Reface discolored MDF cabinet with veneer sheets.
MDF stands for medium-density fiberboard made from pressurized treated wood fibers, wax and a resin. MDF is similar to plywood, but it is more uniform in appearance and a stronger building material. MDF cabinets and cabinet doors are covered by a plastic or vinyl sheet, called veneer or laminate. Veneer can come in wood grain patterns or single colors to match your kitchen decor color scheme. Replace the veneer on your MDF cabinet doors to give your kitchen a new look, or to repair doors that have cracked or are peeling.
1
Set the peel-and-stick veneer or vinyl sheets in your home 48 hours prior to installation. This allows the material to acclimate to the humidity and temperature of your home.
2
Clean the cabinets with trisodium phosphate and a sponge. Wear heavy cleaning gloves to protect your hands from being irritated by the cleanser as you work.
3
Remove the cabinet doors take off all the hardware on them.
4
Sand down the surfaces of the MDF cabinet doors with medium grit sandpaper. Wipe off the sanding dust with a microfiber cloth.
5
Measure the cabinet doors. Add 1/2-inch to the cabinet door width and 2 inches to the cabinet door length. The veneer or vinyl sheets will be cut to these dimensions. The extra inches will allow you to trim the veneer for a neat, professional looking installation.
6
Cover a flat work surface with cardboard to protect it from being scratched or cut by the utility knife. Set the veneer or vinyl sheet on the cardboard. Transfer the measurements to the veneer. Double check all measurements on the veneer to ensure that they are correct to prevent waste.
7
Set the metal straightedge on the veneer or vinyl sheet to use as a cutting guide. Run the utility knife along the metal straightedge as you cut the veneer or vinyl sheet to size.
8
Position the cut veneer or vinyl piece over the front face of the cabinet doors. Overlap the edges with the veneer or vinyl equally on all sides. Pull off the top corner of the veneer or vinyl's plastic cover and press the top corner onto the cabinet door with the adhesive side down. Work in small sections as you continue to remove the plastic cover and press the adhesive side onto the cabinet door as you go. Wrap the sides of the veneer or vinyl sheet around the cabinet door. Apply the veneer to the front of all the cabinet doors the same way.
9
Run the veneer scraper over the cabinet door fronts. Press down firmly as you work to eliminate air pockets from the adhered veneer or vinyl sheets.
10
Apply the veneer or vinyl to the back of the cabinet doors, one small section at a time, peeling the plastic backing and pressing the adhesive side down onto the door. Run the veneer scraper over the veneer or vinyl to remove air pockets.
11
Trim the edges of the veneer or vinyl with a utility knife. Cut the edges as close to the sides of the cabinet door as possible, so that the back veneer or vinyl piece covers the folded over edges of the front piece of veneer or vinyl while still being aligned with the edge of the door.
12
Replace the cabinet doors and hardware.
Things You Will Need
- Trisodium phosphate
- Heavy cleaning gloves
- Sponge
- Screwdriver
- Medium grit sandpaper
- Microfiber cloth
- Measuring tape
- Metal straight edge
- Cardboard
- Utility knife
- Peel-and-stick veneer or vinyl sheets
- Veneer scraper
Tip
- Trisodium phosphate is often sold as TSP.
Warning
- Handle trisodium phosphate with care, as it is a skin and eye irritant.
About the Author
Alexis Rohlin is a professional writer for various websites. She has produced works for Red Anvil Publishing and was one of the top 10 finalists in the 2007 Midnight Hour Short Story Contest for OnceWritten.com. Rohlin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in English from Madonna University.
Photo Credits
- David Sacks/Lifesize/Getty Images
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