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How To Fix Loose Wood Cabinet Veneer

February 24th, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

I recently was challenged with figuring out how to fix a few loose strips of maple real-wood-veneer that were on kitchen cabinets. The original contact glue apparently was loosing it’s bonding strength after about ten years. It was not just a fluke that these edges had started to peal away from the tall diagonal open shelf cabinet.

This article teaches the method for bonding an edge that has started pulling away from the cupboard. It is not intended to explain how to re-fasten a large piece of wood laminate that is coming off of a cupboard.

The Materials and Tools Needed for the Repair

1)Very fine artists paint brush
2)Brand name contact glue adhesive for cabinet fabrication or repair
3)Putty knife

Steps For Re-Gluing Loose Wood Veneer Edge


Dip the paint brush in the contact adhesive. Using your fingers or the putty knife gently pull the real wood edge away from the cabinet edge, just enough to get the small paint brush in the void to apply the glue. You will need to get glue on the cabinet edge and also on the wood veneer piece. Allow the glue to dry for several minutes and press the two pieces together. You can use a hammer to tap the piece of maple, oak, walnut or cherry veneer to ensure that it bonds well.

  • Caution: DO NOT GET THE CONTACT GLUE ON THE WOOD FINISH.

You must not get in a hurry, while doing the repair,  because if you get contact adhesive on the finish of the wood it could get ruined. In such a case a professional finish man will need to be hired to repair the damage that has been done. If you take your time while reattaching the loose wood edge to the cabinet or cabinet door there will be nothing further to fix.

If you do manage to get a little glue on the area that you are working on it’s possible to rub your finger lightly over the glue after it has hardened for a minute or so and it will roll up into a small ball. Don’t allow the adhesive to dry on the veneer for longer than a couple of minutes because it could stick to well and to come off.

You cannot use lacquer thinner to get the adhesive off of the real wood veneer’s finish because you will remove the clear coat that is protecting the wood. You can place masking tape over the area as a protective barrier while you are laminateing the piece of wood back into the proper position.

Categories: Cabinet Making
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