Ways to snazz up white melamine kitchen unit doors?

[Rich R]

I wanted to replace the budget white melamine doors on all my kitchen units, but I now find that my wall units seem to be an onsolete size (600 mm high).

Has anyone found a good way to improve the look of white melamine? I'm thinking of applying a real hardwood veneer and some up-market handles. Anyone tried applying veneer to melamine? Or have you come up with other methods of resurfacing/tarting-up white malamine?

Thanks for any ideas.

Rich R

[:Jerry:]

A sheet or two of MDF and a Router, then do what you like?!

[TMC]

Scrap the melamine Use 19mm veneered MDF retain existing hinges if serviceable and use an existing door for pattern for hinge positions

Tony

[Mary Fisher]

Paint your own designs on it then youll have a unique kitchen.

Mary

[Peter Johnson]

International have a range suitable for this, although I have no experience of using it.

[George]

Veneer is expensive have you thought about covering with very thin plywood? which will be far cheaper and easier than veneering.

[Rich R]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've never seen any really thin plywood. How thin does it come and where can one get it?

Rich

[Rich R]

Thanks for the suggestion. Where can veneered MDF be obtained, and what do you do about the edges?

Rich

[Rich R]

Thanks. I wondered about that, but what sort of finish would you apply?

Rich

[George]

Any decent Handyman store or your local woodyard.

I've gotton it as thin as 1/16" flexible and can be cut with a sharp stanley knife.

[The Medway Handyman]

I have & it works well. Best to remove the door & lay it flat (& level) & paint that way.

Failing that, replace them

free quote on line, any size you want, any hinge position. I've used them before & they are very good.

[Mary Fisher]

We use 1/32" from a model shop - but not for this application.

Mary

[:Jerry:]

Personally, I would get them spray painted in what ever high gloss colour / finish I fancy (tri-colour pearl anyone?!), but that's mainly because I can [1]. Your tastes could well be completely different....

[1] if I wasn't in such a situation to do so I would no doubt consider other options

[Rich R]

That's true. Thanks for the suggestion. It's the sort of thing I might do if I was going to live here for a while. Actually I'm doing a place up to sell, so I feel I have to try to appeal to a wide audience and avoid anything too personalised. I refrained from painting a mural on one of the walls for this reason (even though I could arguably have done a good job, having had some years of professional experience as a mural-painter).

Rich

[Rich R]

I'm amazed. That's about as thin as veneer, isn't it?

Rich

[Mary Fisher]

I don't know. Thinking about it, it probably wouldn't suitable, it comes in strips which are about 8" wide. It's birch.

Mary

[jkn]

Yep. I've also used 1/32" spruce veneer many a time for aeromodelling. I think you can get 1/64" as well, tho' I've never used it.

The (necessary) quality of the individual plys puts most plywood to shame!

jon N

[Mary Fisher]

That's one of the uses we have for it. The other is to make weaving tablets.

We have, for the tablets. That was a special order for someone who wanted to make a belt with over a hundred tablets, she wouldn't have been able to turn them all at once if they'd been any thicker.

I agree. It works beautifully and doesn't split at the edges and corners.

Mary

[George]

But its nort wide/long enough for covering cupboard doors...sheesh!

[Mary Fisher]

I've already said that :-)

Mary