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How to fix peeling laminate kitchen cupboards?

I have done a lot of renovations in our house using a builder. For the kitchen I am happy with the layout and design however over the past couple of years the cabinets and draws have started to peel. Do I need to replace the whole kitchen or draws or can I paint them? Any help would be great

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EricL

Hello @Lauri

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your kitchen cupboards.

Peeling, flaking and stripping are often an indicator that the adhesive used behind the vinyl wrap has worn off or the wrap itself has started to deteriorate. Patching the damage and painting over it is an option but the trouble with that is that once another section peels or cracks off you'll have to patch it again. For a longer lasting repair, I propose using a heat gun and peeling all the vinyl wrap off the drawer fronts. I then recommend lightly sanding the surface and painting it the same colour as your current kitchen. Please keep in mind that there will be a difference in the cabinet finish, but if the paint match is good the drawer fronts should blend in nicely.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @AlanM52 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

AlanM52

Hi @Lauri ,

You could also just Google for 'vinyl wrap kitchen'.

Screenshot 2025-10-16 014022.jpg

Cheers

MitchellMc

Hi @AlanM52,

Check out our Best Advice article on Can you paint kitchen cabinets? Also, here's a helpful guide: How to paint laminate kitchen cabinets. In your case, you'll be following the directions for bare timber on the product.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Dave-1

Good Morning @Lauri

I have a set of bathroom drawers that are doing the same thing, Ive often thought "How do i stop it peeling more so?" The problem is as @EricL has mentioned the glue and material itself has deteriorated to the point of failure 😕

I would be tempted to remove the "wrap" and then assess what the timber/make up is underneath. Then sand and paint . Depending on the colouring of you kitchen style you could go for the same colour, alternate colurs to make the drawers pop.

If you know of the original cabinet manufacturer and they are still operating you could also have a chat with them.

I would also start with just one draw and see how hard it is to remove the covering, using it as a test case.

Dave

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