# First time edge banding



## Mark10409 (Mar 25, 2016)

Hello,
I am working on a kitchen cabinet pull out project. I am using 1/2" birch ply. I have attached a pic of the baking pan pull out drawer. My question is would I use the iron on edge banding all the way around the boards and then glue it together or assemble first then iron on edge banding where the edges are exposed? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

For this you might consider 1/4" solid wood.
The reason is you may find wood easier to
miter correctly.

It is possible to round off corners and put
iron on edge banding around the corners
that way. There's no benefit to putting 
banding on edges that won't be exposed.

I would edge band all the parts before assembly.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Depends on the look you want. Usually edge banding the exposed edges

will suffice for a clean look.


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## Mark10409 (Mar 25, 2016)

Thanks for the reply's, The only reason I asked was because I wasn't sure how good the glue joint was going to be with edge banding in between. I already purchased the wood so I'm stuck with the 1/2" ply for this but will consider that next time, Thanks!

Mark


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> Thanks for the reply s, The only reason I asked was because I wasn t sure how good the glue joint was going to be with edge banding in between. I already purchased the wood so I m stuck with the 1/2" ply for this but will consider that next time, Thanks!
> 
> Mark
> 
> - Mark10409


I like Loren's idea of using hardwood because of the abuse the top edges of the dividers will be subject to during normal everyday use. Just thinking out loud. I have used iron on edge banding for shelves and it works well, but I think the edges will become frayed or splintered after being hit numerous times.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

Mark10409,

I agree with Loren; my inclination would be iron-on edging on the surfaces that will be seen. Edges that are buried in the assembly would be raw edges, although I would like to set those raw edged in some shallow dados to help with alignment and to add a little strength. Rounding transitions could help avoid cracking the edge banding when it is applied; the larger the radius the easier the edge banding would conform to the transition without cracking.

In my opinion, solid edge banding as opposed to iron-on edge banding would be more durable. To accomplish this, I would attempt rabbet jointing the solid wood edge banding to the exposed plywood edges with a lap joint, leaving the solid wood a bit proud of the surface of the plywood. Then, to flush things up, a flush trim bit with the bearing dead flush with a tall auxiliary fence on the router table could be used to make the solid edge banding flush with both faces of the plywood dividers.

But as Loren suggests, in this application I would have given serious consideration to solid wood dividers. There seem to be fewer issues to deal with once solid wood divider are flattened.


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## Mark10409 (Mar 25, 2016)

Thanks everyone for the help!

Mark


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