Do-it-yourself restoration of old kitchen furniture (photo)

The kitchen is subjected to heavy loads, so sooner or later there comes a time when it loses its appeal. But this does not mean that strong lockers that will last for many more years will have to be thrown away, replacing them with new ones. There is another way: returning them a decent look and saving money will help restoration of kitchen furniture. Consider the methods of such repairs available at home.

Restoration of kitchen facades: different types

Facades - this is part of the kitchen, which is constantly in sight. They primarily suffer during operation and lose their original beauty. Each type of facade has its own service life, its own characteristics of restoration and repair.

• Laminated. Basis - MDF or particleboard, on which the melamine film is laid. They are inexpensive, but the coating wears out quickly. It is impossible to laminate the surface again at home, therefore, depending on the nature of the damage, another method of updating is selected.

• Framework. The perimeter of the facade consists of MDF, and glass, plastic, chipboard or rattan is placed in the center. Not resistant to damage but easier to repair.

• Coated in plastic or PVC. These materials make furniture attractive and resistant to damage at an economical price. It is not difficult to restore such facades: the most common problem - peeling of the protective layer from the base, is solved with glue.

• Facades of wood. Entirely from the array consists of luxury furniture, which is fabulously expensive. Therefore, more often only facade parts are made of wood. To do this, use such species as beech, teak, oak, walnut, maple. Such headsets are almost eternal with proper care, minor damage can be repaired by yourself.

Attention! A selection of headset photos before and after restoration is presented at the end of the article.

DIY kitchen restoration ideas

How to breathe new life into old kitchen furniture? There are quite a few ways:

• Decorating with stickers - helps to hide minor scratches and chips.
• Gluing with a film - will hide more serious damages.
• Staining - gives a completely different look to the facades of kitchen sets.
• Application of varnish - usually used to restore and protect furniture made from natural wood.
• Decoupage - application or convex patterns.
• The use of moldings and decorative linings made of wood or plastic.

To achieve a better result, these methods are combined. Let us consider in more detail the restoration methods and features of the restoration of different types of facades.

Restoration of kitchen facades from MDF

Small chips and scratches are repaired with a furniture wax pencil. It is applied to the place of damage, and after hardening, the surface to be restored is sanded with fine sandpaper. A pencil is selected to match the color of the facade.

Decorative stickers will update the look of the headset and hide minor defects. Before gluing, the surface is cleaned and degreased.

With more serious damage, you have to completely change the look of the furniture. For kitchen facades from MDF, painting or gluing with vinyl film is suitable.

Using self-adhesive film

A quick and cheap method to radically change the look of your headset. The range of films is huge, so you can implement any design ideas.

Tip: choose quality materials. They will cost more, but a thick or textured film will lie more evenly, and small scratches under it do not have to be repaired: they will be invisible.

The algorithm of work:

• We unscrew the accessories from the facades, clean and degrease the surface for better adhesion.
• On the back of the film there is a grid with a cell size of 1 cm. Using it, we transfer the shape and dimensions of the surface to be glued onto the material. It is recommended to leave allowances of 1-2 cm around the entire perimeter.
• With sharp scissors, carefully cut out the measured fragment.
• We glue the film from top to bottom, gradually removing the protective coating and smoothing it with a plastic spatula or cloth from the center to the edges.

Important! Try to avoid the formation of air bubbles under the film. If they did appear, there are two ways to remove them. The first - until the glue has seized, carefully disconnect the film and stick it again. The second is to pierce the bubbles with a needle, and then smooth out with a spatula.

When attaching a sticker, we pay special attention to the edges: in these places, most often, the film starts to bulge and peel off.

Dyeing

It is important to remember that paint is applied only to areas that do not have external defects. Therefore, small scratches and chips are pre-sealed with wax or putty.

They use acrylic paint or car enamel: it is more expensive, but more durable. Car spray is easier to apply, lays more evenly, better protects it from moisture and temperature in the kitchen.

Stages of painting:

• We remove the doors and unscrew the accessories. Non-removable elements that need to be protected from painting are sealed with masking tape.
• If the surface of the MDF is covered with a film, remove it. The construction hair dryer will facilitate the work.
• We process with fine sandpaper, remove dust and degrease.
• In two layers we apply a primer. For hard-to-reach spots we use a brush, for even surfaces - a roller. It is possible to apply a primer with a spray gun. Be sure to let the first layer dry completely before applying the second.
• Apply the paint with a brush or roller in one direction. Aerosol is applied only using a respirator. Surrounding objects must also be protected.
• After the paint dries, we cover the front part with a layer of transparent varnish.

Restoration of furniture ends from chipboard

The front surface of headsets from this material is restored by the methods described above. Other damages characteristic of this type of furniture - chips at the ends - are repaired with a melamine edge.

• In the store, we select a new edge in color and thickness. We measure the length of the desired segment in advance and buy material with a small margin.
• Remove the old border. To do this, we heat the end with an iron.
• We remove the bumps of the end face with a chisel, and then polish it with fine sandpaper.
• We put a new edge in place and smooth it with an iron. After the glue has hardened, we cut the excess with a sharp knife, and grind the joints.

Restoration of natural wood kitchen facades

Solid wood furniture looks great, but requires compliance with several operating conditions:

• The surfaces of wooden headsets should be cleaned with soft towels dipped in soapy water. Do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners.
• Do not put hot dishes on the countertop.
• Humidity in the room should not rise above the 70% mark.
• Minor damage, scratches should be repaired as soon as possible.

Scratches and cracks on the facades of solid wood furniture are sealed with molten wax. Chips are equalized with putty on wood. After leveling the surface, the restored area is covered with a layer of furniture varnish.

If you need not just minor repairs, but a complete update of the appearance of the facade, replace the entire lacquer. This is done in this way:

• The facades are dismantled and freed from fittings.
• The surface is carefully treated with fine sandpaper. It is necessary to completely remove the old varnish coating. This is not always easy, especially when there are relief patterns or indentations.
• We remove varnish shavings and sawdust with a damp sponge or napkin.
• After drying, the surface is primed twice, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next.
• We apply varnish with a brush or roller. We form a protective film in several layers, and each subsequent layer is thinner than the previous one. The varnish dries for at least a day in a well-ventilated area.

A different shade of wooden furniture will give stain or lacquer with pigments.

You can change the headset beyond recognition and give it a more modern look, as in the photo, by coloring.

Moldings, linings and decoupage

These restoration methods will add unique features to the kitchen: the scope for imagination is not limited here.

Before applying jewelry, a surface is prepared for them: the place of application is polished, cleaned and degreased.

A volumetric decoupage pattern is formed using a stencil: material that forms a bas-relief is applied through it. A popular option is to use wood putty. After drying, the pattern is sanded with sandpaper and covered with a protective layer of transparent or colored varnish.

For decoupage using napkins or decoupage cards, PVA glue is applied to the selected material. Then the drawing is applied to the cabinet door and smoothed out. After drying, 4 layers of matt or glossy varnish are applied.

Moldings are overhead wooden or plastic elements. They, as well as decorative overlays, are attached to glue to a previously prepared surface. For wooden moldings, fastening on small nails without hats is possible.

Restoration of countertops and kitchen tables: interesting ideas

To refresh the countertop or the surface of the table made of chipboard, apply staining, decoupage and varnishing. But there are other ways, such as tiling, as in the photo below.

The surface of the countertop improved with the help of ceramic tiles receives many advantages:

• Not afraid of water.
• It becomes more resistant to mechanical damage.
• Easy to clean and clean.

The disadvantage of this modernization is a significant increase in the weight of the countertops. But since kitchen furniture is used permanently, there is no big trouble.

The tile is laid on ordinary tile glue. But the work has its own characteristics:

• First, we attach metal corners to liquid nails around the perimeter of the countertop. They serve as the edging of the tile and close the end of the coating.
• We tile: tightly and with minimal gaps. The glue dries quickly, so you should not cover the entire countertop at once. It is recommended to apply it in small portions under one or two tiles.
• We wait at least 6 hours until the glue completely dries, overwrite the seams and cover with a protective layer of varnish.

Another original way to transform countertops is to create a mosaic or ornament under tempered glass. Several rails or corners are screwed to the surface, which will divide the countertop into zones. Decorative filler is poured into these sectors: small pebbles, coins, shells, beads or sand. From above, all this splendor is covered by shockproof glass, which is planted on glue.

Restoration of scorched countertops

Burned countertops can return to their original appearance in this way:

• Using the milling cutter, carefully select the damaged area. It is necessary to go deep into the surface with ledges, reducing the area and slightly capturing intact material around the perimeter. It turns out a recess similar to a quarry in miniature.
• We fill the recess with softened putty on wood. It dries quickly, so we ram it into small holes in the recess.
• We cut off the protruding surplus with a sharp knife, carefully polish the patch, and then polish it.
• The restored place is painted. In this case, you need to try to reproduce the color and texture of the main part of the countertop.

Combining these methods, you can restore kitchen furniture without a lot of money. It will turn out not only to restore the appearance of the old kitchen set, but also to make it unique.

And finally, the promised selection of photos of kitchens before and after restoration.