Can I Use A Belt Sander On A Laminate Countertop

A common use for a small belt sander is scribing.

Can i use a belt sander on a laminate countertop.

Ideally though most countertop fabricators do not want to have a lightweight belt sander. The best belts to use are cloth coarse medium 50. Do not sand into laminate yet. Installing laminate counters is a great project for a handy homeowner and can save you a lot of money over hiring a contractor.

Place countertop on saw horses laminate side up. Reposition the countertop and check for any tight spots. New laminate can instantly upgrade your kitchen bathroom or laundry. Use coarse grit sandpaper to rough up the underlay for the new surface even if it is the old laminate.

With a belt sander fig 1 3 x 21 size works well sand pine stick to approximately a 45 point fig 2. On a laminate countertop make sure the direction of belt travel pushes the laminate down. The laminate is cut with a circular saw and the installation is relatively straightforward. A coarse belt works best because it removes laminate and the substrate quickly yet neatly.

You can also use your orbital sander and fine grit sandpaper to plane just a little off the countertop edges to make the new laminate surface fits better at the edges and under sinks and tap hardware. The idea is to have the back splash contact the wall with the smallest possible surface touching. I always like to use the three inch 3 by twenty one inch 21 porter cable belt sander. If you have a lot of excess countertop say 1 8 inch or more cut off most of it with a jigsaw and then use a belt sander to finish up to the pencil line.