PVC edgebanding

Our samples and homologation department will provide you the edge-band samples suitable for the melamine you require. The objective of this equipment is that our customers can have the edgebanding at the same time they buy the melamine.

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Vein

We choose the printing roller to develop and copy the vein of the design.

Tone

Matching the edgebanding with the melamine under daylight D65. .

Embossing

To reproduce the same finish structures of the actual melamines we match the embossing.

Gloss

We match the gloss of the melamine board, to ensure homogeneity within board and edge.

Profile tone

The profile tone to ensure that the inner tone, when trimmed, matches the melamine surface to be copied.

Printing

The definition and printing have to be in accordance to the paper surface to be copied (matched).

Varnish resistance

The resistance of the varnished surface has to be adequate to the use and normal wear of the furniture.

Cutting test

The adherence of the surface varnish by means of Cutting Test.

Adherence

The application of primer to the base of the edge , to ensure an efficient adherence of the edging.

The manufacturing of calender PVC is basically composed of:

1- SHEET FORMATION: Several chemical components in a solid state (including PVC resins), exposed to high temperatures are melted, mixed, and by means of a DIE (nozzle) and rollers (cylinders), a sheet (to the desired thickness and width) is formed.

2- WOOD DESIGNS: If the sheet simulates a wood design, the exterior surface is printed by means of printing rollers (cylinders), imitating the desired wood grain. Different types of rollers (cylinders) to simulate different wood grains are available. Several can be used at the same time.

3- EMBOSSING: If a embossing is needed, hot rollers (cylinders) are used for the purpose.

4- PRIMER: Afterwards, a primer (for adherence purpose) is applied to the base in order to enable proper bonding of the PVC sheet with the thermo-fused glues (hot-melts) used in edge-banding machines.

5- VARNISH: To ensure protection to the dye of the wood grain designs, a transparent varnish coating is applied to the edge-band.

Material: PVC

Widths: from 5 mm to 140 mm.

Thicknesses: from 0.4 mm to 2 mm.

Roll dimensions: lengths, diameters and sizes according to edge thickness.

What are the advantages and inconvenients of PVC edges in comparison to melamine edges ?

Advantages

Being a plastic it is flexible and easy to work with.

When applied flush to a board, being a plastic, it is easily trimmed and remains well adjusted to the board without splintering.

During the edging process and a defective item has to be re-edged, it is easily removed. Simply pulling the edge to peel it off the board, making the use of heat, or tool, unnecessary for this purpose. Whereas, for other types of edges, heat has to be applied to the edgeband in order to soften the glue and afterwards gently pull the edgeband to unglue it (time consuming process). ‎ ‎

During handling and storing operations of the finished product in a factory, from time to time the edges are banged. If the edges are of PVC, they won’t break, as the material will absorb impacts and will only slightly “cave in”. This characteristic also applies to furniture displayed in a shop or at home. This is an effective sales argument for manufacturer and retail stores. ‎ ‎

The standard thickness (0,4 mm) is superior to the thickness of melamine or paper edges. Therefore efficiently covering a chipboard panel and concealing any imperfection. By using PVC we can increase the thickness as required by the customer. Thus conferring a sturdier aspect to the edged items and also concealing any hollow particles of the chipboard. This is impossible to accomplish with melamine edges.

The use of a good adhesive backing on the PVC guarantees a perfect bonding of the edge to the board. Does not react to variations in humidity.

A well-made PVC base is a PVC base with the right shade. When flush with the board, the colour inside the plastic is the same as the surface of the board. On the single-layer edge, for example, you can see the difference.

Inconvenients

The melamine edges are made of the same paper as the board. But on the PVC edge, when printing with different rollers, the veins of the PVC do not match those of the surface. Therefore, the appearance may approximate but never be identical to the board. This can lead to problems, because some customers believe that the copy on the PVC edgebanding will be identical to the board and this is never the case.

Temperature fluctuations affect negatively PVC. In cold weather it hardens, which can cause splintering and profile deformation. In hot weather it softens, which can cause marks of the chipboard. Nevertheless, the formulas employed confer a high degree of stability of this product against these temperature changes to permit a satisfactory edging process. Logically, if the customer’s premises are properly equipped, this problem will be nonexistent. ‎

A faulty application of adhesive agent can cause severe bonding problems. If insufficient, it will not bond properly. If excessive, it can split (some of the glue will remain on the edge, while the rest will remain on the board). ‎

From one production to another, there can be differences in color and gloss, mostly on limited productions. The same applies for melamine, the difference being that the paper production for melamine edges are much superior, thus limiting this problem. ‎ ‎

It is inadequate for soft-forming. To apply the soft-forming, the machines will firstly apply the hot melt glue to the edge. If it is a PVC edge, this one will soften to the heat and its application will be most difficult.

For pre-glued edges, which are applied with an iron or hot air funnels, PVC edges are more delicates than melamine edges, due to its behavior to heat. ‎