Professional installation techniques for soft laminates for furniture

In this article, we delve into the behind-the-scenes process of installing soft laminates on furniture. We begin with the tools: specialized spatulas, cutters with constantly updated blades, heat-sensitive hair dryers to guide the material along the edges, tape measures, and masking tape to set precise lines. Improvisation, in this type of work, is immediately apparent: crooked joints, trapped air bubbles, and uneven edges.

Let's explain the approach to tackling a kitchen or cabinet: we almost always start with the doors, working one element at a time, then move on to the exposed sides, the columns, the drawer fronts, and finally the details like plinths and architraves. Each element is measured, cut with an allowance, and then "dressed" with film, which is then gradually smoothed with a spatula to avoid the formation of air pockets.

An important chapter is dedicated to edges and curved areas. This is where the ability to heat the material just enough to soften it, without stressing or burning it, comes into play. We generally work on sharp edges, the grooves of modern kitchens, and the rounded edges of older furniture, but it's important to consider any joints, especially when working with grain patterns (wood, stone), which must continue in a believable manner.

Once the work is finished, the customer notices the grain alignment between adjacent doors, the continuity of the decorations between bases and columns, and the attention to detail in less visible areas, such as the inside of the doors or the lower edge of the fronts. These are the details that make the difference in a professionally integrated cabinetry.

We close the article with a note: it is important to let the material rest and check the next day for any small physiological lifts, intervening immediately with micro-adjustments.