How To Repair Kitchen Cabinets With Water Damage

Water damage to kitchen cabinets can cause paint to flake off or laminate to bubble up and degrade the finish. Water from your sink and moisture in the air can cause water damage to your cabinets. Due to water damage, you may even discover that a laminate surface begins to come off altogether.

Here, we'll look at the best approach to repair water-damaged kitchen cabinets, as well as alternative strategies to prevent your cabinets from future water problems.

9 Steps to Repairing Water Damaged Kitchen Cabinets

1. Prepare the cabinets for repair - Remove the cabinet door from its hinges and set it on a work area that is free of tools and paint.

1. Prime the wood with a shellac-based primer - Apply 1 or 2 applications to damaged areas to help level out the surface. This primer assists smoothing the wood's surface while allowing paint to adhere properly.

1. Apply plastic wood filler if necessary - For particle board cabinets, ensure they're as flat as possible. Plastic wood filler can seal significant damage areas.

1. Get sanding that cabinet door! - Water-damaged cabinets must be sanded so the wood's surface is even. Use 120-grit sandpaper or coarser grit. An electric sander makes this easier.

1. Repeat the previous steps if necessary - Repeat shellac primer, plastic wood filler, and sanding until the wood appears flat and smooth.

1. Start painting your kitchen cabinet! - Begin painting after fixing water damage. Allow proper drying time based on paint type; oil-based wood paints may take several hours between applications.

1. Sand the painted cabinet doors down - After paint dries, sand with finer sandpaper to smooth the finish and create small grooves on the surface.

1. Apply one more layer of paint and sand it down - Apply paint, allow drying, then sand with 220-grit sandpaper. Repeat as needed based on damage extent.

1. Apply a water-proofing varnish or seal - Apply final topcoat or clear coat to help prevent future water infiltration. Waterproof paints and varnishes make moisture penetration more difficult.

Conclusion

The best thing is to avoid flooding which causes damage, though there are flood restoration professionals, but still flooding is a nightmare that will not only destroy your kitchen cabinets but a lot more.