Lovre Doors on Wardrobes

[endymion]

I have some built in wardrobes ( put in a long time ago by a previous home owner) . The doors are slatted panel type things - I think they are called Louvre doors?

Anyway, I am fed up with them and want to change them but my husband says its too expensive to try and do that and besides the doors aren't standard sized . Two are 18" wide and two are 21" wide. The main doors are 6ft long and the little cupboard doors are 18" deep.

Is it possible to find a cheap alternative or to put some panelling over them to cover up the slatted bits? They are very difficult to clean and a nightmare to paint and I would like something easier to deal with. Preferably white but I will paint it if I have to.

Can you also explain to me how I might do it easily? I am not much good beyond a hammer and a few nails or tacks.

Also something that doesn't take too long as I will have to do the whole job in less than 8 hours ( whilst he is out).

[Owain]

If the slats don't protrude from the front of the doors then you could use hardboard or thin MDF to panel over the doors, either the whole door area or a rectangle smaller than the door (but bigger than the louvre area) to give a panelled effect. The difficulty is cutting large sheet materials to size accurately and repeatably. A local wood shop would probably be able to do it, but it's finding one.

A quick google suggests the replacement wardrobe door companies charge c. =A390 per door for MDF covered with vinyl.

Owain

[Roger Mills]

You could make some replacement doors out of white contiboard. You can buy that in various widths (including 18" and 21") and in 6' or 8' lengths.

You would have to cut them off to length (and ideally lip the tops and bottoms with iron-on edging) and screw hinges and handles/knobs on, etc.

Whether or not you can do it in 8 hours depends on your skill level and the tools available to you. Most competent D-I-Y-ers probably could.

[gunsmith]

Shades of Barry Bucknell.

[Owain]

Yes, although I didn't suggest covering the hardboard with sticky-back plastic and I don't think it's very likely that people in 2040 will rip off the hardboard and exclaim "Ooh! Lovely original louvre doors!"

Owain

[ericp]

Small panels of hardboard over the slats?

[John]

Some Louvered doors are reversible and the other side is flatter.

[endymion]

Just nail them on or could I maybe use a glue like No Nails? The slats arent toe full width of the door just a central a panel with a 2" surround of wood frame.

>

[Stuart Noble]

Framing them with a small panel bead makes a neater job if the OP is up to cutting mitres.

[S Viemeister]

You could do an upholstered panel (hardboard or plywood, some poly batting, and a layer of fabric), and match it to curtains or headboard.

[Matty F]

I couldn't afford real louvre doors when they were in fashion. I had to make do with tacky hardboard! :) It should take less than 8 hours to paint the louvre doors. Covering them up is as bad as painting brickwork.

[js.b1]

Remove doors. Place horizontally. Use a good quality satin finish in white, barley white, whatever. Use a good brush which is also large.

Yes it takes time to do, but with a good quality paint it will last

10yrs+. Just ensure the doors do not butt-up re abrasion wear, leave a gap.

If you want exceptional "enamel-look" use a sikkens gloss & onol.

If they are getting dusty, close-in the *rear* with a panel of foamex, hardboard, MDF, anything. You can buy louvre door dusters which basically drag across each one and pull the dust out.

With the right finish, colour, they can work very well - better than many nasty foil laminates with edge showing.