How to Repair White Laminate Furniture? Best Methods

Home Renovations / By

Having damage on pure white laminate furniture can be a total eyesore. Imagine having your interior in a minimalistic look, and your cabinet, countertop, or table cannot seem to hide a chipped-off, peeling, or stained spot.

If you started seeing the laminate bubbling up over white furniture, the best you can do is address it as soon as possible. If you still have no idea, any damage in the white surface under a laminate can be challenging to fix. Especially if the damage is enough to cover a considerable space in the room, the peeling or bubbling screams blemishes that will ruin your entire interior, even if small.

This article will show the different types of damages for this furniture and how to repair them seamlessly.

What are the Challenges of Repairing White Laminate Furniture?

White laminate furniture will not hide any ruined spots. This laminated furniture has a white finish, and the laminate is composed of papers, resin, or plastic heated and pressed together to make a strong bond.

While the laminate can be durable, versatile, and possess a clean and contemporary look, it becomes irreparable once cracked. The only thing you can do for this damage is touch it up with a filler.

Aside from that, more challenges come with repairing white laminate furniture. Even if you can fix the surface, you may have trouble matching the right shade of white with the existing shade. Next, you will need extra effort to conceal the fixing spot.

Another challenge of repairing white laminate surfaces is being delicate to handle. Without the right skill, you may spread the damage further. Also, the layer is uniquely thin. Even the appropriate application can mess up its sensitivity, worsening the damage instead of fixing it.

For Minor Scratches, Chips, Abrasions, and Dents

The best fix for minor scratches, chips, or dents is applying a laminate paste or filler. Otherwise, look for laminate repair touch-up kits. Address the issue earlier to prevent it from getting deeper or broader. You can find many of these kits included with a heating tool, scraper, and different shades of fillers. You can also use epoxy or superglue as a filler.

Here’s what you need:

  • Laminate repair filler
  • Scraper or putty knife
  • Fine grit sandpaper
  • Clean cloth
  • Mild soap and water
  • Wax or laminate polish (optional)

How to repair minor damages in white laminate furniture?

  1. Prepare the surface by cleaning it with mild soap and water. Wipe it dry.
  2. Select the appropriate color of filler.
  3. Apply laminate paste or filler directly on the scratch. If the chips or dents are deep, fill them more with filler. Heat it with the wax tool in your kit if it is wax.
  4. Use a putty knife or scraper to spread the filler evenly and ensure the putty or filler is level.
  5. Remove excess filler with a putty knife or a clean, soft cloth.
  6. Let the filler dry before sanding. It may take thirty minutes to two hours to dry up. In the meantime, avoid pressing on it or placing any object above it.
  7. Sand the dried filler until the surface is smooth and levels with the surrounding surface.
  8. Wipe off dust.
  9. If you want to polish the surface, put a small amount of wax and buff the surface with a clean cloth.

Repair of Loose or Peeling Laminate

If you notice your laminate bubbling up, getting loose, or peeling off the particle board underneath, reattach it immediately. If there is minor peeling, you can still try to reattach it. Use super glue, epoxy glue, laminate adhesive, or liquid contact cement for this.

How to fix minor laminate peeling on white furniture?

Here’s what you need:

  • Clean cloth
  • Laminate adhesive, epoxy or super glue, or liquid contact cement
  • Applicator
  • Roller
  • Wax or laminate polish.

Step-by-step procedure:

  1. Prepare the surface and assess the damage.
  2. Using an applicator, apply adhesive, glue, or liquid contact cement on the back of the laminate and the surface of the particle board. Start on the center so the material spreads out when reattached. If you fill it with super glue, use a toothpick to apply it under the laminate and on the surface. Remember that it dries so fast. Be quick to reattach them and press them with a roller. If you fill it using contact cement, wait about twenty minutes before reattaching the peeled laminate and the surface.
  3. Reattach the laminate and surface. Make sure the laminate is in its exact position.
  4. Apply pressure to distribute the adhesive. Use a putty knife or scraper to remove excess adhesive.
  5. Let them dry entirely before using. After getting dried, you may opt to polish the surface with wax. Put a small amount of wax, then buff it with a clean, dry cloth.

How to fix major laminate peeling on white furniture?

When putting adhesive is not appropriate for major peeling, you can apply heat to activate the laminate adhesive. In these times, the peeling may extend to the edges of the laminate and bubble from the middle.

Prepare the following:

  • Heat gun
  • Roller
  • Clean, soft rag
  • Wax or polisher
  • Safety gloves

Follow these procedures:

  1. Wipe and clean the peeling area.
  2. Prepare your heat gun by setting the temperature from low to medium heat. Set it from 250 to 350°F. Gradually increase the setting until you find the right temperature to melt the laminate without scorching the surface.
  3. Use a back-and-forth motion when heating the peeling laminate area. Keep a distance of four to six inches away from the surface.
  4. Once the adhesive softens or has activated, press the laminate gently back to its place on the surface using a roller or a rubber mallet. You can use your hand but make sure you are wearing safety gloves.
  5. Let it cool and set with the surface.
  6. If there is excess laminate on the edge during the process, you may trim it.
  7. Polish the area with wax or polisher and buff it with a clean rag.

Fixing Water Damage and Stains

White laminate furniture is prone to water damage and stains. Nobody wants to see discolored rings on a white table or countertop. If you let it sit there for long or neglect it, it will leave stains in circles, and the surface may get rough. The worst thing that could happen to your white laminated furniture is when the stains become stubborn to remove.

Good thing you have many options to fix water damage. The repair will depend on the extent of the damage. For mild water stains, use a baking soda paste or a solution of vinegar and baking soda.

1) Baking soda paste

If you use baking soda paste, mix two tablespoons of baking soda and a tablespoon of water. Mix it thoroughly until it forms a paste. Apply it to the stained area and leave it for a few hours. Baking soda has abrasive properties. Avoid scrubbing it on the surface, or it may scratch the laminated surface.

2) Vinegar-baking soda solution

Vinegar and baking soda are the ultimate solution for hard water stains. Hard water stains are mineral deposits or limescale left by mineral water. They stick harder on white laminated surfaces and are often chalky and crusty to the touch.

To remove them, mix two parts of vinegar and one part of baking soda. Rub the surface lightly with this mixture. And sprinkle some baking soda. Add a few more of the mixture to have a paste-like consistency. Leave it there for about fifteen minutes. Rub lightly as needed before wiping it clean.

3) What to do with ink stains?

For ink stains on white laminate surfaces, use alcohol, spray lubricant, white spirit, or vinegar. If you have acetone at home, try it in an inconspicuous area before wiping the ink stain.

For Heat and Chemical Damage

For heat and chemical damage, you can categorize them as minor or major damage to identify the most appropriate repair. White laminate furniture with severe damage from heat and chemicals may be irreversible and require replacement.

You may repair minor damages brought by exposure to heat and chemicals like light discoloration, rough texture, faint burn marks, dull surface, or light stains with laminate fillers.

But for widespread severe damage like surface erosion, burn marks, discoloration, blisters, or etches, you may not be able to repair or replace them.

Fixing Fading and Discoloration

Fading is the result of heat exposure. With prolonged exposure to heat, the laminate loses its brightness, resulting in a dull appearance. Meanwhile, discoloration is a reaction to chemical exposure or improper cleaning method. With irregular discoloration patches, the surface may appear blotchy.

For fading and discoloring white laminated furniture surfaces, you may perform a combination of the fixes above.

  1. Clean the surface with mild soap.
  2. If there are stains, apply vinegar and baking soda solution and let it sit there for fifteen to twenty minutes.
  3. If some discoloration persists, sand it lightly with fine 220-grit sandpaper.
  4. Apply laminate paste if sanding forms abrasion.
  5. Let the surface dry according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
  6. Polish the surface with wax as needed.

More Tips

Indeed, white laminate furniture offers timeless elegance and a bright and airy ambiance throughout the room. Without any visible spots, the furniture maintains its delicate and pristine look. However, its white nature brings the laminated furniture more reasons to show stains, chips, cracks, or peels easily.

One thing we can do to avoid the hassle of repairing an entire laminated furniture is by maintaining it. Clean it gently regularly and avoid the build-up of limescale to keep it in good condition. Do not use harsh cleaning agents. It only needs a damp cloth to remove soft stains. Then follow it up with wax or polisher.

Also, avoid exposing your white laminated furniture to direct sunlight. With proper attention and care, these types of furniture will continue to brighten up our homes for a longer time.

Latest posts by paintsgeek (see all)

inherit