Edge-Banding Made Easy

Getting a great look with plywood is easier than you think. No one likes the look of plywood edges so edge-banding them with solid wood is a common solution. Fast-Edge Peel and Stick Edge-banding is a great solution.

There are three main types of edgebanding.

1. Iron on edge-banding

2. Peel and Stick Edge-banding

3. Professional edge-banding Machines

Unless you just want to drop $3500 on a Festool Conturo then you’re probably looking at the other two options. If you run a professional cabinet shop then the Conturo is probably a worthy investment. I have a friend who loves his.

I hate iron-on edgebanding

I just really do. It’s cheap, but it’s a pain to install.

Fast Edge Peel-and-Stick Edge-banding

I use Fast Edge in my shop. It’s fast, it’s easy and it works great. You can get in in plenty of woods, plastics, and finishes. We mostly use the unfinished birch/maple.

Video Tutorial

Here’s a video showing you how easy Fast Edge is to work with.

Build Your Fast-Edge Tool Kit

Building an edge banding tool kit like this makes life easy. Everything to edge-band plywood is in one place and easy to get to. Links to the tools below.

My Fast-Edge Peel and Stick Edge-banding set up:

• Fast-Edge Tool Kit - This tool kit will give you everything you need in one package. You can do Fast-edge without this tool kit but it just makes life easier. You can also buy all the tools or just the ones you think you’ll need. Here’s what the kit contains

  • The Speed Roller - This is probably the most important tool in the set. The Speed Roller gives you a lot of smooth pressure to make sure the edging sticks.

  • Quad Trimmer - The Trimmer is also what I would call essential this trims both edges at once, making them ready to sand. Even if you use iron-on edgebanding this is a tool you’ll want.

  • DeCurl - This tool is most useful toward the end of a roll where your banding has a heavy set curl. You can use the edge of a table to straighten it but I find I snap the wood more often that way.

  • Macro Flush Cut Trimmers - you use these the trim the ends flush. You don’t need these, but they speed things up

  • Fast-Break Sander - I didn’t like this thing. I regular sanding block works faster and better.

  • Fast-Edge Clamps - I use the end vice on my shop cart for most of the time. But if you’re doing really long pieces these are handy. I don’t think I’d buy them apart from the tool kit though.

• Fast-Edge Edge Banding - This link takes you to the page where you can select the edgebanding you need to complete your projects. I mostly use birch plywood so that’s all I stock.