY Expert and House One Editor Jenn Largesse shares three easy ways to conceal plywood edges. I use a roller for this because I can apply more material onto the surface compared to spraying it with an HVLP system. Installing plywood edge banding is easy to apply with a household iron. (Here is a very similar but cheaper off-brand version.). Building and Installing a Giant Faux Beam on the Ceiling, How to Choose Which Track Saw to Buy in 2021, How to Choose a Paint Sprayer to Buy in 2021. Check boxes below for what you want to seeI won't send you anything else. Im so glad you found it helpful Wendy! Do not sand against the adhesive in order to prevent pulling up the edge banding. How to Spray Paint a Wood Tray (or any wood decor). Once the primer has been sanded smooth, apply your final top coat of paint. For more details, review my privacy policy. Using a utility knife, carefully trim away excess edge banding. This rotating is called cross graining and it helps make plywood less like to warp, split when nailed, and reduces the natural expansion and shrinkage. Veneer edge banding also comes in different finishes. You should play around with it and see what works best for you. The veneers are visible on the edge of plywood panels and appear as lines. We share weekly renovating and DIY tutorials. Or you can use a spackle knife. What you should be left with is an edge that is smooth and no plywood layers are visible or "ghost" through the primer. As an influencer, Chelsea has collaborated with brands like The Home Depot, Etsy, Behr Paint, DAP Products, Walmart, Frog-Tape, and Kreg Tools. The upside to this method is that its inexpensive and easy. Modern Sponge Painting | Semi Circle Pattern in Back of Locker Cabinets, How To Cut In Paint without Painters Tape, Glam Office Decor Idea: Painted Marble Remnant, How to Upcycle Plastic Easter Eggs with Vintage Book Pages, Your email address will not be published. Plywood is a great choice to build with, but if you dont want to deal with exposed stacked sides, heres how to finish plywood edges for painting. You could even describe them as looking similar to the pages on the side of a book. Im not an expert but Ive tried it once and I werent real happy with my result. Both plywood and MDF wood are similar in that they are made by binding different wood products together. Maryville TN House Tour Completed Rooms, Building the Dream sooner than expected! Youd hardly know it was ever plywood. Plywood is a much cheaper option when buying lumber compared to hardwood alternatives. Do this with each sanding or whenever you change the grit you are using and you will get a smoother surface. Thanks for the tutorial! The edge-banding really opens up the possibilities for projects . Go over the whole plywood surface, but pay special attention to the edges. We used edge banding when we made our bedside table and it worked like a charm! These large panels are convenient to use in projects that require large surface areas of wood (like cabinets). Wood filler applicator - AKA your finger. Check your spray system requirements for more details. The goal is to remove all the excess wood filler and have a smooth edge with the plywood layers slightly visible. After it dries you can go back and touch up little mistakes quite easily. so then I tried using my fingers to smooth it on, but its a huge mess. Hell love this, it will be my job now. Its messy, but it washes off easily. Ive quit loading my brush so much and try not to drag along the edge. You can cover plywood edges with a wooden veneer or edge banding, as weve shown in the tutorial. But is there something in the paint technique while painting that you can think of that would decrease the drips and dribbles? Todays post is for two quick tips about how to finish plywood edges for painting. Then go back and look for any blemishes that you can clean up with a razor. Luckily there are two really simple ways that you can cover those stacked plywood edges for a more polished look. If low sheen, its most likely just fine. When the pencil marks are gone your surface is smooth. This how to finish plywood edges tutorial contains affiliate links, but nothing that I wouldnt recommend wholeheartedly. Either option is a good one and totally up to you but dont let the task of covering the plywood edges stop you. Helpful instructions to let your patriotic spirit fly from your front lawn with this DIY weekend project. If your plywood edges are pitted, using some wood filler will do the trick. Plywood is easily one of the most affordable types of wood for woodworking. All plans are for private use only. Making Manzanita has participated in One Room Challenge and was a finalist in the Fall 2019 Jeffrey Court Renovation Challenge. If you're rolling the paint with a sponge roller, then you will probably need 2 layers of paint depending on how evenly the material was applied onto the surface. Farmhouse Sink Cabinet For Laundry Room (With Free Plans! Wood glue bonds the two wood surfaces together so doesnt work if the surface is coated (with paint or clear finish). Now I know the best way to fix it! By this time the paint should have dried and what you're left with is a smooth finish on your plywood edge. Great job. Both look and work greatits really up to you which one you use based on your project and needs. You want to apply just enough so that the exposed layers are covered but not too much. However, last year I got a little Cricut EasyPress Mini for my Cricut heat projectsand it works perfectly for iron-on veneer edge banding as well! Renovation, cabinet building and woodworking plans and tutorials. Your email address will not be published. LOL Well, maybe dont pass these tips on then. After cutting your plywood pieces, the first step is to sand with 120 grit sandpaper. There are times we all need to work with plywood, but the exposed rough edge is typically less than desirable. You can learn more. Have you ever worked on a project that needed to be painted but can never get the exposed plywood edges to be nice and smooth like what the pros could do? With the primer dried, sand down the surface with 300 or 320 grit sandpaper. If needed, I hit that area again with a 220 grit sandpaper or sanding sponge (generally whichever I can find within reach). Make sure the plywood edges are free of any dust or debris that could prevent the adhesive from sticking. Its a very simple process! Actual projects built using Sawdust Girl plans may be published on your own site without instructions or "tutorial" as long as you provide a link to my original post with full post title or "SawdustGirl.com" as link title. While sanding, make sure you're sanding evening along the edges. Good paint will flatten and level out pretty well so put it on and then let it be. You can grab this free build plan in my Dropbox library of woodworking plans. Required fields are marked *. Once the wood filler has dried, sand the edges down with 120 grit sandpaper. Check boxes below for what you want to seeI won't send you anything else. Thank you! And theres no weird area where the edge banding strips meet one another on the corners. In my experience with painters caulk, the caulk can dry leaving some small pointy and sharp edges, dont forget to trim them down and touch up those areas. Just roll it on and leave it alone. If you love DIY videos, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, so you dont miss the next one! However, for longer curved areas like the end of the murphy bed and Ramonas toy workbench below, painters tape is a huge help. I didnt like the idea of edge banding. Here is a picture of some gross plywood edging I used for a table I was working on. Made my first tiny shelf in my bathroom this fall and it turned out good. Keep your sander flat so youre not rounding the corners. For example, I can use pocket holes to attach a 1x2 to the front edge of this piece of plywood. My name is Bao and I'm an architect, a woodworker, a maker, and a father. The more wood filler that's added, the longer it will take to dry. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Do this slowly and gently just like ironing clothing. My best tip is to not overwork your paint. After sanding try wiping the bare wood with a wet rag (not dripping wet). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I need to use plywood because of the depth of the wall. However, once the paint starts to dry, if you mess with it youll just make it worse. For the murphy bed, I used a regular household iron to apply the edge banding. If you have any areas that need extra wood patch, apply more, let dry and sand again. How to Build a Mudroom Storage Cabinet with Cubbies. It really smoothed out that cabinet edge, leaving a smooth surface that wouldnt snag or look unfinished. For example, if you start with horizontal edges, complete all of the horizontal edges before moving on to the other edges. Then the two pics below those are after I added a touch up coat. It depends on whether or not you need to rely on glue for construction. At Making Manzanita, you'll find step-by-step home improvement tutorials and design inspiration. Use a plastic putty knife to smooth wood filler along all of the plywood edges. Circle Sandpaper - https://amzn.to/3gUj9zO, Rectangle sandpaper - https://amzn.to/2XXRbM7, Sandpaper block or random orbital sander - This will ensure that the sanding is done evenly, This is the one I used - https://amzn.to/3iFQLlj, Primer and paint - I prefer to use a separate primer and a separate paint since it requires fewer coats. I don't recommend using drywall compound since it might result in cracking. Just the info I needed as Im about to create jambs for the windows in the lower level of our house. A utility knife worked fine. Do not make heavy pencil marks because that will make grooves in the wood and be more difficult to remove. Usually the only exposed plywood edges I use are for shelves so if I find a side Im not as happy with, I put it facing the back of the cabinet. Read More. Sanding would go a lot quicker if you have access to a cordless random orbital sander, but it's definitely not a requirement. What kind of wood putty are you using? Start with a clean work surface. Once I fill and sand the joint smooth, this becomes a decent option for concealing the edge of the plywood. Ill share two easy ways you can choose from based on your project! Now, you are ready to stain or paint your plywood project! Just a light touch to smooth out the wood filler and any raised grain. Though you may want to pick up an inexpensive iron to keep in your shop so the excess adhesive doesnt ruin your clothing. The banding should adhere to the furniture. Generally, its best to let the paint dry before making your repairs. Great. As you can see, I have many hats! Start with a clean work surface. A painter once recommended using Bondo. Copyright 2022 This Old House Ventures, LLC. Required fields are marked *. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Chelsea and he's Logan. Do some minor touchups in areas that need additional filler and let those dry. The awesome thing about wood filler is that if your plywood has exposed voids, the filler will fill them in nicely. His reasoning was that when bondo dries its sandable and is prone to shrinking. The adhesive on the tape is activated with heat by using a household iron. You can see the progression of the process belowwood filler one in the first pic, then a pic of the first coat dry. Speaking of cornersalthough edge banding is super easy to use, it isnt my favorite for corners. Its super easy to use and gets pretty hotand its small and nice for precision work. . When the adhesive has cooled in place, trim the excess banding with a utility knife. About: Hi there! The finish would be more important on stain projects. Learn more about covering plywood edges with spackle here. Then I use a regular pair of scissors to cut a piece of edge banding to side and put it in place with a bit of painters tape. After that, come back again with 180 grit sandpaper to smooth out the area. Excellent tips! Sand in a downward motion towards the plywood edge. Hold for a few seconds, then release. Just drop your email below. When covering areas between other pieces of banding, like a horizontal shelf edge, use the same process and trim the excess very carefully to not cut into the other banding pieces that are already attached. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a10d80b5b0392ddfdbc96f5d1c94fbad" );document.getElementById("cbed6d6900").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the bedside table, we began with the vertical edges and then the horizontal edges. Disclaimer: Working with power tools and DIY projects have inherent risks. While edge banding isnt necessary, it gives the project a more finished look and protects it from snagging on things. The first option to discuss is using iron-on veneer edge banding. Below are a few nifty before and afters from the murphy bed shelving. After applying edge banding, you can complete your project with a stain or paint. No spam; unsubscribe anytime. They're great for filling pinholes, but I think this is too much surface area for the quick-dry stuff. You are spot on about using wood filler for the edges of the plywood. We just finished painting some cabinets and one of the drawers had a drippy edge. This tutorial will show you how to get that smooth, professional edge on any plywood project WITHOUT edge banding! Ive tried that technique and the fumes can make you nautious and lingers so make sure the room is well ventilated. If youre cutting rabbets or dados or using dowels or tenons that are cut after painting, then painting before assembly is a time saver. These raw plywood edges show the layers of the different species of wood that were pressed together. When all sides have been covered, gently use a sanding block or sandpaper to smooth things out. No spam;unsubscribe anytime. To adhere the banding to the plywood, hold the veneer in place (this is where work gloves are handy!) Use a utility knife, block plane, or a specialty-trimming tool to trim the edges. Once dried, I'll sand the paint layer down with 400 grit sandpaper and then apply my second layer. Thats really helpful, thanks! Depending on what you are sealing, you could also use a clamp to hold the veneer in place. Hi- what am I doing wrong?! I'm using an HVLP system, but you can always use a sponge roller. Read my full disclosurehere. Share it with us! This will smooth out any debris that might have fell onto the surface of the primer. I am doing my first built-in and was in need of a tutorial for how to paint exposed edge plywood. I wish I found your page sooner!! By submitting your email, you agree to our. Thats because its kind of hard to get perfect corners where two pieces of veneer edge banding meet. Apply and then leave it alone to dry/set. It has some missing areas and gaps that needed a lot of cleaning up, so I opted for wood filler. After the glue is activated, you have about 30 seconds to adjust the banding before it sets, so be sure to make any adjustments quickly. Weve used plywood for everything from seating, cabinetry, walls, and even organizational projects. I then used a viscosity cup that came with my spray system to measure the viscosity of the paint once the water was added. Theres generally never just one right way to do anything. We recommend trimming a piece slightly larger than what you will need. Use fine-grit sandpaper to sand the remainder down smooth. The glue on the back of the edge banding tape is activated from the heat from the iron. However, when painting plywood, edge banding is not necessary. The first and most obvious way to cover a plywood edge is with wood filler. Thats where edge banding comes in! Weve found that many couples don't know how to start renovating their homes, which is why our passion is teaching others how to make their house a home they love - one DIY at a time. I applied it with my putty knife and it curled right off. To apply veneer iron-on edge banding over plywood edges, I first measure the edge I need to cover. Your email address will not be published. This layering makes plywood a strong option that is less susceptible to warping because the veneers are generally rotated as they are glued together. Please click the link in the email I just sent youI just need to confirm it's really you to prevent spam :), Copyright by Brittany Goldwyn, 2022 | Trellis Framework by Mediavine. When the adhesive has cooled in place, trim the excess banding with a. Gently use a sanding block or sandpaper to smooth things out. Then, unroll the banding and use a utility knife to trim the banding accordingly. Once the wood filler has been completely sanded smooth, you can add on the primer layer. All rights reserved. THX. After the wood filler dries, a light sanding should be all you need to come out with smooth plywood edges. Ever tried painters caulk? Paint applicator - If you want to get a super smooth paint finish, investing or renting a spray gun is the way to go. Smear it on, then scrape off the excess. The reason why I have to apply so many coats is that the HVLP requires thinning of the materials which means less material is being applied to the surface. Talk to you soon! It doesn't have to be neat. For a more finished look, veneer edging or edge banding (and sometimes called edge tape) is a great way to finish the plywood edge before painting or staining. Whatever the purpose, thats how I go about painting plywood edges. Learn how to finish plywood edges with veneer edging like a pro! Sand as necessary. This product comes in a variety of wood species to match the plywood and goes on easily with a household iron. Water borne finishes raise the wood grain. Second, you can use iron-on banding and paint over it, and again you're looking at a higher added cost to the project. Thanks for signing up! Edge banding is an adhesive veneer that covers the outside edges of plywood so it appears as a finished piece, instead of seeing the layers of material. Sand in a downward motion, towards the plywood edge. We used this EdgeMate veneer tape and it works great. The Essential Tools Roadmap will show you what tools you actually need to complete 95% of DIY projects, what each tool is used for, and the 3 tools you should start with. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. This will give you great results, but it's an added cost and added tools needed to cut the hardwoods to size. Your email address will not be published. When you are sanding the bare wood make light pencil makes all over the wood and then sand. The third project is a Lego table Im still working on for my cousins kid. This will cause the ends to be smoother and the paint will have the same appearance all around. Or do you need to prime it first before filling the edges with wood filler? Thank you for the tutorial. The first two projects used iron-on veneer edge bandingour DIY murphy bed and attached shelving unit and Ramonas toddler play workbench. Did you make this project? Easy to work with, paintable, no need to sand it. Please see our full disclosure here. Plywood is an affordable and easy material to use in woodworking projects, but the raw edges can leave it looking unfinished. Zoe is a self-taught DIYer and designer whose mission is to help you create a home you love on a budget. If youre using another brand, read the instructions or reach out to the company on social media. This is so perfect! Line up the tape so any excess width hangs off the outside of the edge so it can be easily trimmed. Make sure the plywood edges are free of any dust or debris that could prevent the adhesive from sticking. Am I missing something here or is this just a learning curve that I should try to power through? If you build with plywood with the intention of staining or clear-coating it, you would use edge banding. You can get a beautiful paint finish on plywood by using these simple tricks. With the ZAR wood putty that I use, you get the wood slightly damp then apply the putty with a plastic putty knife. Youre the final piece of the puzzle to my frameless cabinet project. The sandings should not require any elbow grease. You just have to examine your work piece and decide what you think it needs. Let it dry. If the area you need to cover is shorter and not curved or anything, painters tape might not be necessary. I do hope you find my tutorials helpful and that it will inspire you to get out and make so. You can also use the wood filler to slightly round the edges on the piece of wood. Plywood also comes in large sheets, like 2-feet by 4-feet and 4-feet by 8-feet. Once it cools, trim the excess at each endI prefer to use sharp scissors instead of dragging a blade across the grain. I hope you found this tip helpful for your project! This will quicking remove most of the excess. Using a new, sharp blade, trim the width and length excess being careful not to dent or scratch the plywood. If the second layer looks even and the paint is smooth I will stop. If you want to hear from me, drop your email below! Its really the end-all to DIY projects! Plywood is made with thin layers of wood veneers glued together in combination with other types of binders (like resin). Birch, oak, etc. If you need to apply a third coat, then simply sand down the paint with 400 grit again and apply the 3rd layer. The downside is that it only works for paint-grade builds and youll have quite a bit of sanding to do to get it looking just right. Your email address will not be published. Keep the iron moving and dont let it sit on one spot for too long as it could burn the wood. Chelsea is the founder of Making Manzanita - a DIY and renovation blog - where it's all about making your house a home you love one DIY at a time. Best of luck with those window jambs! This will make it a little less cumbersome to work with as you apply the heat and begin trimming. With careful planning and proper application, you can save a lot of money going this route and achieve a high-quality finish compared to the more costly edge banding methods described in the introduction. Then, double back with the iron down the edge of the plywood to adhere the entire length of the veneer. I am going to be showing pics from a few past projects and one current project to illustrate what a difference finishing plywood edges makes for paint application. Follow along with our step-by-step tutorial to learn how to finish plywood edges like a pro! Ive been wondering if it were necessary to edgeband a frameless cabinet when Im going to paint them. and place the iron on top of the banding. If you have any saw marks, gouges or dents, those areas will need extra attention. Copyright © 2022 Crafted by the Hunts, Hi, I'm Zoe. You can see the huge difference between the unfinished version with exposed edges and the finished version with edge banding! After that has dried, I paint the other two edges and the other side. To adhere the banding to the plywood, hold the veneer in place and place the iron on top of the banding. Thanks . (I also use my fingers for application.) If that is the case, the edges can simply be lightly sanded along with the top and bottom surfaces to knock down the raised grain. Sanding isnt necessary before edge banding but can be done if the plywood edge is rough or uneven.