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Can Old Cabinet or Counter Formica Be Reused

February 23rd, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

If you are planning to strip the old Formica off of your cabinets it can be reused. Why would you want to remove the old plastic laminate from your bathroom or kitchen cupboards? Perhaps you have purchased a new refrigerator and it won’t fit in the opening. In this situation the cabinetry will need to be cut down. The same scenario can be applied to any new appliance that you have purchased. But, what if the original Formica is discontinued? You are only left with two options, try and salvage the existing plastic laminate or choose a similar color to the discontinued laminate, good luck.

In order to make an attempt to reuse the old plastic laminate you will have to study this article explaining how to remove Formica from cabinets or countertops. The material can be used again if you are extremely careful when taking the existing plastic off of the cabinets or countertops. In some instances the Formica may have been on the cupboards way too long to be removed. The reason for this is that the contact adhesive’s bond can become relentlessly uncooperative over time because it sometimes strengthens with age. Another hindrance is that the Formica plastic laminate tends to become brittle as time passes in to many years.

If you are successful at taking the Formica off of the kitchen or bathroom vanity cabinet that you are working on, handle the pieces with great care. You will need to use a putty knife to remove any wood particles that are stuck in the old contact glue. It is not necessary to try and sand the old glue off or even to work at removing it with adhesive remover. Leave the old adhesive on the Formica, but make sure that it is as smooth as you can get it.


It is vitally important that you do not find yourself in a hurry during any of these critical steps. Haste always makes waste.

I have cut down cabinets for kitchens, bathrooms, offices, hospitals and laundry rooms. I have not always been able to reuse the salvaged Formica because it was too brittle or adhered to well to come off of the original surface that it was glued to. Sometimes it is necessary to really think through the project and study how the plastic was laminated onto the cupboard or counter. By paying close attention to seam locations you will be able to determine if you can actually reuse the laminate once you have removed it from the existing surface and made the necessary alterations to the cabinet or counter top.

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