How to remove or paint laminate kitchen cupboard?

Question

Hello, I'm looking to either remove or paint my kitchen cupboards. It's coming off in party's and cracked in others. Can it be repaired and painted or am i better off removing. It's really only few doors and drawers so if I can repair and paint that would save a lot of time.

thank you

KatGib · Answer

Thanks Mitchell for the advice ☺️

MitchellMc · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @KatGib. It's terrific to have you join us and many thanks for your question on painting cabinetry.

There’s no really reliable way to properly repair damaged laminate. While you could potentially stick loose sections back down, fillers and patching compounds don’t adhere well to laminate surfaces, so trying to fill cracks, chips, or missing areas usually ends up being more trouble than it’s worth and rarely gives a clean, lasting result.

If the laminate is already peeling and failing, the better option is usually to remove it entirely and work with the MDF core, which can be sanded, primed, and painted for a much more seamless finish. Since you’ve only got a few doors and drawers affected, you could just strip those and repaint everything, but keep in mind you might notice a slight texture difference between the still laminated surfaces and freshly exposed MDF once painted.

The bigger question is whether the rest of the cabinetry is likely to follow. If the laminate is starting to fail in multiple spots, there’s a good chance more will peel over time. In that case, it can be worth biting the bullet and removing all the laminate now, then painting the whole kitchen for a consistent and longer-lasting result.

For painting the MDF core, you’ll want to sand it back thoroughly to remove any remaining adhesive and get a smooth surface, then apply a good primer before your topcoats. A system like the Dulux Renovation Range is designed for this kind of application and gives the most durable results on cabinetry.

Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to paint laminate cabinetry.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell