DIY rules and methods for restoring kitchen furniture, the best ideas
Each person has a natural desire to change the interior over time. New models, materials appear, tastes change. Replacing a headset in the kitchen is not an easy matter, especially if its configuration is practical and functional, and not just the design of the facade. In this case, you need to carry out the restoration of kitchen furniture with your own hands.
The main types of facades
The body of the kitchen units is made of wood, chipboard, MDF. The front part, the doors and the visible side of the boxes can be made of other materials. Thanks to such compositions, furniture sets of any style and value are created.
Laminated
Laminated particleboard is a durable, moisture-resistant material available in a wide range of colors.
The front of the kitchen can be:
- one color, with a smooth surface;
- plain, textured for metal, concrete;
- imitate natural wood;
- decorated with a print;
- with a brilliant shine.
Kitchens with a high-tech, minimalist and Scandinavian facade are made of laminated chipboard.
Frame
The frame facade is a 2-part construction. It can be made from one or more materials.
For example:
- MDF - glass;
- wood - glass;
- Particle board - plastic.
The frame is made of more expensive materials.
Plastic or PVC coated
Chipboard, MDF panels covered with plastic are not afraid of fumes, temperature changes, ultraviolet rays. Kitchen furniture with a plastic facade is practical, easy to clean, because plastic is not afraid of the use of detergents.
A coating with a thermofilm is obtained by hot pressing of MDF panels and PVC films. Inexpensive, durable, acid, alkali and UV resistant material is used for the fronts of budget kitchen sets.
wood
The wooden furniture set is distinguished by its durability and originality. The facades of the kitchen set are decorated with carvings, moldings, overlays. Solid wood kitchen furniture is much more expensive than sets made of other materials. The natural material requires gentle maintenance of the coating, protection against humidity above 70% and exposure to the sun.
Ways and ideas for restoring an old kitchen
The kitchen set loses its presentability over time. First of all, this is noticeable on the facade of the boxes and cabinets. Cracks, stains appear, paint fades. The design idea becomes obsolete. If the body, furniture is in good condition, then, applying the ideas of designers in practice, it is easy to turn an outdated set of furniture into an original and modern one.
Helmet decoration
The old helmet will look like new if you replace the fittings, decorate the doors and drawers with rhinestones and themed stickers. Using gold leaf to accent individual details will give the kitchen front a sophisticated look.
Stick with aluminum foil
There is a large selection of self-adhesive vinyl on sale. With its help, you can quickly and inexpensively transform the appearance of a kitchen set. The bonding technology is simple, but it requires care and attention to achieve a bubble-free and wrinkle-free surface.
The work of gluing the facade begins with the preparation of the surfaces:
- the doors are removed from the hinges;
- drawers are pulled out of cabinets;
- remove handles, supports;
- wash the fronts with lukewarm water and detergent;
- dried;
- wipe with a degreaser.
Determine the area to be glued and its configuration. For convenience, a template is made, according to which it is easy to cut the film of the desired size. Before sticking, the protective layer is peeled off and the film is transferred to the surface. Smoothing starts from the center to the edges. The bubbles that appear are pierced with a needle. At the end of the work, the fittings are installed, the doors are hung and the boxes are put in place.
Dyeing
Using water-based or oil-based paint, you can repaint the entire kitchen, including the sides and top. Painting work is carried out on horizontal surfaces in order to avoid the formation of spots. The facades are freed from fittings and fixings. Cracks, chips are putty, cleaned with sandpaper.
Degreased panels are primed and then painted in 2-3 layers. The next layer is applied after the complete drying of the previous one. The fixing points of the handles are painted in one go.
The method of restoration of the facade leaves room for the imagination. All color combinations are possible, which cannot be achieved with ready-made decorative elements.
Varnish application
Surface varnishing is a means of protecting and decorating the facade of furniture. It is mainly suitable for wooden surfaces. The cracks are sealed over the entire surface of the facades before varnishing. The repair depends on the depth of the damage: those that are visible are filled with wood putty with the addition of pigment to match the color of the helmet; barely visible are filled with varnish. After drying, the treated areas are carefully sanded. Varnish, like paint, is applied to a degreased surface. To obtain a durable coating, the agent is applied in stages, in 2-3 layers, after gluing.
Cutting
A way of decorating that allows for creative inclinations. The decoupage method consists of sticking paper or fabric paintings on the facades, followed by varnishing. A simple and inexpensive method is convenient in that the unpleasant result can be easily removed from the surface with a varnish solvent.
The method of applying and fixing the paintings depends on the occupied area and the idea of decoration: small pictures can be glued without removing doors or pulling out drawers. Preparation of the surface and application of varnish for decoupage does not differ from gluing the facade with a film.
The use of moldings and decorative strips of wood or plastic
With the help of decorative strips (mouldings), curly wooden and plastic coverings, it is easy to change the interior of the kitchen to:
- advanced technology;
- Provence;
- modern;
- classic.
The facade decoration moldings are blades, volumetric or flat, of different configurations:
- straight or round;
- rectangular or square;
- angular or curly.
The moldings are in polyurethane (cuts by the meter) and in PVC (rolls). Polyurethane is easy to damage, so it is not recommended to install the decorative element in places in constant contact with hands and dishes. For surface fixing, the moldings are made with double-sided adhesive tape or under glue. PVC moldings are more durable. Decor elements are attached to the facades with headless nails using a pneumatic gun.
Work on the installation of moldings is carried out on disassembled facades: removed from hinges, grooves, without accessories. Under the self-adhesive molding, the surface is cleaned of the old coating, polished and marked. Then remove the protective film and attach it, starting from the corners. The result will be sharper if pecked in small areas. PVC moldings are attached to the designated contour.
Polyurethane moldings require finishing. PVC liners are available for painting or in a palette of ready-to-use colors. For staining, dispersion in water, oil painting, enamels with preliminary primer are used. The water-based coating must be varnished for its durability.
Wood molding options are the most expensive and take the longest to install. Decorative items are handcrafted from linden, ash, beech, oak, alder, MDF. The texture of the material will be organically combined with furniture made of wood, chipboard, MDF. To connect to the surface, use polyurethane glue or furniture nails.
The facades are cleaned of paint, varnish, putty, shoe polish. The wooden elements are treated with linseed oil, an antiseptic.The moldings are painted, varnished or decorated with gold leaf. The location of the liner is marked on the surface. They begin to trace an intricate design from the corners.
Plastic pads are durable and moisture resistant. They are produced in a wide range of colors and lend themselves well to painting. The fixing method is the same as for polyurethane moldings.
Wallpaper
To restore a kitchen with photo wallpaper is to create a unique design with your own hands. Commercially available wallpaper will allow you to decorate the interior in the style of modern minimalism, sheybi-chic. The facade with 3D wallpaper is particularly impressive. For the kitchen, smooth vinyl-based wallpaper is suitable.
The main advantages of decorative material:
- strong adhesion to the surface of the facade;
- wear-resistant coating;
- ease of design.
The kitchen part is treated with a degreaser before restoration. PVA glue is applied to the facade. The photo wallpaper is glued by pressing and smoothing on one side over the entire surface so that the glue is evenly distributed under the wallpaper. The edges of the wallpaper should protrude from the perimeter of the kitchen part. After drying, the ends are closed with protective strips, the glued part is varnished.
ceramic tile
The tiled kitchen set is durable and easy to clean. Ceramic is resistant to high temperatures, steam, can be easily washed off from grease and dirt. The downside is the possibility of chips and cracks from impact. The use of ceramic tiles makes it possible to create a rustic interior. The tile can have a texture in the form of marble, brick, granite.When decorating the facades with tiles, brown, golden and beige tones prevail. The peculiarity of decorating with ceramics is that it must be in harmony in texture with the apron, the worktop and the floor covering.
Grinding elements
Sanding is a restoration method used to restore natural wood facades. It removes stains, scratches. Minor damage can be removed manually with sandpaper and larger damage with a sander.
How to restore a burned worktop
The complexity of restoring a countertop depends on the material (chipboard or wood), the depth, size and location of the damage. To restore large and deep marks, you will need special tools and skills to handle them.
If the wooden mass is burned near the edge, a wooden block can be used for repairs, adjusting it in size and thickness.
A rectangle or square is drawn near the burned area. Using a chisel and hammer, select the wood and level the interior surface across the entire solid wood. The bar is sawn to size, ground and mounted on glue. After drying, the gaps are sealed with a filler with a pigment. In the final phase of the restoration, grind, prime and stain in the color of the worktop.
If your laminate countertop is damaged, you will need a portable cutter with accessories.With its help, the burnt part is removed in layers. The recess is filled with putty and leveled. After drying, it is sanded, polished, primed, painted to match the laminate.
Working examples
Set for a small kitchen. In the lower row between the sink and the stove there are 3 cupboards with doors, 1 cupboard with drawers. The sink is closed with an imitation of a piece of furniture.Top row: 4 narrow cupboards with glass doors and one cupboard with solid doors. The central part of the bedside tables is decorated with a colorful insert: stylized bright bouquets on a brown background. There is a similar insert on the solid cabinet door.
Corner kitchen with MDF frame front. The furniture set is made in two colors: milky brown. All cabinet frames, sides and tops are brown. The middles of the fronts and worktops are milky white. Metal handles, similar in shape to the oven rack for a gas stove.
Corner kitchen with solid fronts. At the bottom and top of the helmet there are photo wallpapers. Below, on a green background, with central angular symmetry - bent tree trunks. The upper cabinets are decorated with green wallpaper with two symmetrical vertical trees.