Yes, laminate cabinets can be refaced as long as the cabinet boxes are in good shape. But if the cabinet boxes are weak or damaged, you may need to replace your cabinets altogether.
The least expensive option is painting laminate cabinets. Laminate is not an ideal surface to paint, but it can be done. If you consider the paint job a temporary solution until you can invest in new cabinetry, you'll probably be more satisfied with the results. Follow these steps to get the best finish possible.
It can be done on any laminate surface, and in just about any colour. The process involves the removal of the old surface, cleaning and de-greasing the substrate, applying adhesives and then laminating on a new surface.
The laminate refacing process is quite similar to real wood refacing. With laminate refacing, instead of a thin layer of wood veneer, a thin layer of laminate is applied to all the surfaces that you wish to refresh. Then, new doors are installed onto the refaced existing or new cabinets.
Prepare the cabinets for paint by removing all door hardware and hinges. Inspect the cabinet doors for damage and make any necessary repairs. Lightly sand the cabinets using 120-grit sandpaper. Sanding will roughen the surface, helping the paint adhere to the smooth surface of the laminate.
The old laminate will have to be removed, and the underlying wood cleaned and sanded smooth, so you should expect a bit of a cost increase due to the additional labor. So long as your laminate cabinets aren't falling apart, they can be refaced just as well as any other cabinet.
Yes! It's easier than you think to transform your laminate kitchen with paint. If you use the right products and follow this step-by-step guide you'll end up with a durable and long-lasting finish that will look great for a long time. Even after years of daily use, our cabinets still look perfect.
Clean, sand and prime before you start
Remove handles or knobs and sand; whether it's laminate or timber, in good nick or not, you need to rough up the surface so the new paint can stick. Apply the appropriate primer and then lightly hand-sand again. Now you're ready for the final colour!
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that painting laminate follows the same steps as your other painting projects from the past. Laminate isn't nearly as porous as wood but if you follow the proper process and guidelines, painting your laminate cabinets can turn out to be a lasting accomplishment.
Laminate is not going to work with the same primers and paints that wood does. You should not treat your laminate cabinets as if they are wood. Choose the proper items for the job; the best paint for laminate cabinets will be highly adhesive. Sanding will help create a rougher surface that will bond better.
You can sand, prime and paint laminate as if it were a solid wood piece of furniture! It's easy to skip the sanding step, because sanding is a drag… but it's especially important with laminate. Because it's often somewhat glossy-looking, and important to sand it down until the finish is very dull before priming.
Or, you could try vinyl wrapping them in a brand new color to give your kitchen a makeover without having to do any damage to the existing cabinetry.
If your kitchen layout is fine the way it is and your cabinet boxes are in good shape, refacing absolutely can be worth it.
Start out by peeling the laminate with your hands or a spackling knife, just make sure you don't dent the surface. Don't try to paint over the laminate, peeling it off is much better. After that, I patched some of the uneven parts and dents with my favorite filler Wunderfil.
While it's cheaper to reface your cabinets rather than replace them, it's important that you know whether or not a refacing project will work for your kitchen. That all comes down to the state your cabinets are currently in.
In fact, they are both industry terms, used interchangeably, describing the same process. Cabinet refacing/resurfacing is an affordable, efficient and eco-friendly way to update the look of existing cabinets, without a full replacement.
The number of cabinets being refaced, materials, and labor rates will determine the price. Completing a full kitchen cabinet refacing will cost more than just a bathroom cabinet refacing since it's a larger space.
While painting tends to be the cheaper of the two, painted cabinets build up grease and dust more easily than refaced cabinets, so they'll require more maintenance.
If your old floors are in bad shape, any new flooring will help. While solid hardwood flooring would add more value, laminate will give your home the look of hardwood at a much lower cost, will look good for years, and your return on investment should be solid.
Wood Lasts Longer, But Laminate is Easier to Clean
If your cabinets get dirty often or are more prone to scratches, you might consider laminate cabinets over wooden cabinets. Wooden cabinets are made with a much softer material and, as a result, get scratched more often. But, wooden cabinets are far easier to repair.
Some people are concerned that laminate could look 'cheap', but in fact high quality laminates are now widely available, which feature realistic designs, and even register embossing where the wood grain is mirrored by imprinting on the surface of the plank.