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Revamp or Replace Built-In Cupboard or Closet Doors

As a house gets older, so do the fittings and fixtures, and there comes a time when you will need to replace certain items and particularly built-in cupboard and closet doors that are dinged, damaged or looking ragged.

03/12/2022

 

 

 

 

It is a fact that when you own a house or any property, you will spend a lifetime staying on top of maintenance and repairs. Another fact is that the older the property the more you will need to do. Having lived in my house for close to 30 years, quite a few fittings and fixtures have had to be replaced due to age, wear, and tear. Over and above that, some have needed to be replaced just because they were outdated or old fashioned, but others because there were much better solutions on the market than when they were initially installed.

 

 

 

One area where repair or replacement was required some years ago was all the doors on my built-in cupboards (closet doors). These were initially white melamine (or laminated) and I am sure that most of you know what happens to melamine doors over time, or any melamine-covered material for that matter. The edging around the doors starts to peel off or gets easily chipped and breaks off, the front edges peel and lift, and the melamine takes on a yellowed hue. To increase the amount of storage in the small walk-in closet, two of the cupboards were split in half, with drawers on the bottom and shelves on the top - all with newly painted doors and drawer fronts. Click on the previous link for full details.

 

 

 

 

Below are some of the common repairs that can be done on melamine or laminated cupboard doors, either do it yourself or hire a workman, and all the supplies are available at any Builders store countrywide:

 

 

 

 

1. Replace edging strips or edge banding

A 5-metre roll of white melamine edging strip costs around R23 at Builders and this should repair chipped or broken edges on about 3 to 4 doors. This edging strip is the glue-on type so you will also need contact adhesive to secure the edging strip around the door. You can purchase self-adhesive edging strip, but this costs twice as much and is more of a hassle to apply since you need to use a warm iron to release the adhesive on the door edges.

 

HOW TO:

 

  1. If you cannot peel off the edging strip, use a utility or craft knife to remove the old edging strip. Any remaining bits should be sanded off with 100-grit sandpaper. Wipe to remove any traces of dust.
  2. Calculate the length of strip required for each edge and cut the strip to lengths.
  3. Apply contact adhesive all along the door edges and the back of the edging strip. Leave to set for about 10 minutes and then start pressing the new strip to one corner and working down (up, or across). Run over the tape with your thumb to press firmly to the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Torn, ripped, or scratched laminate covering

If the front or back laminate is torn, ripped or scratched, the most effective way to repair this is to remove the laminate and paint the door. A 2.5 litre of Plascon Kitchens and Bathrooms water-based enamel paint will cover approximately 6 to 7 doors at a cost of R499 per container and, having used this previously on built-in cupboard doors, I can confirm it's worth the effort. For adding detail to plain doors, see our article 'Add Detail to Closet Doors'.

 

 

 

 

HOW TO:

 

  1. Starting at either the top or bottom of the door, use a utility or craft knife to lift the laminate at one corner. If this is not easy, use a hair dryer or heat gun to soften the adhesive or plastic wrap to make it easier to lift and peel away.
  2. Sand the door smooth with 180-grit sandpaper and wipe clean to remove all traces of dust.
  3. Apply Plascon Kitchens and Bathrooms paint using a paint roller over the front and back. Work in smooth strokes, rolling upwards and downwards in a slight 'W' arrangement. Go over any ridge of paint or air bubbles with the roller to remove these. You want the surface to be completely smooth. Allow the paint to dry overnight.

 

 

 

 

3. Broken hinges

Door hinges don't last a lifetime and sooner or later you will need to replace them. Concealed or Euro hinges are the perfect solution, and you can use these to replace conventional butt hinges if you don't already have concealed or Euro hinges. Drilling the holes is easy if you follow these instructions and you will find a selection of concealed hinges at Builders.

 

 

If you need to remove and replace more than one door in your home, do yourself a favour and invest in a Kreg Concealed Hinge Jig. At a cost of around R600, this jig will make fitting hinges a breeze, with consistently repeatable results every time.

 

 

 

 

HOW TO:

 

  1. Remove all the hinges that you want to replace and take them with you to Builders if you don't know the type of hinges. There are full-overlap, half-overlap, 90-degree openings, 180-degree openings, and so on. It can be confusing if you don't know what you need. Taking them along with you will allow the salesperson to identify the type of hinge you need.
  2. If the existing hole is damaged or the screw holes are stripped, purchase Alcolin QuikWood. Knead this 2-part epoxy putty and fill in all the holes, pushing and moulding the putty into any gaps. It should be set hard in a couple of hours. Sand any rough areas smooth.
  3. Install new hinges and new screws and, if the opportunity presents itself, replace standard hinges with the soft-close variety. So much nicer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Damaged doors

A family home needs to take hard knocks over the years and damage in the form of dings, chips, scratches, or more may need that you need to replace cupboard doors. This is an easy project, and you can purchase 16mm SupaWood (MDF) at Builders and have it cut to the exact sizes you need. As an alternative solution, BisonLam (laminated BisonBord) and SupaLam (laminated SupaWood), both of which are finished in a white laminate, is also available and can be cut to the sizes of your doors.

 

 

 

 

HOW TO:

 

  1. Remove and measure the doors to be replaced. Take these measurements to your nearest Builders store and arrange for a sheet of 16mm SupaWood (at a cost of around R800 per sheet) to be cut to the sizes required for your new doors.
  2. If the existing hole is damaged or the screw holes are stripped, purchase Alcolin QuikWood. Knead this 2-part epoxy putty and fill in all the holes, pushing and moulding the putty into any gaps. It should be set hard in a couple of hours. Sand any rough areas smooth.
  3. If you need to drill out for new hinges, follow these instructions.
  4. Install new hinges and new screws and, if the opportunity presents itself, replace standard hinges with the soft-close variety. So much nicer.
  5. Follow the instructions in Point 2 above to paint the new door/s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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