When your kitchen could use a face-lift, there are a number of ways to reface melamine cabinets. Some refacing products are inexpensive, while others cost more. Any homeowner handy with a paintbrush or a craft knife can update old melamine cabinets.
Paint the primer on the doors and laminate cabinet frames with a dense, foam roller. Apply the paint in long, even, vertical strokes for best finish results. When the first coat of primer is dry, lightly sand with 150-grit sandpaper to rough the surfaces for an additional coat of primer.
Dust the furniture thoroughly, removing sticky residues with regular household cleaners. Sand all surfaces you plant to paint, and then wipe the dust away with a tack cloth or rag. Sanding the plastic-like surface of melamine allows the primer to adhere better.
Melamine is a laminate, but not all laminates are melamine. Melamine is considered, and often referred to as, a direct or low pressure laminate (LPL) because it is manufactured with a pressure of 300-500 pounds-per-square-inch.
The right paint and brushes help you get successful results when you paint melamine, thermofoil and laminate surfaces. Lots of paints work well on these materials, including high-quality latex, acrylic and chalk paints, but most of them require priming.
Painting laminate cabinets offers an inexpensive way to update the appearance of your kitchen in a short amount of time. With a minimal financial investment, a little time and some elbow grease, your kitchen can have a richer, more customized look.
Laminate costs an average of $91 per linear foot or $1,000 to $3,000 total. High-quality veneer costs an average of $193 per linear foot or $2,500 to $6,500 total. Real wood veneer costs an average of $454 per linear foot or $6,000 to $14,000 total.
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.
If the melamine coating has only come loose in a few areas, you can reattach it using an instant adhesive, such as Super Glue or Krazy Glue. You can use instant glue to reattach peeling melamine coating on a cabinet. However, if larger areas of the melamine cabinets are loose, you will need to paint the cabinets.
The best way to do it is to use a heat gun to soften the adhesive and pull the laminate off in sections, starting with the edging. Some MDF cabinets have a plastic coating, and removing a plastic coating from kitchen cabinets is usually easier than removing a wood laminate.
When painting melamine, thermofoil, and laminate surfaces, you need the right paint and brushes to get the best results. Paints such as latex, acrylic, and chalk work well on these materials, but most of them require priming before use.
Short of committing to a more costly replacement of outdated kitchen storage, repainting laminate cabinets is an affordable way to turn the eyesore into eye-catching, modern cabinetry.
Refacing Formica cabinets is most easily done by adding a new fresh layer of Formica laminate over the old. This is an easy, cost-effective method of giving your kitchen a fresh look without doing a lot to the rest of the room. In some cases you will need to remove old Formica.
There are two options for choosing the right cabinet refacing material: Wood Cabinets and Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) with a Rigid Thermofoil (RTF) finish. Wood Cabinets – When choosing wood cabinets for your refacing project, you have some decisions to consider.
REFINISHING IS MUCH CHEAPER THAN REPLACING OR RESURFACING
But, you'd be surprised how little you'll save when you choose to reface your cabinets instead. You might only save around 30%-50% of the cost of complete replacement by choosing to reface them.
Q: Can I install plastic laminate over a countertop that's already covered with existing laminate material? A: Yes, but the existing surface must be even and smooth. Repair any gouges or loose edges and make sure the existing laminate is glued firmly.
Refacing is about 30 to 50-percent less than replacement. Expect to pay about $12,000 to $20,000 for contractor-grade cabinets. Best when the cabinet boxes are in solid shape and cost is an issue. Best when doing a whole-kitchen remodel or when cabinet boxes are in poor shape.
A sure way to recognize wood laminate is when the grain does NOT follow through your piece. Wood Veneer is a sheet or thin layer of 'quality-natural-hardwood' that is adhered to a lesser quality wood surface. Wood Veneers give the impression of a more desired quality wood without being as costly.
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.
When painting melamine, it is a good idea to apply a thin layer of Ultra Grip to your melamine cabinets. Just add a very thin layer using a sponge. Allow the Ultra Grip to dry for 12 hours before you start painting. Step 3 – PAINT!
Spray Painting Melamine
A spray paint provides a smooth, factory-like finish, especially when you're using an all-in-one bonding primer and paint specifically designed for laminates and melamine. As an added benefit, the drying and curing time is greatly reduced when using a spray paint.
Laminate Cabinets
This process leaves a completely smooth surface that does not show any seams. The lack of seams around the door's joints can be a clear indication that your cabinet doors are a laminate material.