How To Add Edging To Plywood Projects
Plywood has become a popular material for many DIY enthusiasts and woodworkers, but how do you edge plywood board for a finished look?
08/08/2020
Cheap Plastic Edging
As we look towards more sustainable materials, plywood, veneered boards and MDF/SupaWood are becoming more popular as a substitute to using the real thing, at least for some. The only problem with using these board products is that they need to be edged to give them a more professional finish. Plastic edging strips or iron-on edging are okay, but they don't add much to a wood project and you don't want to see plastic on the ends of the shelving in your bookcase, cupboard or cabinet. Plus, these types of edging strips do not always stick onto the surface as they should and are prone to chipping off or breaking.
Solid Wood Edging
The best way to edge plywood or other board product is to use a solid edge, either in pine or choice of hardwood. That way, when viewed from the front it is hard to tell that you have used genuine wood for the entire project. If you are using pine, you can easily stain this to match any timber finish you want for your project, or to match any other hardwood sections in the piece.
While there are different woods you can use for edging your projects, there are also different methods you can use to attach solid edging, and these are discussed below.
V-shaped Solid Edging on Plywood Board
V-shaped Solid Edging
Considered the best method for applying an edge to plywood or board projects, the V-shaped method is the strongest way to add edging to any board. You can now purchase router bits to fit any router that allows for easy cutting of V-shaped edges for perfectly mated pieces.
Solid Edging on Pine Using Biscuit Joiner
Solid Strip Edging
One of the easiest methods to attach a wood piece to the edge or a shelf is to use a biscuit joiner. This method provides invisible joins with no screws or nails.
A variation on the above is to attach an edge strip using a pocket-hole jig. Pocket-holes are drilled in the underside of shelves or tops to hide screws, or you can fill in with plugs to match the wood species you are using.
Solid Edging on Pine Using Pocket-Hole Joinery
T-Shaped Groove Edging on MDF/SupaWood Veneered Board Using Router
T-Shaped Groove
Another way of securing edging on plywood or board is the T-shaped groove. This method allows for any shaping or profiling that needs to be done on the edge yet still offers a strong join between the pieces. The T-shaped groove is the most time-consuming of the methods shown above since grooves must be cut in both pieces.
Adapted from article by woodcraft.com