Building Bathroom Cabinets with Formica

Installing Formica bathroom cabinets is not a difficult job, although you may want to consider whether Formica is the best material to use in a wet environment. Many bathroom cabinets that have been made with plastic laminate such as Formica have chips, air bubbles and other damage. Taking care when building your bathroom cabinets using Formica plastic can help to reduce some of these problems. Correct installation can also prevent the laminate from peeling when it becomes wet. Formica plastic laminate can be used to make any kind of surface, and following these few steps should help you to make the best job of installing Formica on bathroom cabinets.

Step 1 - Prepare the Area

The first step is to prepare the area where the cabinet will be placed. If you are replacing an old cabinet, make sure that you have fully removed any screws and nails from the old build before beginning the new one. Make sure that the floor area is flat and clean before you lay down any sheets of Formica. Caulk any visible gaps that might be found, between the wall and the floor, for example. Once the area is ready, measure the space carefully, and make notes of the width each side should be.

Step 2 - Set Out the Wood

Place your hardwood on the floor, and cut to the right length. Place it in the position you wish it to be, and make any alterations for a close fit with the wall. Screw the back board into the wall, and then build the cabinet going from the sides, to the front, to the top of the cabinet. If you have any fittings, such as sinks, to be inserted, cut suitable holes.

Step 3 - Add the Formica

Once the wood is in position, lay out some Formica, and cut to the required size. Cover a side first, so that you can get a feel for how much glue and pressure is necessary. Add a layer of glue to the cabinet, and then place the Formica on it slowly. Fit it carefully to the top, making sure that it is level, and then using your hands, press the rest of the plastic onto the wood. Use a ruler or straight edge to push out any air bubbles. You can also use a roller, available from home improvement stores, which will help to press out air bubbles. Repeat for the remaining side and the front. At the top, lay the laminate on the wood and cut off the holes before adding glue.

Step 4 - Finishing

In order to protect the laminate as best you can, it is a good idea to add a Formica varnish over the surface of your plastic laminate. This should be applied with a varnish brush using slow, regular strokes. One sort of varnish, lacquer thinner, can be over-applied, and may seep between the laminate and the wood, causing the Formica to flake away. Make sure that you use a waterproof varnish, and your Formica cabinet should be safe for years.