DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of kitchen furniture made of MDF from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Do-it-yourself restoration of a kitchen facade from MDF is easy to do. Almost every man is able to master basic things in the repair. The kitchen in every home is considered an important place. In this room they gather for a family dinner, a small celebration. Since this room is important, repairs in it are always very quick. Completing the renovation is the most anticipated event for any person. The kitchen facade can be made in any color scheme. But many elements of the kitchen set can become outdated, which means that they will not correspond to the latest fashion trends. The facade of the kitchen is exposed to various extreme conditions on a daily basis. Such moments include a sharp temperature drop, the effect of steam on the surface, the effect of chemicals and mechanical objects. Also, a kitchen set may simply not morally fit the interior of a room or apartment as a whole.

The design of the facade of the kitchen can be of completely different styles. Most often, two types of materials are used for the facade - chipboard and MDF. The differences between these two materials are actually significant. They are contained in the outer layer of the kitchen facade. And this becomes noticeable at the moment when there is a desire to update the facade of the kitchen.

The most popular type of finishing coating is considered to be MDF material. It is the best choice for making any furniture in the house. MDF is called the best material because of its many positive features. And the most important feature is the top coat, which is based on a homogeneous composition. Unlike chipboard, this material does not undergo crumbling, fasteners hold perfectly on it. It is also possible to replace any handles, hinges or other hardware, even if it needs to be done several times. And another positive feature of this material is its environmentally friendly manufacturing. Since during its manufacture various resins and harmful chemicals are not added to it. This material can be covered with different types of films, which will determine the complexity of the restoration of the kitchen facade.

Video (click to play).

The main disadvantage of this type of facade is that the upper part of the film can quickly peel off due to the constant high temperature. But in part, it is possible to do this and bring it into the desired form. For example, if the facade of the kitchen will be made on the basis of an acrylic panel, then an important part of this renovation is to choose the correct color for your version. In this case, it is even possible to carry out the restoration of the kitchen facade from MDF with your own hands. After thoroughly removing the old coating, the selected color of acrylic film or paint is applied to the MDF surface. You can also choose photo printing, colored paper or drawing.

After the base is applied, it is necessary to cover everything with a glossy layer. This gloss will add beauty and shine. The only negative point in this case is that if suddenly part of the facade has undergone chips or other mechanical damage, then this restoration of the kitchen facade from MDF with your own hands may not be performed. Repair of the film coating on this type of facade can be done very simply. To do this, it is enough to remove the old film, clean the facade surface well and cover with a new layer of the selected coating. It is very easy to remove the old film, which is not completely peeled off.To do this, you need a building hair dryer, which at high temperatures will help peel off the remaining layer of the film. Also a new layer of film will be applied under the high temperature.

Restoring your own kitchen is easy. Also, using this process, you can get a unique version of the facade of the kitchen set. It is enough just to choose a durable and high-quality material, since it will be easy and simple to work with it. If a person has developed artistic thoughts, then it is even possible to change the design of the kitchen.

If something in the old furniture is broken or it has lost its appearance, this does not mean that it is necessary to change it. Furniture can be restored, and any furniture, including kitchen furniture. To begin with, it is important to determine what exactly broke, whether it is possible to fix it, whether the repair will be temporary or the furniture can still serve for a long time. In the event that the headset is made of high-quality material or only the correction of cosmetic defects is required, repairing kitchen furniture with your own hands justifies itself. This is especially true for wooden furniture, it can be repaired several times. But more affordable furniture made of MDF and chipboard is also amenable to repair, when, for example, you need to improve the appearance of facades.

Usually, the kitchen loses its appearance the fastest, and most of all it is noticeable on the facades. If these are MDF facades, then in some places the film is lagging (the ends of the facades are vulnerable spots), scratches appear, stains from various contaminants, such as grease, appear, the coating changes color and becomes inhomogeneous in tone.

Minor damages include chips, scratches, abrasions.

Chips are removed with wax. A pre-aligned chip along the edges is poured with molten wax, polished, and then painted over with special felt-tip pens, choosing colors. Then fix it with a finishing coat of varnish.
Rub the scuffs with a soft microfiber cloth, to which the dye from a felt-tip pen has been applied.
Scratches are polished with furniture wax.
If some parts have dispersed, the edges are coated with PVA glue and pressed against each other with clamps.

Minor defects can be painted over

It happens that the edge of the headset countertop or kitchen table comes off. It can be replaced with a new one that matches the color. This will require the edge itself, scissors, a construction knife, an iron.

The edge is cut into pieces, according to the dimensions of the table top, with small allowances. First, they make blanks for the long sides, then for the short ones.
Then the iron is adjusted so that the edge does not overheat or swell.
The edge is evenly applied to the end. For convenience, you can put the table top upside down.
With uniform, unhurried movements, they drive along the edge with an iron, as a result of which the glue melts, and the edge is glued to the end.
While the glue has not cooled down, it is necessary to press the edge against the countertop, ironing with pressure along the edge with a piece of felt or a rag.
The excess edge at the corners is trimmed with scissors, trimmed with a knife.
The excess edge from above and below, if it does not fit in width, is cut off with a knife, gradually, towards the table top. And then they pass again in one motion, applying the blade at an angle of about 45 degrees to the table top.
The corner joints are lightly sanded with fine sandpaper.

Read also: El stove burning DIY repair

The peel-off film can be glued back if this drawback is minor. For these purposes, ordinary PVA glue is suitable. The main thing is to get to all hard-to-reach places.

When the problem becomes global, the film will have to be removed. This is done as follows.The design, size, color of the kitchen are very different, but in fact, the vast majority of them are made of chipboard or MDF, and the differences, sometimes very significant, are provided only by the top finishing layer. Image - DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

This is especially important when it is necessary to repair damaged facades or renew them.

For the kitchen, the best choice would be MDF furniture. And it's not even about its greater density, but about the high uniformity of its composition. Unlike the same chipboard, the material does not crumble, it perfectly holds fasteners, even repeated ones, which is extremely important when replacing hinges, handles or other accessories. In addition, the manufacturing method itself is based on lignin, and not formaldehyde resins, which makes MDF facades more environmentally friendly.

In the photo - a kitchen with MDF facades covered with veneer

The plate is decorated in a variety of ways.

Veneer - a cut of natural wood glued to the slab. Requires exactly the same care as a real tree, just as capricious and just as beautiful. It is impossible to restore this coating with your own hands in case of damage.
PVC film - it is more often used for laminating chipboard, since this is the most budgetary option. The foil can imitate any kind of wood, although not entirely convincingly. The main disadvantage is that with prolonged exposure to moisture and temperature, the film peels off. Repairs are partially possible.
Melamine foil - it is based on decorative paper impregnated with melamine resin. The advantage of such kitchen fronts is their higher resistance to moisture.
Acrylic film - paper-laminated plastic, characterized by a much higher strength, resistance to mechanical damage and dampness. This coating can have a matte, satin or glossy surface, and therefore it rarely imitates wood. Any color is available - white, red, blue, black and all possible combinations.

The facades of the kitchen in the photo are covered with foil.

The undoubted advantage of the three listed film options is the possibility of finishing radius facades. And such a solution always looks original. Moreover, the size and configuration of the kitchen have little effect on the price.

Acrylic panels

White color as in the photo is best combined with companion flowers

Enamel coating. Provides an exceptionally rich range of colors and color effects: smooth transition of shades, mixing colors, pearl shine, “chameleon” effect - all this richness can be obtained by applying enamel and varnish on the surface of the slab in several layers. The mechanical strength of the enamel layer is not too high; therefore, the paint may darken under the influence of sunlight. However, the repair of enamel facades is possible even with your own hands. And you can paint any sash with enamel - smooth, milled or radius.

As a rule, plastic kitchens are those models in which the coating shows a bright color - white, pink or lilac, and no less bright gloss. In fact, painting can easily turn furniture into a modern glossy one, as well as an "aged" rustic one.

Most often, over time or from overheating, the PVC coating can peel off. With melamine film, and even more so with acrylic, this happens extremely rarely, since their basis is paper, which in its properties is much closer to wood fiber material. In addition, this type of coating is attached under high pressure.

As a result, it is possible to pull the PVC film with your own hands, but melamine or acrylic film is not.Repair of this kind is possible only in small areas and only in those cases when the film has only peeled off, and not deformed, as happens from overheating.In the latter case, it is easier to remove the entire coating or order a new kitchen facade.To remove a defect in a medical syringe - without a needle, take PVA glue, "Moment", "Titan" and carefully fill the cavity under the film. You can also use "liquid nails". The film is stretched, smoothed so that no air bubbles remain, and fixed with tape for 4 hours.

In case of severe damage, restoration of the kitchen fronts is not possible.Anything can be painted on MDF facades, except for options with an acrylic panel. Such repair requires great care and some experience. Especially if you need to paint a complex surface - milled or radius. Image - DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

Renovation consists of three stages: paint selection, preparation and painting.

For painting MDF boards, ordinary acrylic or oil paints can be used. Better in quality and more durable - alkyd compounds. The ideal option for the kitchen is polyurethane paints and, in fact, a polyurethane primer.

1. Water-based polyurethane primer absorbed by the top layer of the material, shrinks the loose surface, imparting sufficient strength and smoothness. Such a coating is easy to sand and the consumption of paint and varnish is noticeably reduced.

If renovating sufficiently old kitchen fronts, it is highly recommended to apply a second coat of filler primer.

2. Polyurethane enamels differ in the richest range of colors, and provide varying degrees of gloss. The following paints are produced:

matte - with a minimum degree of light reflection;
semi-matte;
semi-gloss - such a coating is recommended for pastel colors;
glossy - the most popular;
High Gloss - Suitable for very clear and vibrant colors as they provide an almost mirror-like shine. The white gloss will be simply dazzling.

3. Varnish. Acrylic and polyurethane varnishes are used. The first ones are transparent, do not turn yellow over time, however, they are inferior in mechanical strength to polyurethane ones.

If the facades are really old, the surface includes not only peeling of the film, paint, but also chips and cracks.

If the dimensions of the sash have changed - for example, from constant dampness, then it is advisable to abandon the restoration. It will be much faster and cheaper to completely renovate the kitchen.

If a decision is made to radically change the design of the kitchen, then DIY repair is quite possible.

The hinges and handles are removed from the sash.
Get rid of the film coating. Since PVC film, and even melamine film, are unstable to heat, the facades are simply heated with a hairdryer and the film is removed. This cannot be done with an acrylic panel.
The old enamel layer is removed with a solvent.
The surface is sanded with sanding sponges, brushes or a grinder. Processing removes glue and paint residues, minor scratches and chips. Grinding is carried out in three stages with abrasive materials with coarse grains - P180, medium and fine.
Then the part is cleaned of dust and primed. This is best done with a spray gun, but you can use a roller or even a brush. The primer dries in about 8-10 hours.
After drying, the surface must be cleaned again with the finest grit abrasive.

The process of preparing the material is covered in detail in the video.

You can paint kitchens with a roller or a brush, but it is still better to use a spray gun. This significantly reduces the operating time and allows you to obtain uniform coloring on any surface - smooth, milled or radius.You need to paint in two layers, the second is applied after the first is completely dry. If you use paint and varnish material of the same shade, you can get a uniform matte or glossy surface. However, you can create more interesting effects with the help of enamel. Image - DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

Kitchen set with enamelled effect and chameleon effect

Metallic - special enamel containing aluminum powder.The first layer is metallized paint, the second - glossy varnish.
Marble coating - the facade is painted with the main color, and then a kind of "web" of a different shade is applied. After drying, open it with transparent varnish.
"Cracking" (craquelure) - the facade is painted in two layers of different shades, and after drying - with a solvent. Such a product is not varnished.
"Chameleon" - obtained by painting with enamel in two colors and coating with glossy varnish.

After the paintwork has dried, fittings are installed and the sashes are hung on the hinges.

In the video you can see how the correct painting of MDF panels is done.

Renovation of an MDF kitchen, if the material itself is reliable and durable, can completely change the design of furniture. With sufficiently developed artistic skills, you can even draw on flat facades. No industrial design can provide this degree of uniqueness.For an experienced master, restoration of kitchen facades will not take a lot of effort and money, and a non-professional will be able to do such a job if he gets acquainted with useful tips. Image - DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

The facade is called the front part of the kitchen set, in particular, the front side of its doors, drawer lids. For its manufacture is used:

natural wood;
chipboard (chipboard);
medium density fibreboard (MDF);
plastic.

As a finishing of the front surface, special dyes, glass, metal, and self-adhesive films are used. Sometimes these materials are combined with each other, for example, when creating stained glass windows.

In most cases, the restoration of the facades of kitchen furniture becomes necessary after its long-term use. Drops of fat, particles of food residues, vegetable dyes leave traces that cannot be removed with household products.

In order not to buy other furniture, since the existing one remains in a technically sound condition, many owners prefer to update the facade. This repair work can be done even by an amateur, since it does not require special skills and special qualifications.

If the elements of the front part are intact, have no damage and large holes, adhere well to the mountings, you can perform simple operations:

cover the surface with self-adhesive films;
paint in a different color;
to glue the facade using decoupage technique.

These options can be applied to furniture made from any material. Everything you need is sold in hardware stores.

The easiest way to update the front side of a kitchen set is to cover the facades with self-adhesive foil. It is better to choose a material with a glossy surface. It is easier to wash, grease and dust will not adhere to the surface.

With the help of the film, we restore as follows:

the removed parts of the facade are washed with a product and dried;
the film is cut into pieces 1-2 cm larger than the plane of each part.
having glued its edge, we fix it, gradually unwinding along the length.

To make it easier to disperse the bubbles, the surface of the facade is lightly sprayed with cold water. The excess film is cut off with a clerical knife.

Another option for the restoration of facades is staining. Anyone can do this work with their own hands in the following sequence:

remove handles, hinges and fittings;

wash, dry and degrease removed parts;

primed the surface of the facade depending on the type of paint, pre-cleaning especially damaged areas with fine emery;

dry and apply the paint with a roller on a flat surface, with a brush on an embossed surface.

The paint is allowed to dry, after which the furniture is assembled.

If damage occurs (holes, cracks, traces of fire), you need to completely renew the coating. Handles, hinges and other accessories are removed from the part, cleaned and dried, after which the film is glued. The desired color and texture will help you choose in a furniture company or a specialized store, the main thing is to show a sample.

Good to know! Most often, the film peels off near heat sources (stove, oven, radiators) and water (sink).

The monolithic elements of the furniture sets, made of solid natural wood, are restored by repainting the facades.

For the kitchen, it is better to choose enamel rather than paint. The first has a higher degree of abrasion resistance, less fading.

Acrylic enamels are water-based. Having chosen to paint kitchen wooden facades with this material, it is recommended to apply a protective layer of transparent varnish on top. Alkyd enamels do not need such protection.

Painting facades in the kitchen is a popular method because it is not expensive and takes little time. Most often, a different color is simply applied over the old, washed and degreased layer.

In case of large damage (deep scratches, holes, traces of fire), it is necessary to prepare the surface from natural wood. Old paint is removed using chemicals (washes) or heating with a hair dryer. After that, the wood is cleaned with fine emery cloth. Deep damage must be putty with a special putty for wood. To make the composition better adhere, cracks and cracks are cleaned of dust and debris.The putty is applied with a plastic spatula, pressing it so that it fills the entire space. Otherwise, it will sag, depressions will appear.The next step in recoating is the application of a primer. It will create better adhesion of the base to the paint, play the role of a protective layer, and extend the service life of the product.The last step is staining. It is made with a paint roller or brushes of different widths. Thin embossed details are processed with narrow ones (they are painted first of all), with wide ones - panels and other planes.For best results, it is recommended to apply several coats of paint.Another way to restore the kitchen facade with your own hands is varnishing. This method allows you to show the beauty of the texture of different breeds, gives the furniture an expensive and representative look.In order for the surface to sparkle with gloss, it is pre-prepared. All fittings are removed, after which the paint from the facade or the old varnish is removed. The tree is cleaned with emery, first coarse, then fine.The existing cracks in the kitchen facades are sealed with putty, which is matched to the color of the wood. For more similarity, colored pigments are sometimes added to it. The putty must be dried before varnishing the facade. Image - DIY kitchen furniture repair from MDF

If necessary, use a special transparent primer. She:

levels the surface;
creates a protective layer;
enhances the texture of the original material.

The peculiarity of working with varnishes is that it is applied in several layers. The first layer is made basic, allowed to dry, and then the next one is applied. The last layer is made the thinnest, most transparent. It gives the façade a glossy sheen and enhances the depth of the design.