Expert: Greg Scholl - 2/24/2011

Question
Hi, the house we bought has cheap cabinets covered with some type of paper made to look like wood. Can you tell me what they are called and what they are made of? I found a new product on HSN called Reclaim, that is used for refinishing or in my case covering old cabinets. The company Caromal Colours says that it can be used on almost any surface, including oil or latex paint, varnish, polyurethane, glass, plastic, metal, tile, masonry and even laminate, but I don't see anything that sounds like what I have. I really want to cover my horrible cabinets and I have a small budget to do it with. Do you think this product will work for me? I sure could use your help! Thanks! Lana

Answer
Hi Lana, these cabinets sound like a Vinyl veneer over MDF. If it's in tact, not peeling, etc...you can paint them. I looked up the company, Caromal Colours, and the product doesn't look like anything special. I am always concerned when a product like this is shown in pictures, but never close up. The technique they describe is 'textured', meaning this is not a smooth finish, and many products can be applied in various ways to achieve a decent finish.If you hunt around on her website, there are a few close ups, and the finish is not what I would call smooth (or even that professional looking in my opinion). My guess is that she is private labeling a product produced by some other manufacturer, marking it up and selling it through her company for a profit. There are other companies that do a similar thing.The other odd thing is that there are only 3 color choices. A new product on the market is the Rustoluem Cabinet Transformations kits. These are high quality finishes designed specifically for cabinets, and are capable of a durable, uniform result. There is a website and video here:
http://cabinets.rustoleumtransformations.com/
Watch the video to get a good sense of how to approach a job like this, and what it entails.
You would need to clean the surfaces very well, making sure to degrease them, too, and then 'scuff' sand them with 220-400 grit sandpaper to give the primer coat the best adhesion possible.( a step that they omit)Any necessary repairs are crucial too. Reclaim does not use a clear coat, even though they suggest one for the ultimate durability,(they don't suggest which one). The Rustoleum kits do include the clear coat, which is an important step in my opinion to add the necessary durability. All the products in the kit are designed specifically to work with each other, leaving the guess work out of the equation....a good thing for the DIY'er.Hope that helps a little- post back if need be- regards-Greg