Removing melemite from kitchen cupboards

[Sir Stinkalot]

Hello,
I am currently getting the kitchen redone in our house. The layout is fine but the cupboards and bench top are showing signs of age with their colour and they no longer fit in with our new colour system. As the cupboards are in good shape we plan just to replace the bench top and install new appliances. We were looking at painting the cupboards with laminate paint but our kitchen guy suggested to remove the melemite (?) coating and strip it back to particle board, or whatever is under the stuff and paint over this. This was suggested as some of the iron on trims on the drawers are chipped.
If this is a viable suggestion (please let me know if it is not) what is the best way of removing the coating? I have used a chisel to remove one of the strips off the cupboard but I think that it will take for ever around the breakfast bar. If I heat the coating this should heat the glue making it easier to get off, is this correct.

Thankyou for taking the time to read through my long winded question.


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May the stink be with you :)

[RETIRED]

Gooday Stinky.

Shee I hate that nick.

Melamine I would think is nearly impossible to remove without a lot of sanding on large flat surfaces. Edge banding comes off with a bit of heat (it melts the glue).

I would be giving the Melamine a light sand to break the glaze and paint straight on it. It is easier to paint that than chipboard and looks better. I have heard that painting melamine is next to impossible but check with paint suppliers as there may be some new stuff that I haven't heard of.

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Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

[This message has been edited by (edited 04 February 2002).]

[Shane Watson]

I've painted hundreds & hundreds of kitchen doors, panels etc with a two pack poly-urethane. The laminate or whatever ya wanta call it needs a damn good sand and thats it.
Mind you, they were all new componants. But I agree with Stoppers last comment though.
Cheers.

[Rod Smith]

G'day
I agree. The choices are to re melamine (make sure you get the right grade), or rip it off and make a new bench top. I have painted (a/c lacquer) over mel, no probs, but not for horizontal surfaces.
Cheers
Rod

[Sir Stinkalot]

Hey thanks for the replys.
I just need to clarify a few issues if I may.
I will only need to paint the verticle cupboards as the benchtop is being replaced all together.
It will not be economical to re-cover the cupboards as if this was the plan I may as well replace all together with the desired colour finish. That is an option in the future but not just yet.

So to clear things up ... can I sand the verticle stuff off to a gloss free surface and then paint over this with the desired colour? I do not have any spray equipment so it will be all roller or brush.
Shane you have mentioned that you have done many of these before so they must stand up to some heavy treatment, correct?
Ok in plain english what paint should I be using. Please provide links to manufactures web sites if you can spare the time.

Thanks

[Shane Watson]

Stinky - take the time out to go and visit your local paint specialist & not bunnies or mitre 10. Go to a trade supplier.

The stuff I paint is sprayed & as I mentioned before is a 2-pack paint. Almost automotive grade, infact I have indeed used auto 2pack in the past, but its too expensive really for just painting kitchen doors etc. So yeah its hard wearing, but look at your car - you get stone chips etc don't ya?? Well, think what will happen to your paint work in the kitchen....

I know there is a brushable paint on the market that is supposed to have been developed for just this purpose - but I cannot remember who the manufacturer is. So really again your best bet is to go see your local... & not the pub http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif Thats after... http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

[ubeaut]

G'day O'Smellyone - Give Haymes a ring at Ballarat they will tell you if there is a paint to do the job or not. They certainly know their business. I'll probably get shot for this but, ring the head office and ask to speak with the chemist.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

[mickshomemail!]

Its almost as cheap to build new kitchen,its only a box with doors,,as you are to replace bench tops any way its worth a look at,,you have all exsisting sizes of melamine as a cutting list,,pop down to local cabby and get a price on a precut.

Mick

[DavidW]

Stinky,

Just found this thread and wondered how you made out. I am getting my house ready to sell and want to revive the kitchen and change its colour.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Hi David,
I ended up using White Knight (http://www.whiteknightpaints.com.au/s02_products/productframe.asp?page=s2_1_products.asp&categoryid=4&category=4) laminate paint .....
I was very impressed with the finish as there was very little involved. I had the paint tinted to the chosen colour, used the cleaner, then primer and then top coat. So far it has held up well (over a year). As it is just a quick cosmetic makeover that you are after I would go for it ... the change it makes for less than $200 will certainly more than pay off at sale day.

Stinky.

[DavidW]

Thanks Stinky I will give it a go. A couple of ??? Is it readily available? Did you spray or brush? Did you have to sand first?

[Sir Stinkalot]

I got everything from Bunnies so it is easy to find.
It was applied with a brush, roller or spray if you have the equipment. Spray would be best but I used roller.
From memory I think it was a light sand to remove the gloss of the old laminate then a quick wipe with their cleaner .... then the primer and finally a few top coats.
For the entire kitchen I used half a bottle of cleaner, 1 tin of primer and a few 2-3 top coats. I applied a few topcoats as I kept getting dust on the surface.

Stinky.

[soundman]

If the doors are just plain slabs of board it would probably be quicker & cheaper just to cut new ones & sink the hinges thnn to fiddle.

[Fantapantz]

Presently doing the same thing to our kitchen.....
The cupboard doors and trim around such is malamine.....

The guy at Dulux put us onto ESP "Easy Surface Prep" by Flood. Available at Dulux or Bunnies (a bit cheaper).

http://www.floodaustralia.net/brochures/5216esp.pdf

The label says "No more Sanding" Firmly bonds to any surface...even glass. Wipe it on! Wipe it off! paint after 90 minutes". Just paint on enamel paint after the ESP dries.

Evidently it's the stuff that they use when they paint the tiles on the outside of pubs, so I'm hoping it does a good job. We asked the guy about WhiteKing and he chuckled and said he wasn't legally allowed to comment.

As for the benchtop we are getting them replaced, too hard wearing for a coat of paint.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Each to their own ..... does the guy at Dulux sell the White Knight????? could be a case to bagging the other to try and get a sale.

I would agree not to use paint on the bench top .... we replaced ours.

[bubsduds]

Hi there.

Just found this thread by searching on 'painting melamine'. Thanks Fantapantz for the fantastic suggestion, ESP by Flood was fantastic for my project.

I wanted to repaint a set of black melamine drawers destined for baby to be's nursery, and was not keen at all on sanding - being 7 months pregnant I can't really be bothered, which means I would only do half the job.

ESP was easy as pie, and the enamel I used for the repaint only required 2 coats before it looked lovely. I bought the small bottle and have oodles left, am now looking around the house thinking of other things I can transform. Also did a ceramic lamp which was also black which looks great too.

Thanks again for such a great suggestion, it has been a very economical update for a previously unsightly piece of furniture.

Brooke :D
One very happy lady

[mattski]

Just a quick word of caution, read the labels on ESP. I am pretty sure that it's safe etc, etc, but most of those things will not be the best for pregnant ladies. I have a tub of it at home and I remember it having a very strong odour. Not sure if it's harmful, but excellent ventilation would be recommended.

Cheers

Matt

[mic-d]

The guy at Dulux put us onto ESP "Easy Surface Prep" by Flood. Available at Dulux or Bunnies (a bit cheaper).

http://www.floodaustralia.net/brochures/5216esp.pdf

The label says "No more Sanding" Firmly bonds to any surface...even glass. Wipe it on! Wipe it off! paint after 90 minutes". Just paint on enamel paint after the ESP dries.

.
I tried ESP on some internal doors instead of sanding the old paint. The new gloss paint now peels at the slightest provocation. Needless to say I will never use ESP again. A painter I know swears by penetrol, but I haven't used it.
Incidentally also from the Flood Co is Spa-n-deck, which I used a while ago to redo my deck. It is a FANTASTIC product.