You may know it as Formica or Wilsonart, but the generic name is plastic laminate. It is a material, which is laminated onto a solid base to give it strength and support, and is used for countertops, walls, floors, and more.

Common plastic laminate is nothing more than a very thin piece of plastic laminated onto several thin pieces of resin-coated paper. A heating process is used to bond the paper and plastic, and what results is a somewhat flexible, water-proof material that has any number of practical uses in the home.

Not all plastic laminates are alike even when purchased from the same manufacturer. For flexibility, fewer layers of paper are used in the manufacturing process. These more flexible laminates are recommended for use on vertical surfaces such as doors and sides of cabinets and to surround curved surfaces such as round columns or pedestals. For greater resistance to impact, extra layers of paper are used. These stronger laminates are made for use on horizontal surfaces such as desk tops and kitchen counters.

The thinner, more flexible materials are less expensive than the heavier laminates, but don't hold up well when used on horizontal surfaces. It is important for you to be sure that you are getting the right material for the job.

Modern plastic laminate material is reasonably heat resistant, available in a wide range of colors and surface textures and isn't difficult for the do-it-yourselfer to work with. Try it out on an old desk top:

First, use an electric sander with 50 to 80-grit sandpaper to rough the existing top and edge surfaces. When you are done sanding the desktop will literally be “ruined forever”. So, don’t begin sanding unless you intend on finishing the job. After making sure that the sanded surfaces are completely clean, spray or brush on an even coat of contact cement. Lumps here are not good, so throw away the old contact cement and start fresh. Make sure to apply the contact cement in accordance with the instructions on the can. Attempting to apply more contact cement to missed areas before the first coat has dried can cause lumping. Smooth even strokes.

Next, fabricate the laminate material. You will need five pieces: one for the top and one for each of the four edges. Use a table saw or a jig-saw (with the finest-tooth blade that you can get). It isn't important that the cuts be terribly straight. As a matter of fact they can be somewhat sloppy as long as they are cut wider than the surface that they will each be applied to. For example: If the surface to be covered is an inch wide, cut the strips an inch and a half to two inches wide. Once the five pieces are cut, it’s time to apply contact cement.

After applying a coat of contact cement to the backs of all five pieces, wait at least a half hour before attempting to apply the laminate. If the contact cement isn't dry, you will wind up with a gigantic mess:

• Apply two edge pieces (opposite ends or sides whichever you prefer to start with), then use a router with a laminate-edging bit to trim the laminate at the top, bottom and ends. Follow the same procedure at the remaining two edges. In all instances the laminate material MUST protrude beyond the area to be covered when it is applied. The trick is to use the router to cut through the excess laminate. Using a router, even the most amateur do-it-yourselfer can achieve professional results. Although you may have to purchase the bit, the router can be rented.

The last step is to apply the top and rout its edges. This is a project that can be done in a few hours for under $150 dollars to any flat-topped square-edged piece of furniture in your home.