How to Repair Melamine That Has Chipped

Melamine is a costly, valuable material used in a variety of home surfaces. At first glance, a small chip or abrasion can drastically alter the look and appeal of melamine surfaces. Further, if you have melamine that is yellowing due to smoke, pollution or age, your melamine cabinets or other furniture can appear dirty and unappealing. You can salvage melamine cabinets, bookshelves and other melamine surfaces at home, spending a fraction of the cost it would take replacing those items while restoring their aesthetics and durability to factory-finished quality.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Detergent
• Bucket
• Cloth
• Respiratory mask
• Goggles
• Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
• Seamfil or other filler
• Sandpaper
• Paper towels
• Primer
• Melamine paint
• Paint gun
• Polyurethane (optional)

1. Remove hardware or cover it with painter's tape. Knobs, hinges and other hardware can get in the way of repair work, especially those that run along the sides of bookcases and cabinets.

2. Wash your cabinets one week before doing your repair work. The surface must be thoroughly dry before using repair materials. Wash with mild soap and water and dry with paper towels. Wash again with a TSP (TriSodium Phosphate) solution that removes mold and mildew.

3. Fill the chipped surface with a filler appropriate for melamine, such as Kampel Seamfil. Seamfil offers custom colors, so use a color that closely matches your melamine cabinet. Smooth the surface with medium-grit sandpaper after it dries. Repeat if necessary.

4. Using a paint gun, apply one coat of Aquabond primer or another oil-based stain-blocking primer Use low-pressure settings, and wait at least six hours for the primer to dry and harden. Thoroughly wash the paint gun and wipe dry with paper towels.

5. Apply premium melamine paint, such as Cabinet Rescue. Keep the paint gun on the low-pressure setting, and hold the unit with both hands, 12 inches away from the cabinet. Start at the top of the cabinet, moving from left to right, working your way down the cabinet.

6. Apply a polyurethane finish if it is recommended by manufacturer. With Cabinet Rescue, you do not need a satin or gloss finishm because the paint provides a factory-finish look when it dries. Some finishes for melamine paint may yellow the cabinets or ruin the paint job, so read all manufacturers' instructions on the melamine paint you use.

Tips & Warnings

• Melamine foam cleans scratches and other minor abrasions on melamine cabinets, bookcases and other furniture for quick fixes. Durham's Water Putty and Roo-Clear works for deep chips in melamine and other vinyl surfaces, but Seamfil gives the melamine cabinet a matching finish, so you may not need to use melamine paint if you like the results. Use a Wite-Out pen for small marks and chips in melamine surfaces.
• Use a well-ventilated area for priming and painting, especially when using oil-based primers. Use a respirator mask to protect you from the fumes, and wear goggles when using a spray gun. Keep pets and children away from your project materials.

References

• Seamfil
• Cabinet Rescue
• AquaBond Primer

Resources

• Paint Gun Basics
• Magic Eraser