01
Thermofoil, the “replace only” material
Thermofoil is a plastic film pressed over MDF. When it starts to lift, most people are told the doors have to go. On July 20 I wrote the opposite advice in my caption: “Don’t replace your thermofoil cabinets before exploring refinishing.”
This kitchen shows why. The boxes stayed, and so did the layout. The film on the doors was the problem, so the film is what came off.
02
The week, day by day
I posted every day of this one, and the captions read like a schedule:
- Day 1, July 20: protection and masking. “I remove and label every door and drawer, organize my workspace, and carefully protect your floors, countertops, and cabinets before any spraying begins.”
- Day 2, July 21: removing the thermofoil, then degreasing and sanding every surface.
- Day 3, July 22: two coats of primer.
- Day 4, July 23: sanding the primer and applying two coats of colour.
- July 24: walk-through after. July 25: doors and drawers back on.
03
Worth replacing?
The video I posted on July 25 asks the question on screen, “Worth replacing?”, and answers it: “Definitely not.” The espresso shaker kitchen is now white, with the same boxes, the same counters and the same layout.
Every thermofoil kitchen is different, and some doors are better replaced. The thermofoil guide explains how I tell the difference, and the before and after photos are on the project page.
