# Problem with Trimming Edge Banding



## chuckgray (Aug 2, 2015)

I recently attempted edge banding for the first time and have utterly failed:surprise:. I'm applying 7/8" birch banding to 3/4" birch plywood. I didn't have any problems getting the banding to stick using a hot iron. My problem arose when I tried to trim it.

I bought one of those hand-held double-sided trimmers and it seems to want to trim into the portion of the banding that isn't supposed to be trimmed into. I read the reviews on the device when I bought it and there were suggestions from other buyers to make sure that you trim with the grain and to do only one side at a time by separating the trimmer and only using one half of it. I've used both of these suggestions and I'm still having problems.

Anyhow, I need to try something different and I'd like to hear how the rest of you trim the excess banding. I've considered using my router with an edge trimming bit, but am a little apprehensive about not have a stable enough platform for the base of the router to ride on. I can totally visualize the router tilting and digging into the workpiece causing additional frustration and anxiety. And I've just reordered another roll of the banding and I'd prefer not to have to reorder a third one (at least, not for this same project).

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

I don't have good luck with these double edge trimmers. It is one of those five minute tools that allows you to finish up five hours later. 

I generally, use a razor knife or an EXACTO Knife to trim the edges. Start at the end and hold the blade as flat as you can and run it along the edge of the piece. Angle the tip away from the direction of travel and keep the pressure towards the banding. The banding is thin enough that the knife blade should be more than adequate. You should get a very fine curl of material being sliced off. You may have to make a couple of passes to ensure it is flat to the surface. 

Then, use either use a block plane (set really shallow) or a piece of fine grit sandpaper on a backer (piece of wood) and break the edge a little. Again, pressure towards the banding. Never cut towards the banding as it may break it loose from the edge. The sandpaper will, also, allow you to get into inside corners.

Hope this helps.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

+1 on Bill's approach...my weapon of choice also...

I've been known to use a small block of wood to keep the blade flat on the other side of the banding...keeps my fingies from turning red...


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

After years of trimming laminate self-edge, I use a file to trim the iron-on wood tape. If you start at one end and get the overhang down to the plywood surface, feeding the file sideways along the part with shear the wood tape off using the teeth on the edge of the file. Try that - with a little practice, you'll be surprised how well it works and how quickly it goes too.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

you are using the trimmer against the grain.. cut the other di8rection...
and put sharp razors in it...

use your router w/ a trim bit...
here's extreme...
the shortcut would be to put blocks of scrap between the panels and clamp the stack together...

.









I like this way more gooder.. (PDF)...
and while yur at it.. use this style blade...

.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I would size the end grain with diluted glue before you iron on, about a 50/50 mix. Otherwise you risk the tape peeling off later. (Same for particle board.) Add more until the end grain starts to look a little shiny if necessary. I would use a similar method to Bill but probably use a chisel making a shearing cut pressing into the banding. I would try using the widest practical chisel so that I could hold the point down on the flat behind the banding for stability. My chisels are close to being as sharp as Bill's knife.


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## chuckgray (Aug 2, 2015)

I appreciate all the comments. I think I'll try Bill's suggestion using an exacto knife since it looks like the easiest way for me.


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## chuckgray (Aug 2, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> you are using the trimmer against the grain..
> .


I agree Stick, but I'm having trouble reading the grain on the banding. And it sometimes changes direction along the length and I overlook that too. Perhaps the exacto option will work for me...


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I would size the end grain with diluted glue before you iron on, about a 50/50 mix. Otherwise you risk the tape peeling off later. (Same for particle board.) Add more until the end grain starts to look a little shiny if necessary. I would use a similar method to Bill but probably use a chisel making a shearing cut pressing into the banding. I would try using the widest practical chisel so that I could hold the point down on the flat behind the banding for stability. My chisels are close to being as sharp as Bill's knife.


*Ditto, on the chisels.*



Stick486 said:


> you are using the trimmer against the grain.. cut the other di8rection...
> and put sharp razors in it...
> 
> use your router w/ a trim bit...
> ...


*Stick, he's referring to 7/8" wide iron on edging not applying a hardwood edge. A router is overkill for this.*



chuckgray said:


> I appreciate all the comments. I think I'll try Bill's suggestion using an exacto knife since it looks like the easiest way for me.


*I, also, use a chisel. The trick is, that, whatever you use keep it flat to the surface and make sure that it is SHARP. *


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

schnewj said:


> *Ditto, on the chisels.*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## tacomamacxtech (Mar 31, 2009)

The glue from the iron on tape will collect on the trim routers bit and heat up and then you have messy glue to clean off!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

tacomamactech said:


> The glue from the iron on tape will collect on the trim routers bit and heat up and then you have messy glue to clean off!


mineral spirits and a rag while the bit is warm fixes that...


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

I tried the trimmer tool... it worked, but I wasn't satisfied with it. I ended up using a small plane, as Bill, schnewj, suggested with much better results. I followed this with a hand sander with fine paper in it.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

schnewj said:


> I don't have good luck with these double edge trimmers. It is one of those five minute tools that allows you to finish up five hours later.
> 
> I generally, use a razor knife or an EXACTO Knife to trim the edges. Start at the end and hold the blade as flat as you can and run it along the edge of the piece. Angle the tip away from the direction of travel and keep the pressure towards the banding. The banding is thin enough that the knife blade should be more than adequate. You should get a very fine curl of material being sliced off. You may have to make a couple of passes to ensure it is flat to the surface.
> 
> ...



Mee too!


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I like to use a block plane for this, but I can also see using a fairly wide chisel, bracing the flat against the shelf and rolling the blade down across the banding, almost like half of a scissor. Wicked sharp edge is a must for either cutting edge.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I was making the shelves for my little cabinet and it occurred to me that I could do a quick demo of the method that I described. 

- the tape is heated with an iron and rubbed with a block of wood to get good contact with the edge
- with the part lying flat, start at the one end with the file almost flat on the face of the part and feed the file forward and to the right as you work along the edge. You'll get a curl of trimming the whole length of the part if you feed smoothly.
- finish up with fine sandpaper on a block and you're done, probably took 30 seconds total to do both sides of the shelf.

It would be better with a video, maybe I can get that on Santa's list for this year.http://www.routerforums.com/images/RouterForums_2015/smilies/tango_face_wink.png


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

like it...


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## chuckgray (Aug 2, 2015)

tomp913 said:


> I was making the shelves for my little cabinet and it occurred to me that I could do a quick demo of the method that I described.
> 
> - the tape is heated with an iron and rubbed with a block of wood to get good contact with the edge
> - with the part lying flat, start at the one end with the file almost flat on the face of the part and feed the file forward and to the right as you work along the edge. You'll get a curl of trimming the whole length of the part if you feed smoothly.
> ...


Thanks for the great description and pictures. I'm going to try the exacto knife method as well as this file method and see which one works best for me.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

chuckgray said:


> Thanks for the great description and pictures. I'm going to try the exacto knife method as well as this file method and see which one works best for me.


In the end that's the best plan of all. Experiment and see what works for you.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I was watching Harry's video on making router ski's on another thread and noticed that he used a similar method to filing, except using a steel rule to trim melamine edge banding.


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## manishkuram (Nov 28, 2020)

I think PVC edgebands are one of the most feasible solution available today for the longevity of furniture and modular spaces.
First they are almost immortal and their life is quite long and moreover they can be reused and the existing edgebanding can be changes in a jiffy without even damaging the laminate or furniture as a whole.
Although there are a number of variations available and they have their own significance but the PVC edgeband is undoubtedly the champion of the cause of furniture safeguarding and elegance.
Get More Info:- *https://www.edgebands.in/*


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## Roland Johnson (Oct 27, 2015)

chuckgray said:


> I recently attempted edge banding for the first time and have utterly failed:surprise:. I'm applying 7/8" birch banding to 3/4" birch plywood. I didn't have any problems getting the banding to stick using a hot iron. My problem arose when I tried to trim it.
> 
> I bought one of those hand-held double-sided trimmers and it seems to want to trim into the portion of the banding that isn't supposed to be trimmed into. I read the reviews on the device when I bought it and there were suggestions from other buyers to make sure that you trim with the grain and to do only one side at a time by separating the trimmer and only using one half of it. I've used both of these suggestions and I'm still having problems.
> 
> ...


When I was working in a cabinet shop we used miles of the hot melt edge banding, both wood and plastic. Of all the fancy trimmers, gadgets and do-dad's tried, notheng worked better than a sharp block plane and a little sandpaper.


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

I must just be lucky or didn't realize it shouldn't work but both of my trimmers work great. Go figure. But if it didn't the suggested methods should all work with care and attention being key.


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

This is a timely question for me. I'm trying this for the first time. I ordered maple iron on edge banding for a drawer that I'm making with 1/2" plywood. My question is this, I have a long piece of plywood that I'll cut into 4 pieces to make the drawer. Do I iron on the banding while the plywood is one long piece or do I wait until I've made the drawer box and do each edge separately?


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## Roland Johnson (Oct 27, 2015)

I personally cut all my pieces to length and then do the edge banding, makes it a lot easier to handle.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Barry747 said:


> This is a timely question for me. I'm trying this for the first time. I ordered maple iron on edge banding for a drawer that I'm making with 1/2" plywood. My question is this, I have a long piece of plywood that I'll cut into 4 pieces to make the drawer. Do I iron on the banding while the plywood is one long piece or do I wait until I've made the drawer box and do each edge separately?


I've done it both ways, going to depend on which is more comfortable for you. With a long piece, you're going to need to hold/support the length so that you can work on the edge, plus be able to rub with your block - and before the glue has started to cool. Dom some practice pieces and see how it works for you.


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

tomp913 said:


> I've done it both ways, going to depend on which is more comfortable for you. With a long piece, you're going to need to hold/support the length so that you can work on the edge, plus be able to rub with your block - and before the glue has started to cool. Dom some practice pieces and see how it works for you.


Thanks for your response. I hadn't thought this through and I missed the obvious, which is how to support the long piece with only one small vise. Smaller sections it is.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

More than one way to skin a cat, be creative.


























I files a lot of laminate self-edge on kitchen backsplashes so I bought the clamps shown in the earlier photo, but they're certainly not necessary. I did find that you needed a center stop in the back on long pieces to stop any flex/bowing while working on the edge.


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

tomp913 said:


> More than one way to skin a cat, be creative.
> 
> View attachment 396501
> 
> ...


Thanks, actually, I've used handscrew clamps that way in the past to hold boards while using a trim plane to ease the edges. That was before I got my vise but still do that for longer boards. I've been so busy with figuring out the best way to build the night stand that the plywood drawer will go into that I really hadn't thought this part through. Thanks again for your help.


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