In today&#;s design age, the selection of furniture pieces is near limitless, with e-commerce and brick-and-mortar shops selling a wide selection of furniture. Choosing elements that have been manufactured with keen attention to detail is vital.
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The desk you&#;re sitting at, the shelving unit that holds your books, and your kitchen and bath cabinets may all have one key detail in common: edge banding.
Edge banding aids in creating an aesthetically attractive piece and adds value to it while also improving the longevity of the product it is applied to.
To learn more about edge banding and the different types available today, the experts at PRIedgebanding.com have created an ultimate guide to edge banding. Gain knowledge and understanding of this critical, intricate product and craft.
What is Edge Banding?
Edge banding is both a type of material and a process. As a material, it functions as a narrow decorative strip with adhesive applied to one side to seal the edges of a piece of carpentry. It makes the outside of a piece of wood or plywood more aesthetically pleasing and creates a seal that helps protect the exposed edges from dings and harmful elements such as water or debris.
Edge banding is also the process by which these narrow strips of material are placed on the edge of exposed wood or plywood.
How Does Edge Banding Work?
During production, everyday furniture items like cabinetry, desks, doors, and shelves will be shaped and cut to exact dimensions, often leaving exposed or unsightly edges. Not only is this visually unappealing, but it is also a hazard to the material. Rough, unfinished edges on a manufactured wood core open to the elements are a recipe for disaster. Over time, these exposed edges can absorb moisture, leading to the bowing, shrinking, or cracking of wood. Edge banding is a sealant for these exposed edges, delivering a functional and stunning look.
What is Edge Banding Used for?
While we have mentioned wood a few times, edge banding is only used for some wood material. For example, a solid wood item would not require edge banding as it is durable enough. As solid wood becomes more expensive and the need for harvesting increases, potentially devastating to the environment, the market for manufactured wood has vastly expanded, along with the need for edge banding.
Manufactured wood, e.g., plywood, particle board, and MDF, do not have solid wood&#;s density or beautiful smooth finish. It requires the application of edge banding to create a &#;natural&#; edge. A component made from manufactured wood panels typically has a decorative and protective top and bottom surface. Still, it will usually require edge banding along the edges to create the decorative and protective seal.
What Products Don&#;t Require Edge Banding?
Edge banding is used on the exterior edges and sides of drawers and cabinets because these areas are readily visible. They are also the areas that are heavily exposed to air, moisture, and dust.
Areas not requiring edge banding include cabinet backs or drawer bottoms because their raw edges are usually embedded in attached pieces in dado grooves. Leaving these areas unbanded is also less expensive since exposed edges are not readily visible.
How is Edge Banding Applied?
Edge banding can be applied in a variety of ways, including:
- Laser edging
- Hot air
- Hot glue
- Iron-on
- PSA (pressure-sensitive adhesive)
The appropriate application method(s) will depend on several factors, such as the type of edge banding being utilized, the size of the material, the intended use of the final product, and the production capacity of the component manufacturer. Several application techniques suit those doing the work themselves without professional assistance.
Different Types of Edge Banding
There are several different types of edge banding. The best edge banding choice typically depends on finding the closest color match to the finished surface(s) of the component that is both cost-effective and suitable for the intended use of the furniture item.
Edge banding is available in various materials, thicknesses, widths, textures, and sheen levels, and an unlimited range of solid colors, patterns, and wood grains. Working with an edge banding specialist to find a suitable material is highly recommended.
Here are the different types of edge banding materials, what they are best used for, and their pros and cons.
PVC Edge Banding
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) edge banding is a long-lasting material that has continued to grow in popularity over the last few decades.
It is one of the most popular materials in laminated and melamine furniture construction. It is renowned for its color selection (including solids, wood grains, and patterns) with many width and thickness options, sheens, and textures. PVC is also available with a metallic look.
Best Uses
Because PVC is relatively easy to affix and has a long life, it is a prevalent choice for modular furniture. It is often preferred for its impermeable nature. PVC can be molded to fit curved surfaces and comes in unique colors that can easily match many color varieties.
Advantages
- Durability
- Low cost
- Longevity
- No finishing process requirements
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
How Can Businesses Benefit from PVC Edge Banding?
PVC has continued to grow in popularity and stay relatively inexpensive, making it an excellent option for businesses looking to increase their profit margins and decrease labor costs. PVC is highly durable and easy to use, so even those without prior edge banding knowledge can create beautiful pieces of furniture for a fraction of the cost of solid wood.
ABS Edge Banding
ABS, also known as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, is another plastic edge banding produced from ABS resins rather than its more common cousin, PVC. To be more eco-friendly, many areas worldwide, including Europe, are utilizing ABS, Polypropylene, and Polyester edge banding (discussed below) over PVC due to their stricter environmentally-friendly standards.
Best Uses
Due to its greener attributes, healthcare and educational furniture are two of the largest markets for ABS. Architects and designers also specify ABS, and some furniture conglomerates like IKEA and H&M are abandoning PVC altogether.
Advantages
- Recyclable
- Thermally resilient
- Versatile in color, finish, and texture
- Environmentally-friendly
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
Is ABS Edge Banding More Environmentally Friendly?
ABS is more eco-friendly than PVC as it does not produce toxic chemicals when incinerated.
Veneer Edge Banding
Wood veneer edge banding is natural wood sliced very thinly and is commonly used in furniture manufacturing due to its durability, sustainability, and luxurious look. Thin veneer edge banding is typically 0.5 mm thick but is available in multiple thicknesses up to 5.0 mm. Veneer is produced from common woods and more exotic woods that are either too expensive to use as solid wood or subject to limitations on harvesting. Veneer edge banding is considerably more affordable than solid wood, making it a preferable choice for businesses that want to match the aesthetics of solid wood but at a much lower cost.
Best Uses
Wood veneer edge banding is the perfect material for environmentally conscious furniture pieces and is a favored option for movable elements like cabinetry, shelving, or drawers. It is an excellent option for those who want a premium wood look for less.
Advantages
- Environmentally friendly
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
- Easily stainable and accepts finishes; also available in UV prefinished
- Affordable
- Lighter weight than solid wood
- Available in many species, thicknesses, and widths
Best Materials for Veneer Edge Banding
Numerous types of wood work well for veneer edge banding. These include red oak, cherry, white birch, maple, and walnut. At PRIedgebanding.com, we can source virtually any wood species needed for your banding and offer complete flexibility for order quantity.
Mylar & Metal Edge Banding
These types of edge bandings should be considered if you need a metallic look on your edges. Mylar edge banding is a thin film laminated to a plastic backer, usually ABS or PVC, which closely resembles the look of natural metal edge banding. Mylar film is often favored for its metal-like appearance at considerably less cost than actual metal. Both mylar and metal are available in attractive, modern finishes like brushed and polished. During production, a protective peel coat is typically applied to the top of the banding to prevent scratching. A primer is applied to the back to help the edge band adhere to its corresponding product. Both mylar and metal are available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA.
Mylar vs. Real Metal Edge Banding
While mylar and natural metal edge banding appear very similar, they have distinct differences that might ultimately be your deciding factor in choosing which is suitable for your project.
At PRI, mylar and natural metal edge banding are produced on wide master rolls and can be made in thicknesses ranging from 0.5mm to 3mm. They also come in various choices, including aluminum, stainless steel, gold, chrome, pewter, zinc, bronze, and copper.
As noted above, Mylar is more economical as it is a thin film instead of a solid metal surface. However, metal edge banding may be the preferred choice in some applications. PVC is also available with a metallic look.
Laser Edge Banding
Laser edge banding is a more modern technique that melts two surfaces together. Using a laser beam, this new technology is an edge banding with a pre-applied, co-extruded polymer functional layer that replaces the traditional glue used to apply edge banding, allowing for a much superior and seamless joint between the edge banding and the board. It can be used with all zero-joint edge banding machines, including hot-air, laser, plasma, and near-infrared. The edge banding is typically made from ABS or polypropylene.
Advantages
- Aesthetically pleasing since it eliminates the glue line
- It provides a powerful bond
- Wide variety of colors and sizes
T-Molding
T-Molding is an incredibly durable and flexible type of edge banding material that is an extruded shape with a center barb that gets pressed into a kerf (slot) cut into the edge of a panel. It provides strong impact protection and a nice finished look. T-molding is made using PVC and polypropylene. or similar products and is available in many standard or custom profiles and colors, including woodgrains. Because of its unorthodox shape, each T-molding profile has a different-sized barb that will fit snugly into the kerf slot. They are designed to seat firmly and hug the edge permanently.
Best Uses
T-molding has traditionally been used to increase edge durability and soften hard edges on manufactured composite wood furniture, especially office furniture, classroom furniture, and store fixtures subject to high use. At PRI, we offer t-molding options in solid colors, woodgrains, and patterns to meet your needs best.
Advantages
- Extremely durable
- Maintains flexibility even in unheated manufacturing areas
- Full-depth color or pattern, even if cut or nicked
- Easily applied with low-cost equipment
Polyester Edge Banding
Polyester edge banding has become very popular in the furniture industry recently. As many countries avoid PVC, polyester is also an excellent eco-friendly option. Polyester edge banding is made with no formaldehyde or styrene during manufacturing and can be recycled in cogeneration plants to produce power and steam.
Best Uses
Polyester is quickly becoming popular for businesses looking for PVC-free edge banding. Not only does this environmentally friendly material offer matches to high-pressure laminate (HPL) and thermally fused melamine (TFM) solids, wood grains, and patterns, but it is available in multiple textures, gloss levels, widths, and thicknesses.
Advantages
- No formaldehyde or styrene is used in manufacturing
- Matches available to HPL and TFM solids, woodgrains, and patterns
- Multiple textures, gloss levels, widths, and thicknesses are available
- Outstanding color matches because it is made from the same decorative papers that are used to make HPL and TFM panels
- Soft-forming edge banders can shape the edges of laminated panels and apply polyester banding, which cannot be done with other plastic edgings
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
Polypropylene Edge Banding
Polypropylene (PP) is considered the most eco-friendly edge banding. It requires relatively little energy to manufacture and can be safely recycled or incinerated. It is the best rigid material for radial applications. PP is resistant to water and most chemicals and has superior light fastness and shrinkage properties, making it ideal for laboratory and school applications.
Advantages
- Can be safely recycled or incinerated
- Matches can be produced available to HPL and TFM solids, woodgrains, and patterns
- Multiple textures, gloss levels, widths, and thicknesses are available
Melamine Edge Banding
Melamine edge banding is a unique, resin-saturated paper that is expertly designed to provide strength and resilience to scratches or knocks.
Best Uses
This low-cost, durable material is used primarily in furniture manufacturing, specifically for kitchen, living room, and bedroom products. It is also widely used for smaller items like cabinetry and shelving by expert manufacturing companies and at-home DIYers.
Is Melamine Edge Banding Cost-Effective?
Melamine edge banding is a highly cost-effective material to use for projects.
Advantages
- Typically less expensive than PVC
- Wide master rolls can be slit to any width regardless of order size
- Available in automatic, pre-glued, and PSA
Contact the Experts at PRIedgebanding.com
PRI Supply is here for you if you require experts specializing in edge banding. At PRI Supply, our knowledgeable team can help you find exactly what you&#;re looking for. From edge banding and wood veneer sheets to Funder America melamine panels, we have the products you need at affordable prices.
Tell us about your project, and we will walk you through our process from start to finish. Have additional questions on our edge banding? Contact us today or request a free quote to get your project started.
How many times have you finished a task and realized too late that you made a mistake?
It doesn't matter if that mistake was something you forgot to do or if you honestly didn't know that issue existed? Something wrong occurred that ruined your work.
Once, a long time ago before the interwebs, I had been living alone for quite some time, and I was hungry for chocolate chip cookies. I mean, who wouldn't be, right?
At that time, making cookie dough wasn't something I wanted to do, so I cheated and bought a tube of dough and sliced it like a loaf of bread.
My cookies didn't look like this
So, I made the cookies, and after they cooled, I stared at a mound of cookie. What I didn't realize is that the cookies needed to cool down before stacking.
As I ate my chocolate chip cookie pie, I made a point to remember not to make that same mistake again.
Sometimes the best lesson in life is to burn a finger on a hot light bulb. Or in my case, baking a cookie mound.
Chocolate chip cookies and work surfaces have nothing in common with each other, but somewhere along the way, like me, somebody learned a lesson the hard way.
For me, it was cookies. For that unknown person, it was the need for edge banding.
Edge banding plays a vital role in the useful life of a work surface. However, until the advent of engineered wood in the last century, edge banding didn't exist.
It Needs to Start Somewhere
Quoting the Jimmy Castor Bunch in their song, Troglodyte:
What we're gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time.
Before there were standing tables, desks, workbenches, and counters was the table. Several millennia ago, the Egyptians and Chinese each used a version of the table. Those early tables weren't used for eating.
Etymology
As tables evolved into the versions seen today, the etymology of the word evolved with it. The word itself comes from the combination of three languages: Latin, Old English, and Old French.
It's interesting because of the meaning of each version. The word describes "a piece of furniture with the flat top and legs."
The Table Through Time
The Egyptians started using stone tables to keep things off the floor. Eventually, they started elevating playing boards while finding a use for various smaller tables.
The Chinese, on the other hand, created early versions of the table for writing and the arts.
As time passed, the Romans and Greeks used tables in more ways, including eating. In the Middle Ages, not much was known about table usage; the only kinds described were ones used by the nobles.
Table Evolution
As the world became industrialized, tables transformed into critical accessories for nearly all industries. As manufacturing became standardized, wooden tables turned into metal.
When more people moved to office work, tables turned into desks. Those early versions were made from solid wood.
It became apparent that as the need for tables grew, it wasn't economical to keep using solid wood. Those desks were spartan in appearance but served its function. However, they weighed a ton!
Eventually, as technologies grew, manufactured wood became the material of choice.
A New Way of Seeing Things
More butterflies than brains!
On more than one occasion, I've been described as having an unusual mind. From seemingly nowhere, I'm able to pluck obscure facts about random things.
Know how I know when I've struck gold with insane trivia? When my wife responds with a sound I've come to know like the back of my hand.
Pfft!
With great power comes great responsibility, so I try to use my brain for good. One day I took a peek at the edge banding along the side of my desk. As the gears wound in my head, I wondered about the evolution of banding.
Specifically, what path did edge banding follow to reach this point?
Well, I found out.
Necessity, the Mother of Invention
As mentioned earlier, edge banding wasn't necessary for a long time. Tables, then desks, were made from solid materials such as rock, wood, and metal.
The idea of plywood reaches back to our friends the Egyptians and Chinese. The French and English worked with wood on a general principle of plywood, reportedly in the 17th and 18th centuries.
John K. Mayo developed the first patent for plywood in December , but he never capitalized on his invention.
It wasn't until the World's Fair in Portland when a man named Gustav Carlson laminated wood panels from different types of softwoods and called it 3-ply veneer work.
Interest grew in the veneer work from the door, trunk, and cabinet manufacturers and the plywood industry took off.
The need for waterproof plywood resulted in Dr. James Nevin developing a fully waterproof adhesive.
For more information, please visit Lituo.
For the engineered wood industry, the rest is history.
Well, except for edge banding. No, I didn't forget about it.
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Edge Banding: Hiding in Plain Sight
In our article about work surfaces, we explain how engineered wood is made. I'm not going to repeat the whole section, but share a portion that's relevant to this topic.
Modern Edge Banding
Until current applications, edge banding was manually applied using ordinary carpentry materials and tools.
As society progressed, the demand for furniture grew exponentially. Using solid pieces of wood was cost prohibited, so Carlson and Nevin's work came into its own in the high-volume, repetitive manufacturing industry.
Many different materials went into the creation of plywood, particle board, and MDF. Because of that variety, creativity in edge banding became necessary.
Edge Banding Materials
As a review, the edges of engineered wood are ugly and rough. The jobs of edge banding are to give the appearance of a solid piece of wood and protecting the substrate from possible warping.
In a future post, we're going to rank the top five edge banding materials.
For now though, here's a brief overview of a few of the most common materials.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene (PUR) is fully recyclable, harmless, and odorless. Made completely from petroleum, PP is a neutral synthetic material.
PUR is rolled on at high temperatures, dries quickly, and cures to full strength within a few days. It's a strong glue that handles high and low temperatures, but determining its dry time is tricky. Despite that, PUR features moisture resistance up to 302 ºF
In addition to being the greenest banding, PP has several other advantages:
- Halogen-free
- Higher UV resistance to fading
- Very heat resistant
- Low shrinkage
ABS
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is a thermoplastic polymer that's very popular and also a green material.
ABS reacts well to heat, and at higher temperatures, it's malleable and when cooled, becomes rigid.
Because it can be recycled, it's listed under the green category. If it's burned, the resulting gas isn't harmful.
PVC
Poly(vinyl chloride), or PVC, is the most commonly produced and least expensive plastics on earth. Technically a synthetic plastic polymer, its composition is flexible enough to be rolled into spools.
Although PVC can be recycled, the gas from burning is environmentally harmful. Decomposition also takes longer making PVC among the least green edging materials.
Melamine
Melamine is a special paper that's saturated and covered with lacquer. The addition of the lacquer adds resistance and strength to the paper.
- Not durable
- Best used where there's not a lot of traffic
- Despite the addition of lacquer, melamine is still paper
- Not waterproof
T-Molding
T-molding is an edge band material requiring a groove cut out in the substrate to fit the T-shaped edge band. It's a very tight fit so the T-molding needs to be lightly pounded into place.
Although T-molding looks relatively good when first applied, it doesn't last. Edges chip, obvious seams, and zero water resistance are the largest disadvantages from using T-molding.
Wood Veneer
Wood Veneer
Wood veneer edge banding is made from thinly slices of wood, pre-sanded and layered. It can be both finished and unfinished depending on its application.
Wood veneer is available in oak, maple, mahogany, ash, and walnut, plus it's available in both pre-glued and glue-less versions.
Edge Banding Adhesives
Companies with a high-volume need for edge banding use an edge bander for applying adhesive to edge banding material to the substrate of work surfaces.
There are at least four methods of applying edge banding:
- Hot-melt glue
- Hot air/laser
- Iron-on
- Laser edging
Hot-Melt Glue Edge Banding
Hot-Melt Glue Edge Banding
Hot-melt glue edge banding is the most common way manufacturers attach edge banding. Applying hot-melt glue requires cartridges or a glue pot.
The meaning of hot-melt glue edge banding is self-explanatory.
The adhesive on the edge band material is heated then applied to the edge of the laminate.
There are many types of adhesives used when applying edge banding. The following are the most common.
Hot Air/Laser Edge Banding
Applied heat to the back side of the edge band material creates a bond to the substrate. Because there's no glue involved, there's no glue line.
Referring to this method as 'hot-melt laser' is a misnomer. There's no actual laser used, but the name is a tribute to hot air achieving an invisible edge, just like a laser edge bander.
Visually, there's no difference between the hot air/laser process to laser edgebanding.
Iron-On
Iron-on edge banding doesn't require any specialized tools or skills. It's a simple, manual process where an iron attaches the edge banding material to the substrate.
After applying heat and pressure, the glue cools enough allowing a utility knife or chisel to trim excess material from the edge band.
Laser Edging
REHAU was the first North American supplier offering an adhesive-free laser edge banding option. Using a combination of a two-layer proprietary polypropylene and a laser creates a permanent, seam-free bond between the edge banding and the substrate.
Bill Knighton was an early advocate of hot air edge banding. Bill decided to feature the 4EVERedge&#; as the standard for all RightAngle products.
Why?
The hot air method results in virtually invisible joins with a seam-free edge. The results increase the looks and protection of work surfaces and are fully recyclable, halogen-free, odorless, and neutral polypropylene material.
In Sum
What started as a stone surface thousands of years ago evolved into the work surfaces seen today.
As solid wood turned into engineered wood, the need to cover and protect edges progressed at the same time.
Something artisans spent time working with hand tools became less expensive for large production numbers.
Rather than being overlooked, edge banding became ubiquitous and a critical ingredient for quality work surfaces.
Feature Graphic Source
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Furniture PVC Edge Banding. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.