This is a MacGyver patch for deteriorating particle board under Formica when you just need to buy some time. The front edge of the Formica was also peeling back, which we will address as well.

For reasons we won't go into, this countertop will not be replaced soon. However the particleboard under the Formica is deteriorating right where the dishwasher vent is located. This damage could only get worse and create a big headache, but the countertop is otherwise serviceable. Here's a quick and easy solution to buy some time.

Step 1: Materials

Fast Cap super-stick double-sided tape. About $8

Titebond III wood glue 4oz. About $2

Razor knife

Rubber gloves (Buy a box, so many good uses for them.)

Step 2: Save the Peeling Edge

One issue that did not have a photo was that the front edge of the Formica on the countertop had a vertical break, and either side was peeling back quite a ways. The placement of the dishwasher vent didn't help this at all.

There is this incredibly strong double-sided, very thin tape called Fast Cap that is used for veneer work. It's so sticky it's difficult to work with, but once I got the hang of it, with some perseverance, it locked down these edges pretty well.

Step 3: Apply an Improvised Sealant

Titebond III purports to be a waterproof glue. I will take them up on this and smear it on the surfaces to create a sealant of sorts. it is solvent free so it will not react with the FastCap tape that I used in the previous step.

Step 4: Slather Away

The idea here was to get the glue to soak into the porous and uneven particle board so that it would act as a hardener and waterproof coating. I did one application in the morning and one more in the evening, being sure to get it into all of the uneven surfaces where some of the particleboard had already crumbled away.

This is where I used gloves to keep my hands clean and help work the glue into all the nooks and crannies of the particleboard.

Step 5: That's a Wrap, Kiddies

That should do it for now. Once again, this was a low-cost quick fix for something that was not going to be replaced in the near future. Doing this should save us some headaches by arresting the damage until the countertop can be properly replaced.

Thanks for listening, and I hope this gives you inspiration where a problem is just waiting for some kind of solution.