Can this be fixed?

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neb

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#2069890 8-Aug-2018 13:54

kryptonjohn:
Either way I wish there was something better than MDF for cabinets in wet environments like kitchens and batchrooms.

There is, you need high moisture-resistant (HMR) melamine-faced particle board. Problem is HMR costs more than generic MDF, which is why you end up with MDF in most kitchens.

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eaglesd

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#2069933 8-Aug-2018 14:11

scuwp:

Wider photo please...need some context.

If it's painted wood then just sand and repaint. If it's painted MDF then it will need to be replaced. I can't see how water damage is a CGA matter, unless you had some kind of promise or guarantee that your cupboard doors would be waterproof.

Personally looks more like impact damage...

It's got a bulge on either side, you can see a bit of that in the photo. Doesn't seem like impact damage to be honest,

nickb800:

Where did you get it from? e.g. big box retailer, custom manufacturer?

Came with a brand new house so will need to dig into the docs to see who the manufacture of the cabinets was

kryptonjohn:

Is that the top edge of the front panel of an under-bench drawer? Looks like water has got in and swollen it to me. Can happen when there's constant steam hitting it coming from a dishwasher or oven, or water from a sink or draining dishes above?

It's an under bench drawer with the trash bins. So you might be onto the root cause as we normally have plates on the bench above it. Never expected water to be able to get into the panel and damage it like that :(

eaglesd

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#2069935 8-Aug-2018 14:12

neb:
kryptonjohn:

Either way I wish there was something better than MDF for cabinets in wet environments like kitchens and batchrooms.

There is, you need high moisture-resistant (HMR) melamine-faced particle board. Problem is HMR costs more than generic MDF, which is why you end up with MDF in most kitchens.

I never knew this, I was always assuming these things would be more tolerant to water as the paint finish looked like it was providing great protection. I guess I now know better

neb

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#2070010 8-Aug-2018 14:27

eaglesd:
I was always assuming these things would be more tolerant to water as the paint finish looked like it was providing great protection. I guess I now know better

The MDF is essentially a giant sponge waiting for water, you're relying entirely on the protective paint finish or melamine cladding or whatever for protection, any gap or crack or non-tight seam anywhere and you're in trouble. Worst is when it ends up sitting in water for awhile due to a spill, you end up with the base 1 1/2 times the width of the top as it swells up.

HMR seems to be more widely used in bathrooms where it's marinating in steam a lot of the time and use of MDF would become a very visible problem, but the cost makes standard MDF more attractive for kitchens where most of the time you can mostly get away with it. Most of the time.

MurrayM

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#2070098 8-Aug-2018 15:51

neb:
eaglesd:

I was always assuming these things would be more tolerant to water as the paint finish looked like it was providing great protection. I guess I now know better

The MDF is essentially a giant sponge waiting for water, you're relying entirely on the protective paint finish or melamine cladding or whatever for protection, any gap or crack or non-tight seam anywhere and you're in trouble. Worst is when it ends up sitting in water for awhile due to a spill, you end up with the base 1 1/2 times the width of the top as it swells up. HMR seems to be more widely used in bathrooms where it's marinating in steam a lot of the time and use of MDF would become a very visible problem, but the cost makes standard MDF more attractive for kitchens where most of the time you can mostly get away with it. Most of the time.

Yup, I was once renting a house that had a bathroom vanity unit made of MDF. My partner managed to start filling the basin with water and then walked away and forgot about it. End result was water flowing out of the basin and down into the cupboard and drawers. Was a total right-off.

tripper1000

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#2070107 8-Aug-2018 15:59

If it is water damage the ultimate and best cosmetic solution is to replace the door/panel.

Before you do that you need to confirm where the water comes from and stop it so that the new panel/doors doesn't go the same way in another 2 years.

Once dried out you can soak thinned out paint into the spongy area to cause it to harden up and be sand-able, but it will never be like new and as others have pointed out, colour matching is hard. This technique works best in un-seen areas such as around the hinges. If is is a visible area, it will look funny so not the best idea.

eaglesd

71 posts

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#2070159 8-Aug-2018 17:34

tripper1000:

If it is water damage the ultimate and best cosmetic solution is to replace the door/panel.

Before you do that you need to confirm where the water comes from and stop it so that the new panel/doors doesn't go the same way in another 2 years.

Once dried out you can soak thinned out paint into the spongy area to cause it to harden up and be sand-able, but it will never be like new and as others have pointed out, colour matching is hard. This technique works best in un-seen areas such as around the hinges. If is is a visible area, it will look funny so not the best idea.

Yeah, after reading all of this replacing the door is my preferred option. Now to find out who made it.

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