Restoring MDF kitchen unit doors

[toasterx]

We have a fitted kitchen which is 15 years old and in generally very good condition. However a few of the doors have got a bit knocked or have bruises or minor damp infractions. The manufacturer has gone out of business but we do know the paint code so I'd like any tips on what techniques I can use to get these back to as close to original as possible - I assume I can lightly sand the areas but how can I get a sealed and smooth surface on the underlying frayed MDF?

Untitled

• toasterx
• 2 Oct 2014
• 1

Untitled

• toasterx
• 2 Oct 2014
• 1

TIA,
T

 

[toasterx]

Anyone? Is this not possible/effective?

Ta, T

 

[big-all]

can you not order new doors for the whole kitchen from a different source
repairs will never work as the damp/dirt has now got in causing swelling and will look different

 

[toasterx]

Budget won't stretch to new doors all round but just an improvement on the tattiness of these small areas will be worth a few hour's work of sanding and painting etc. Appreciate it'll never quite match up but it just needs to look quite a bit better ...

T

 

[emilybronte]

To be honest, I wouldn't bother. Whatever you do will be a waste of time and money as they will still look tatty. Nothing looks worse than painted, swollen, sanded melamine and the sort of paint you would need is expensive.

If you are not planning to move house, wait until you can afford new doors as advised above. If your motivation for tarting it up is to improve its buyer-appeal and you cannot afford to fit new doors now, I would simply be prepared to bargain on price. I'd even consider removing the current doors , if that makes it look better. Most people fit new kitchens when they move house, unless there's an amazing one there to begin with.

 

[big-all]

sticky back plastic as near a colour match as possible cut to match the rail with the damage
or a contrasting colour further randomly added to good rails/drawer fronts to ballance out
will still look carp but not a great outlay