How Do You Remove Laminate From Cabinets?

Living with ugly, outdated cabinetry can be difficult. But so can swallowing the idea of spending an arm and a leg on a cabinet replacement or kitchen remodel. If you’re like many homeowners looking for affordable alternatives, you may be considering taking the laminate off your existing cabinets and starting fresh by painting them or applying a brand-new laminate. But how do you remove laminate from cabinets? Before we get to that, there are a few things you should consider before taking on this project. It’s important to determine what material is beneath the laminate on your cabinets. If it’s particle board, you may want to reconsider. It’s likely that the particle board will get damaged during the delamination process. Plus, painted particle board isn’t typically very attractive. If, on the other hand, the material is MDF or even real wood, removing laminate can be a viable option.

Steps to Removing Laminate From Cabinets

First, remove the hardware from your cabinets. It may also be easier for you to remove the laminate if you take off the doors and drawer fronts. You can heat the edges of the laminate using rudimentary equipment, such as a hair dryer, until you’re able to easily get your fingers underneath. From here, you can start peeling the laminate off. To help you along, you can utilize a wood chisel. Just be sure to keep it flat to prevent gouging the wood or MDF. Before applying a new finish or laminate, you’ll need to address the residual adhesive on your cabinetry. Use a solvent and then sand the cabinets to a smooth finish. If you’re planning to paint the delaminated cabinetry, you’ll likely want to prepare the surface for painting with an undercoat.

Why You Should Hire Professionals for Your Project

Removing laminate and painting your cabinetry can be a viable solution. However, if you’re not experienced with the process, you may not get the results you want. As an alternative, consider hiring the experts at Home Solutions by Kurtis. We offer cabinet refacing and refinishing solutions, both of which can completely transform the look of cabinetry in less time and at a fraction of the cost of a replacement. Contact Home Solutions by Kurtis today to learn more about the solutions we offer.

Reviews

From start to finish Kurtis was a great company to work with. From the initial contact and design concept with Gregory Holster to the cabinet drop off team, the install team led by project manager Jeff Tuomi and the countertop company, the project was on time and all work was performed beyond expectations. This was greatly appreciated seeing as it was completed on December 23. All the people involved were professional and did an excellent job.

Ken M.

Shanna was our project consultant. Picking out cabinets along with counters can be somewhat overwhelming but her knowledge & experience helped us make the right decisions. Dylan & Juwan unloaded truck & Dylan check off ship ticket to make sure all boxes were accounted for. Courteous & pleasant to talk to…nice job of stacking everything neatly in our garage. We couldn't be more pleased with the service & so happy with our kitchen

Deborah D.

We recently worked with Lauren on cabinetry for a master bathroom renovation. She was great to work on the design and selections. Lauren was efficient and responsive from cabinet selection through ordering. Our overall installation was smooth. We had some unforeseen circumstances impacting our ability to accept delivery of our cabinets on the initial agreed upon date. Kurtis was very accommodating in rescheduling delivery given our project challenges. We couldn't be happier with our cabinets for this project.

Shannon O.

We had complete renovations to our kitchen and main bathroom. From start to finish, the design with Shanna was exactly what we asked for and Jeff stayed on top of the renovations, communicating each step of the way. Every worker was professional and the final product is elegant and functional. We were very happy with Kurtis and would choose Shanna and Jeff again.

Eileen M.

We love our new kitchen! Kurtis Kitchen & Bath did an outstanding job, and Adrian at the Clarkston location was exceptional to work with—creative, patient, and really listened to what we wanted. The project was well-organized, and we went from demo to a fully functioning kitchen in just 30 days. Highly recommend!

Carter C.