Granite Laminate Countertop Bevel Edging
In recent years the advancement of granite designs in plastic laminate products for kitchen countertops have become more accurately simulated to the real stone than ever before. Placing special bevel edging on Formica or Wilsonart brand plastic laminate products escalates the beauty of counters and enhances the realism of the product brands in comparison to real granite.
Some companies such as Wilsonart have even developed what is known as an etched finish laminate which actually has small pit like contours embedded into the surface of the finish. These small diversified marks in the laminate’s surface give it the look and feel of natural granite.
By adding special trim pieces, often referred to as bevel edge countertop molding; the look of the fake granite plastic laminate countertop begins to appear like the real thing. This type of edging can be purchased from local cabinet supply companies. One of the main suppliers and manufactures of the special edge molding is a company called Kuehn Bevel. The company also supplies wood edging and solid surface countertop edges as well.
This special trim molding comes in twelve foot lengths and is 1-9/16” wide by about 5/16” thick. The pieces get miter joints cut on them where applicable by the cabinet manufactures and they are then glued onto the countertop using yellow wood glue. The glue joints are allowed to dry for twelve to twenty four hours before the countertop are handled. While the glue is drying, adjustments are continually made during the first hour to ensure that the edge of the trim molding is perfectly flush with the countertops edges. After the glue has finished drying the top then gets filed with a plastic-cut laminate file.
It almost seems like a wasted opportunity to achieve beauty if a granite patterned Formica countertop does not have a bevel edge applied. Plain square edged counters, just look like the familiar plastic laminate tops that we have seen for years. But when you add the bevel edging the top it then becomes a great simulation of real granite.