Methods of restoration of kitchen facades
Kitchen furniture is subject to rapid wear due to the nature of operation. Constant temperature changes, moisture, grease and aggressive detergents have a negative effect on the surface, which is why the facades of the cabinets will soon begin to lose their original appearance. The interior of the kitchen loses its appeal, and the room becomes extremely uncomfortable.
Some owners resort to such radical measures as the acquisition of new furniture, but not everyone can afford such a purchase. There is a method that makes it possible to upgrade the kitchen environment much cheaper. Having spent a little time and money, you can independently restore the coating on the facades, after which the kitchen will sparkle with completely new colors.
In what cases is it worth resorting to restoration?
Subject to restoration are items that are worn only superficially. For example, if the cabinet has a design disruption and at any moment it may collapse completely, it is impractical to carry out restoration work. In any case, the cost of repairing furniture should not exceed the amount that would have to be spent on a complete replacement of the situation.
Small scratches and chips can be quickly removed with a furniture pencil, or masked under decorative stickers. More serious damage requires full staining and varnishing, or gluing the surface with special materials.
Using interior stickers
Small stickers will not only help to hide minor damage in the form of spots, scratches, cracks and chips, but will also add variety to the kitchen interior. They can be used on almost any surface: plastic, chipboard, glass, metal, veneer and wood. Such jewelry does not require special care and are resistant to the negative effects of many factors.
Immediately before decal stickers it is necessary to thoroughly clean the coating from dirt, as well as degrease it for better adhesion. In the event that the surface has many cracks and there is no varnish or paint on it, the sticker may be poorly fixed. Therefore, before carrying out work, you can conduct a facade test by attaching a regular adhesive tape to it.
Self-adhesive film
Vinyl film allows you to effortlessly update the surface of the facades of kitchen furniture. It has a sufficiently long service life (about 3 years), does not lend itself to moisture and sunlight. As a detergent for such a surface, it is best to use a soft rag and a solution of water and soap, as aggressive household chemicals can damage the film.
Before gluing from the facade, it is necessary to dismantle all the fittings, wash and degrease the coating well, and then let it dry completely. The film should be cut to the shape of the surfaces, leaving a margin of 2 cm on each side (taking into account bends). Then, the protective layer is removed from the material, after which it is glued to the facade. During operation, it is necessary to straighten the film with a spatula so that there are no voids. Full fixation is achieved 5 hours after installation.
Chalk paint
This method is suitable for the complete transformation of kitchen furniture, as it allows not only to eliminate signs of wear, but also to change the design of objects. Before starting repairs, all accessories are removed from the facades, and then they are thoroughly washed and degreased. It is recommended to close the glass inserts on the doors with masking tape so that the coloring compound does not get on them.
If the old paint is cracked too much or has been applied in several layers, it can be removed with a knife and then treated with sandpaper. Many manufacturers indicate on the packaging with paint that prior to its use it is not necessary to apply the primer. However, it is still better to apply an alkyd primer in order to avoid the manifestation of facade deficiencies after staining.
The surface is primed in one layer, and then allowed to dry for 12 hours and covered with a second layer of the composition. For better adhesion, each layer should be slightly treated with fine-grained sandpaper.
For applying paint, a roller, brush or sponge is suitable. Using these tools, the coating is applied in 2 layers, making a break of 1 hour between them (during this time the paint has time to dry). After each step, you can sand the surface a bit so that the next layer of paint adheres better to the previous one.
After complete drying, the painted surface is varnished in several layers (they also need to be processed with sandpaper). After the last varnish coating, the facade does not need to be sanded to make it smooth. A good alternative to the varnish composition is wax. It is distributed over the coating with a sponge, rag or soft brush and left for 15 minutes. After this time, you need to gently rub the wax into the facade with a cotton cloth, without applying much effort.
Other restoration materials
There are many other ways to give kitchen furniture a second life. Creative people will like decoupage - a technique in which special pictures are applied to the facades and then varnished. This method makes it possible to make the surface original, bright and attractive. Furniture items can also be updated with plastic or wooden linings, which are sold in hardware stores.
Facades made of natural wood are not advisable to cover with colored films or paint, therefore, transparent varnish compositions are most often used for them. The varnish well emphasizes the natural structure of the tree, gives it shine and reliably protects from damage.
Sometimes there is not enough time and skills for independent restoration, and in this case it is best to resort to the help of specialists. HauzMebel is a professional in the restoration of old furniture.