Large surface bubbles on kitchen cabinet doors

kuepper

The 13 yo thermofoil (?) surfaces of my kitchen drawers and cabinet doors have started to have large bubbled areas underneath the surface as presumably the glue that was adhering them to the mdf or whatever has had it's day. The cabinets have started to look really scruffy. Can they be repaired 'invisibly' somehow or will I have to get a new kitchen?

Slinky

If the body of the cabinets are OK, you could get new doors and drawer fronts. We had a couple of doors and some stick on vinyl to make up a cupboard in our new bathroom and are happy with their quality and the service. https://kitchenandbedroomdoors.co.uk/

grumbler

Repaired - I don't think so. But it can be easier and cheaper to get new doors than new kitchen.

Another option is to peel the vinyl and to have the doors painted (professionally).

35har1old

grumbler said:

Repaired - I don't think so. But it can ge easier and cheaper to get new doors than new kitchen.

Another option is to peel the vinyl and to have the doors painted (professionally).

Cupboard door paint thumbs up

kuepper

If the doors/drawer fronts were replaced or they and the drawer fronts were painted the frames/surroundings/plinths etc would look shabby so they'd have to be done ie everything bar the worktop would have to be done the same way or it would look a mess. Who would do such work anyway - is it a common practice? - and wouldn't it cost as much as replacement?

FreeBear

Slinky said:

If the body of the cabinets are OK, you could get new doors and drawer fronts. We had a couple of doors and some stick on vinyl to make up a cupboard in our new bathroom and are happy with their quality and the service. https://kitchenandbedroomdoors.co.uk/

Had the door & drawer front from them about six years ago - The vinyl wrap is starting to lift on the edges of some of the doors. If you want a quick makeover fairly cheaply, go for them. If you want something that will last 10-20 years, pay a bit more and go for solid wood.

Slinky

kuepper said:

If the doors/drawer fronts were replaced or they and the drawer fronts were painted the frames/surroundings/plinths etc would look shabby so they'd have to be done ie everything bar the worktop would have to be done the same way or it would look a mess. Who would do such work anyway - is it a common practice? - and wouldn't it cost as much as replacement?

Our kitchen was fairly new when we bought the house, but we didn't like the colour of the doors or the worktops. I got Granite Transformations in to quote for replacement doors, they cover the worktop with a new hard surface, new sink, juggling a few cupboards around. The quote came in at £13K. For that I'd want a new kitchen. We decided we'd live with the existing layout, got a new sink and worktop installed for about £2K (expensive sink), and found a chap who spray painted all the doors and cabinetry for us for about another £2K. Looking at it now, you wouldn't know it was originally a different colour.

I guess you might be able to buy a cheap new kitchen for less, but the existing one was an expensive German kitchen, so it made more sense to work with what we had than rip out and replace with something of lower quality.

kuepper

Slinky said:

kuepper said:

If the doors/drawer fronts were replaced or they and the drawer fronts were painted the frames/surroundings/plinths etc would look shabby so they'd have to be done ie everything bar the worktop would have to be done the same way or it would look a mess. Who would do such work anyway - is it a common practice? - and wouldn't it cost as much as replacement?

Our kitchen was fairly new when we bought the house, but we didn't like the colour of the doors or the worktops. I got Granite Transformations in to quote for replacement doors, they cover the worktop with a new hard surface, new sink, juggling a few cupboards around. The quote came in at £13K. For that I'd want a new kitchen. We decided we'd live with the existing layout, got a new sink and worktop installed for about £2K (expensive sink), and found a chap who spray painted all the doors and cabinetry for us for about another £2K. Looking at it now, you wouldn't know it was originally a different colour.

I guess you might be able to buy a cheap new kitchen for less, but the existing one was an expensive German kitchen, so it made more sense to work with what we had than rip out and replace with something of lower quality.

Unfortunately I couldn't just get the doors etc painted because of the bubbles in them and it's just mdf underneath the covering not solid wood. I think I'll just have to sound out some kitchen fitters for advice on alternatives

ThisIsWeird

kuepper said:

Slinky said:

kuepper said:

If the doors/drawer fronts were replaced or they and the drawer fronts were painted the frames/surroundings/plinths etc would look shabby so they'd have to be done ie everything bar the worktop would have to be done the same way or it would look a mess. Who would do such work anyway - is it a common practice? - and wouldn't it cost as much as replacement?

Our kitchen was fairly new when we bought the house, but we didn't like the colour of the doors or the worktops. I got Granite Transformations in to quote for replacement doors, they cover the worktop with a new hard surface, new sink, juggling a few cupboards around. The quote came in at £13K. For that I'd want a new kitchen. We decided we'd live with the existing layout, got a new sink and worktop installed for about £2K (expensive sink), and found a chap who spray painted all the doors and cabinetry for us for about another £2K. Looking at it now, you wouldn't know it was originally a different colour.

I guess you might be able to buy a cheap new kitchen for less, but the existing one was an expensive German kitchen, so it made more sense to work with what we had than rip out and replace with something of lower quality.

Unfortunately I couldn't just get the doors etc painted because of the bubbles in them and it's just mdf underneath the covering not solid wood. I think I'll just have to sound out some kitchen fitters for advice on alternatives

Are you sure the MDF is also bubbling?! That would only be if repeatedly soaked in water.

More likely it's just the 'foil' laye lifted, so the MDF below - if the foil can be removed cleanly - should be 100% paintable.

You will then have a 'bespoke, hand-painted kitchen', so could add £10k to your house's value...

Albermarle

ThisIsWeird said:

kuepper said:

Slinky said:

kuepper said:

If the doors/drawer fronts were replaced or they and the drawer fronts were painted the frames/surroundings/plinths etc would look shabby so they'd have to be done ie everything bar the worktop would have to be done the same way or it would look a mess. Who would do such work anyway - is it a common practice? - and wouldn't it cost as much as replacement?

Our kitchen was fairly new when we bought the house, but we didn't like the colour of the doors or the worktops. I got Granite Transformations in to quote for replacement doors, they cover the worktop with a new hard surface, new sink, juggling a few cupboards around. The quote came in at £13K. For that I'd want a new kitchen. We decided we'd live with the existing layout, got a new sink and worktop installed for about £2K (expensive sink), and found a chap who spray painted all the doors and cabinetry for us for about another £2K. Looking at it now, you wouldn't know it was originally a different colour.

I guess you might be able to buy a cheap new kitchen for less, but the existing one was an expensive German kitchen, so it made more sense to work with what we had than rip out and replace with something of lower quality.

Unfortunately I couldn't just get the doors etc painted because of the bubbles in them and it's just mdf underneath the covering not solid wood. I think I'll just have to sound out some kitchen fitters for advice on alternatives

Are you sure the MDF is also bubbling?! That would only be if repeatedly soaked in water.

More likely it's just the 'foil' laye lifted, so the MDF below - if the foil can be removed cleanly - should be 100% paintable.

You will then have a 'bespoke, hand-painted kitchen', so could add £10k to your house's value...

Would there not be some glue/sticky residue left on the MDF, after the foil layer was removed? Seems a bit unlikely you would get a nice clean surface for painting. I have never done it so I do not know, but I would kind of assume that is what would happen.

Slinky

My friend's husband stripped the vinyl off their kitchen cupboards and they repainted them. I have only seen photos but they are very happy with the results.