Gloss kitchen cupboard doors

gmcl81

Seven years ago I paid £9000 to have a new kitchen fitted complete with cream gloss doors. After 5 years 3 doors had to be replaced due to the laminate coming away from the door. Now all the doors, including the three already replace, are in the same condition with the laminate peeling away from the mdf frame. Am I being unreasonable in expecting a kitchen to last longer than seven years or should I pursue the company involved? Thanks for any advice.

Davesnave

You have had 7 years use from the doors, so any compensation, if you were ever lucky enough to obtain it, would take this into account.

For that reason alone, it would seem easier and probably more productive to seek out an economic source of replacement doors.

It may be an old wives tale, but I have heard that the glues used to stick the laminate, had to change to an inferior product at some point, due to H&S legislation. That was why I went for painted, despite having relatives with sound vinyl-wrapped doors, 20 years old and counting.

Furts

Estate Agents believe people get a seven year itch and feel the need to move on. When they move they fit a new kitchen in the new home. Hence kitchen doors can be expected to have a life of seven years. However, many kitchens are renewed before seven years so how long should a door last is like asking how long is a piece of string.

The flip side of this is doors can last forever if a consumer specifies a decent quality door. I have removed doors that are 30 years old that are still as good as the day they were fitted.

Who manufactured your doors, and what specification did you set for them to meet?

Chanes

We have recently had a kitchen fitted and the doors look like they have been dipped in a high gloss finish vat of plastic, I would be annoyed if they only lasted 7 years! You should ask them to repair or replace - there's is no harm in asking.

Mr.Generous

most kitchens come with a 10 or 20 year guarantee - anything on that front?

sysadmin

we've had our kitchen with high gloss door for around 8 years.
It was a very cheap trade centre kitchen. The doors look like new still and thats with 3 kids hanging off them most days...

The same cant be said for the laminate floor however

ryder72

Its a well known problem of vinyl wrapped doors and the only way to avoid it to not buy them. Sadly there are still loads of this kitchens around and this problem with continue forever.

At 7 years, statutory legislation is not on your side, so your only hope is some goodwill from the supplier.

gmcl81

Thanks for all your replies. I have been in touch with kitchen fitter who has washed his hands of them as his guarantee was for five years. As there are only two pensioners in our house they have not been ill treated so am extremely upset at now having to replace all the doors. Our previous kitchen with wooden doors lasted 30 years so think I'll have to go back to that ☹️

Davesnave

gmcl81 wrote: »

Our previous kitchen with wooden doors lasted 30 years so think I'll have to go back to that ☹️

You didn't pay the price for solid wood doors, like those on your original kitchen, and no doubt that was a factor when you made the choice, just as it was for me. Well over £1k extra for in-frame doors, if I remember correctly.

Maybe the best option now is to source new doors from somewhere with a good reputation and keen pricing, as the units themselves are probably fine. This place comes well recommended on MSE and may provide comparative price info, if nothing else:

http://www.diy-kitchens.com/kitchen-doors/allstyles/allcolours/allmaterials/?gclid=CKjiiK70wdACFcO4Gwod0BUDHw

ryder72

A huge chunk of doors supplied by DIY kitchens are from PWS and these are vinyl wraps as well. I personally dont rate their wooden doors either.

Davesnave

ryder72 wrote: »

A huge chunk of doors supplied by DIY kitchens are from PWS and these are vinyl wraps as well. I personally dont rate their wooden doors either.

It would be constructive to say who you do rate.

I realise that DIY have all kinds of doors and that most people will review/report on them quite soon after purchase, which won't reflect experience of wear and tear, longer term.

They give prices, however, so they're a good starting point for research, which is why I provided the link.