Sand down the swelled particleboard, using a pad sander and 100-grit sandpaper. Apply contact cement to the flattened particleboard and the back of the laminate and let it set for five to 10 minutes. Press the laminate into place and clamp it down with C-clamps. Leave it clamped overnight.
Depending on the extent of the water damage, you might be able to repair kitchen cabinets. If the water has delaminated parts of the cabinet, use carpenter's glue and clamps to repair the damage. Spread the carpenter's glue between the delaminated layers of the cabinets, then use the clamps to press them back together.
Scrape old glue off the laminate and the core with a putty knife. Apply contact cement to the laminate and core, and allow it to dry to the touch — typically between 15 and 30 minutes. Carefully press the laminate back into place and use a mallet to randomly bump the laminate to bond it to the core.
When you've exposed the swollen part of the substrate, sand it flat and stabilize it (lock all those loose fibers together) with a thick coating of cyanoacrylate glue. Sand a little more, and check the flatness. Bear in mind that it's not a wedding cake or even a brand-new countertop; it doesn't have to be perfect.
Squirt a small amount of waterproof adhesive between the substrate and the laminate. Push the laminate into the glue, and apply a heavy-duty masking tape to the repair. Wrap this around the door to the opposite side and secure it in place.
With laminate or wood veneers laid over the existing cabinet boxes, you can change the style, color, wood type—even the associated historical era.
The least expensive option is painting laminate cabinets. Laminate is not an ideal surface to paint, but it can be done.
Vinyl wrapped kitchen cabinets can't really be repaired. Once the vinyl starts to peel away, it can't be glued back onto the door. This is because of the way in which vinyl wrapped doors are manufactured, it's impossible to fix them.
To repair the water and steam damage, first, we have to cut away the puffed up damaged wood fibers. We then sand it smooth. Next, we use a solvent based primer, I like BIN shellac primer for this because it penetrates, it seals, and it dries fast. The area is sanded then primed one more time.
When baseboard made of medium-density fiberboard sustains water damage, your best solution is to replace it. However, if the damage is not significant, you can attempt repair. MDF in its undefiled manufactured state is stable and consistent.
Water damaged MDF is evident by its bubbles, so sanding it down so that the material is even and smooth is critical. You can choose to do this step either by hand or with an electric sander. Selecting a medium-fine grit, around 100 or 120, is a safe bet.
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.
Latex paint is recommended for laminate surface painting projects because of its durability and smooth finish.
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.
You can revitalize laminate cabinets without peeling off the old laminate, as long as they're firmly affixed to the frame and in good shape. See your local home improvement store for the right type of laminate for this project.
Remove the item you used to separate the surfaces, and press the laminate onto the core. Put a piece of scrap wood over the glued area on the front side of the door and another on the back, and then clamp the two pieces of wood together with a C-clamp to apply more force and secure the glue bond.
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.
You can paint the cabinets with oil-based paints, acrylic paints, or melamine paints once they have been primed. Moisture-resistant materials in the paint make Melamine paints ideal for painting laminate surfaces, since they are just right for the moisture and steam that are so prevalent in kitchens.
Scrape off chunks of debris or dried lumps of glue from the end cap. If the countertop is newer, first try to iron the end cap back on with a medium-hot iron to reactivate the glue. However, in most cases the loose piece will need to be reattached with contact cement.
If the glue just won't come off, squeeze hot water from a sponge under the loose piece of veneer. The water will eventually melt the glue so you can then remove it using the knife. Wipe off any excess moisture. Re-attach the veneer by adding fresh white (wood) glue, then put a piece of plastic over the repaired area.