How to makeover cupboard shelves?

[jpaige]

Through out my house all my cupboards have this wood and I don’t know how to make it better with out replacing them. 
 
Please help? 

 

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @jpaige,

It appears that you are dealing with exposed chipboard shelving, which can be improved without replacing everything. Before deciding on the best approach, it would help to know how smooth the surface is. If the chipboard is reasonably smooth and not flaking or rough, you can usually give it a light sand, seal it with a couple of coats of Dulux primer, then finish it with an enamel top coat. Once painted, the shelves look far more finished because the raw chipboard disappears and you end up with a clean, durable surface.

If the chipboard is very rough or swollen from moisture, painting may still work, but it will take more prep. Another option would be replacing just the shelves themselves with solid timber or laminated project panels, which can give the space a much higher quality feel without changing the rest of the cupboard. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell