Any Experience with Installing Wood Laminate?
 

Hey Braintrust!

We just purchased an older home where I'm doing some updating w/o braking the bank. The home has 3 full baths with large double sinks / cabinets. Unfortunately, those cabinets are cheap pressboard with a light wood laminate.

I'd like to keep the actual cabinets and install a modern looking cherry / darker laminate over top and possibly replace the doors. Has anyone done this with good results?

Thanx

I spray painted some cabinet doors, which turned out decent.
(Bought a $100 Lowes HPLV sprayer, tinted the primer the same color, sprayed flat in a clean no-wind garage, and thinned the paint a bit until the spray blended and finished smooth, using a strong light source behind to judge.)

I also built a cabinet w/laminate top which is probably similar to your task.

It's not too difficult.
Sand with 40 grit good. De-grease surface. Cut laminate an inch two wide. I used a drill and cutoff wheel slowly along a tape line. Apply Shop DAP Original Contact Cement at Lowes.com (or a better product) to both sides using a roller and give it a minute or three to get tacky. Stick together and smooth out from the center using a roller if necessary. I put books on it while drying. Longer is better (days). Then use a router and trim off the extra overhanging laminate with a new flat or probably 45deg bit. Finish sharp edges w/a metal file. Maybe apply sealer to edge.
Practice your technique with a scrap piece first.

self adhesive real wood veneer sheets. Real Cherry can be had. Stain and finish with top coat. Is that what you are talking about? This is going to make this best looking because you have contral of the colors and top coats. Its thin and its actually real wood.

Gambler,

Do you mean a real wood veneer, or a laminate such as Formica which is plastic? The process of application is about the same. Contact cement on both surfaces let dry then lay in place and trim. The laminate would be finished at this point the veneer would then need a finish coat applied. That's the abridged version of the process.

Applying a laminate to a cheap cabinet could be cost effective. Laminate is what those cabinet refacers apply. Using a real wood veneer probably would not. Veneer is pricey, there is a lot of waste and unusable veneer. It is also time consuming to do properly. your time has value.

Price it out, you may find it cheaper to buy a cabinet with real wood frames, doors and drawer fronts but the cabinets and drawers are particle board. Lowes also sells unfinished cabinets with oak fronts and particle board cabinets. stain and finish in your choice of color.

Are you a woodworker? I've done it before, and it's not as easy as it sounds. I veneered a set of stairs, to make carpet grade look like oak. It's a process, for example, the nosings and return trim get replaced, treads and risers veneered.

If you do it, consider thin(1/8") hardwood veneer plywood. Much easier to work with. Use rips on face frames, larger pieces on sides, apply with contact cement. Order doors from one of the many sites online, unfinished and in the same wood species.

But I've priced it out, and in my case it wasn't worth it.

This would be my approach. Order matching hardwood doors, stain to match. As usual surface prep is everything and use lots of clamps while the contact cement dries.

Forget contact cement Matt. The self adhesive veneer is the way to go. No more using sticks to keep from making contact. Fold the paper in back to prevent sticking pull away when positioned and ready to set in place, and mo more mess. We rarely use it, but have done so in the past.

Most of my veneer work has been bigger stuff like countertops so I've always used a spray contact adhesive, but I totally see how the peel and stick stuff would be way cleaner and easier in this case.

You can get good/decent plywood RTA cabinets for ~$200/ea. You can spend that much in veneer, especially if you butcher a piece or 2 the first time. If you go veneer dont forget about the ends/edges, depending on your setup you might need some trim or at least detail work.

Good luck

Many moons ago I did the kitchen in oak laminate: new cabinet doors, and oak plywood veneer on the large surfaces.

After 15 years it still looks good.

As in all things, preparation and technique are the keys.

Hi I'm pretty handy with all things tool related, but I'm not a wood worker. I believe what I'm looking into real wood veneer sheeting where you trim and glue over existing cabinet and replace the doors to match color.

PSA - Pressure Sensitive Veneer -24 Inch X 32 Inch - Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

You should be able to find this stuff elsewhere for a few bucks cheaper. I believe they are online retail. Cut with a sharp utility knife and stick on existing cabinet. Prep and clean like others have said