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.

Reposition the countertop and check for any tight spots. Installing laminate counters is a great project for a handy homeowner and can save you a lot of money over hiring a contractor. Use coarse grit sandpaper to rough up the underlay for the new surface even if it is the old laminate. 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.

With a belt sander fig 1 3 x 21 size works well sand pine stick to approximately a 45 point fig 2. You can gradually sneak up on a curved line for a perfect fit. 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. The heavier the better when it comes to sanding out humps and bumps to a nice flat even surface.

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. Obviously it requires a 3 x 24 sanding belt. Do not sand into laminate yet.

Place countertop on saw horses laminate side up. I always like to use the three inch 3 by twenty one inch 21 porter cable belt sander. The best belts to use are cloth coarse medium 50. Ideally though most countertop fabricators do not want to have a lightweight belt sander.