A clothes iron (or other directed heat source like this specialized tool) can be used to fix veneer edge tape with heat activated adhesives.Although not as durable as glued solid wood veneers, in some circumstances, a hot-melt veneer tape can be appropriate — facing the edges of internal shelves or dividers in a cabinet, for example.
To secure the tape to your piece, burnish the tape to the edge with a J-Roller or even just a block of wood that can evenly apply the tape.The process is very simple to master. You can purchase veneer edge tape with a heat-activated glue from woodworking specialty stores and websites (rockler.com is a good choice). Once you have the veneer tape in hand, you cut it to appropriate lengths and hold it in place on the edge of your board and use a heat source to activate the adhesive. A clothes iron works great, but there are also specialty tools made just for this task.
Once the glue has been fixed and cooled, use a razor tool or knife to cut the excess from the edges, forming a microchamfer to keep the edges of the tape from peeling later, if you can.After you have run the iron over the tape and stuck it to the edge, burnish it down by rubbing it hard with a block of wood or a J-roller. Then you need to trim the excess from the tape with a specialty tool, trim router or even just a block of wood with sandpaper.
