EDGE BANDING: THE FINISHING TOUCH
As society evolved, the demand for customised furniture grew exponentially. With the variant derivative wood products used to form engineered wood, the need to protect edges progressed and the creativity in edge banding became a necessity.
WHAT IS EDGE BANDING?
It refers to the process of covering raw and exposed edges of wood panels with narrow strips of wood, PVC or resinous material. Commercially, edge banding involves applying heat sensitive adhesive to the edge banding material to the substrate of work surfaces.
WHY DO MY FURNITURE NEED AN EDGE BAND?
Apart from their unsightly appearance and tendency to splinter, raw edges of composite wood are exposed to atmospheric moisture, which in turn, significantly reduces the woods life span. Hence it is essential to seal the ends with an extra layer to prevent from possible warping, enhancing the strength and durability.
MATERIAL RANGE
Conventionally, carpenters use teak wood to cover the edges of wooden boards. With the rise in demand, edge banding is available in various material and thickness to cater for individual projects with strict specifications and quality standards. While, low-use areas such as a home office, you may use a 0.5mm thick edge banding for cost-effectiveness. On the contrary, it is advisable to treat your countertop with a 1mm thick edge band in high traffic areas like the kitchen.
Here’s a brief overview of popular materials used:
Veneer: Wood veneer edge banding is made from thinly layered slices of wood. Popular species include oak, maple, mahogany and walnut, available in both finished and unfinished veneers depending on its application.
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA): Also known as acrylic or plexi-glass, PMMA is a high-grade and durable thermoplastic material, widely used as a shatterproof replacement of glass. Due to its glass appearance, it renders a transparent, smooth and fluid texture, well suited for all transparent applications.
Polypropylene (PP): Made completely from petroleum, polypropylene is a neutral synthetic material, fully recyclable, harmless and odourless. It is resilient against most forms of physical damage and corrosion, which is excellent for small radius applications. Its ability to be joined by heat fusion rather than gluing makes it a very competitive solution, curing to full strength within a few days.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): Most commonly used for edge bands in the interior design industry, especially manufacturing modular furniture, PVC is impermeable, which reduces water absorption to a large extend. Its thermoplastic resin composition allows for extreme flexibility and durability. PVC strips can be produced to match the exact shade, colour, texture and finish of your chosen laminate, thus creating a seamless look. Although PVC is a recyclable and the least expensive plastic, the gas from burning is notoriously environmentally harmful, which makes it the least green edging material.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS): A close competitor to PVC, sharing similar characteristics, and quickly becoming the market’s standard, ABS is both acid free and environmentally friendly. Despite being lighter in composition and lower in density, it still offers a high-quality protection to withstand harsh contract demands for your laminate worktops. The highly resistant laminate is both abrasion and impact resistance, mechanically and thermally resilient – it’s malleable at higher temperatures and becomes rigid when cooled. With the options of having matching or contrasting edging colours, ABS gives you the design flexibility and versatility to choose one that best matches your interior; above all, the one you love.
OUR PICK OF ABS EDGING
In line with our unifying designs and values, we would like to highlight ABS for two main rationales:
For our World: Roxwell makes continuous reassessments and improvements to our business models, right down to the raw materials we choose. With ABS’ chlorine and acid-free chemical makeup, we are able to contribute to the ecological balance of our land. It is 100% recyclable, meaning it can be melted down to create other plastic products. Any waste left after incineration is completely biodegradable, without leaving any hazardous by-product. Furthermore, ABS burns far more effortlessly than other plastics, making it highly energy efficient.
For our Customers: Beyond complying with regulatory guidelines and demanding industry requirements, our end- user is our priority. As an edging, ABS is very flexible, providing unlimited application options. Whether straight, curves, custom shapes with internal or external radii, it allows for greater freedom of unique design and bespoke furniture. Moreover, thanks to the advancements of digital printing, we can revitalise edge bands, from solid colours or texture effects into genuine design elements – printing motif or corporate logos on your furnishing for your impressive advertising space.
WHICH IS THE BEST EDGE BANDING?
Where edge banding is concerned, ABS is always top on our recommendation list. However, there is really no clear winner. The best one for your furniture depends on the type of material your furniture is made of.
At Roxwell, we always give our customers the best by providing a wide possibility of unique choices for custom applications. To extend a helping hand, we offer support at optimal level, delivered to your premise as well as virtually.
In case you have further queries about edge banding or carpentry in general, please do take advantage of our non-obligation consultation. Contact us