Cabinet Door Front Separating/Bubbling! Help…

4 years ago

It looks like the plywood center on several of my shaker cabinet doors is separating/bubbling in my new build. GC is trying to convince me it is ‘’normal’ for cabinetry built and finished in place as opposed to a factory finish. I think the affected doors need to be sanded and repainted so the problem doesn’t get worse.

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User

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

It’s normal when they use plywood instead of the industry standard MDF and then use the wrong finishing system. Built in place and finished in place cabinets are bargain bin disasters beloved by GC’s for their cheapness, not their quality. A true custom cabinet maker actually controls the entire production process, in his shop, and installs paint booth shop finished cabinets, on the job site. They don’t turn your house into a wood shop, and then say so long, good luck with the painters and their firehose sprayer coating everything in sight.

The issue here, is everything. The whole. It’s not a single “correctible” problem.

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Comments (8)

catbuilder
4 years ago
No, it is not normal when (the correct) plywood is used.

Is it the paint that's bubbling, or the actual veneer on the plywood?
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ChrissyE
Original Author
4 years ago
Plywood veneer and not on all just a few. They were probably all made from the same piece of defective plywood.
chisue
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I've seen something similar where the finish is a vinyl or 'foil' product. No, it's not 'normal'...or acceptable!
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
4 years ago
It may be possible to inject adhesive under the bubbles and clamp them to flat.
ILoveRed
4 years ago
Chisue…Andersen window jambs wrapped in vinyl had a very similar problem.

the ”fix” was replacement.
ci_lantro
4 years ago
GC is trying to convince me it is ‘’normal’ for cabinetry built and finished in place as opposed to a factory finish....I think the affected doors need to be sanded and repainted so the problem doesn’t get worse.

This has nothing to do about where the cabinetry was built and everything to do with using inferior material.

No, sanding & repainting will not give acceptable results. The veneer layer has delaminated. Sanding will burn through the thin & bubbled veneer exposing a rough layer of wood with knots & voids and at cross direction. No way acceptable for repainting.

The only fix is door replacement (solid wood frame & MDF panels) & not door replacement with more of the same.
elcieg
4 years ago
The GC said that to you? Is the guy licensed?