Touching up cabinet paint and laminate
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| Guide details | |
|---|---|
| Topic | Maintenance |
| Applies to | Arcade |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| How often | As needed |
| Tools needed | Fine sandpaper Wood filler Primer Matching paint Small brushes Contact cement Clamps Rubber mallet |
Cabinets get scuffed, chipped, and bumped. Small touch-ups keep a cabinet looking good and protect the wood underneath.
Before you start
- Original paint and art add value to collectible cabinets. If a cabinet has original side art, touch up only the damaged spots, not the whole side.
- Most cabinets are particleboard or plywood with paint or laminate on top. Particleboard swells and crumbles when it gets wet, so keep water away.
Paint touch-up
- Clean the area with a damp cloth and let it dry.
- Lightly sand any rough or flaking edges.
- Fill chips and dents with wood filler. Let it dry, then sand smooth.
- Prime bare wood or filler.
- Match the color. A paint store can color-match from a small chip or a photo.
- Apply thin coats with a small brush or foam brush, letting each coat dry.
Lifting laminate (woodgrain or printed)
- Gently lift the loose edge and clean out old glue and dust.
- Apply contact cement to both surfaces. Let it get tacky as the label directs.
- Press the laminate down firmly. Use a roller or a rubber mallet with a scrap of wood to apply even pressure.
T-molding
T-molding is the plastic trim along the cabinet edges. If it's loose, tap it back into the groove with a rubber mallet. If it's cracked or missing, replacement T-molding is cheap. Measure the width and the groove before ordering.
Water-damaged particleboard
Swollen particleboard can't be shrunk back. Small areas can be hardened with a wood hardener and then filled and painted. Badly damaged bottom edges are often cut out and replaced with a new piece of wood.