440: Water damage to laminate in galley

[Rezzy]

Hi Guys,

Has anyone got a solution to repairing water damage where moisture has seeped around the edge of the laminate? This isn't a structural issue its just that the darker area looks unsightly.

It's only in the galley area around the edges of the cabinet door directly under the sink.

Thanks in advance,

Rezzy

[keepondancin]

I was able to fix water damage around leaking ports. I sanded lightly to get any finish off, then used oxalic acid to lighten the dark areas and it worked almost 100%. Wood bleach is usually oxalic acid. Read the direction, try it, wash it off, let it dry, see how it is going, do it again, until you like the results. It is important to neutralize the acid before any finish goes back on. Will only work if the laminate is sound, not detiorated.

[billknny]

Without knowing the type of material, or extent of the damage it is difficult to make a recommendation.

When you say "laminate" do you mean wood veneer? if so, there is not much to do to make the dark stains go away. Water damage is usually deep and can not usually be sanded or bleached away.

If the underlying wood is sound, you can apply new veneer over the old after sanding, and then refinish to match. If water damage extends into the underlying plywood, it can be difficult to repair to a high cosmetic standard without replacing the door.

[Suijin]

Pictures would help.

[Rezzy]

Sorry, wood veneer would be a better word than laminate. Any Lagoon owner is looking at acres of the material that is glued over the plywood substrate all over the boat. In the galley (near water) moisture has crept into the cabinet doors at the corners turning them a darker shade which cosmetically looks bad.

So the moisture is under the plastic wood veneer. Is there a fix for this?

[Rezzy]

Thanks Billknny, I fear that what you say may be true. Has anyone gone down the road of applying new wood veneer?

[LooseGoose]

Originally Posted by Rezzy

Thanks Billknny, I fear that what you say may be true. Has anyone gone down the road of applying new wood veneer?

It is possible to do a repair , but a small hairline will be seen. Cut the new matching (try to match the grain pattern and color) veneer to the exact size using a new exacto knife blade. Securely fix the new patch to the old surface using a caulk or double sided tape. Make sure it can't move.

Then use a metal straight edge to guide your knife (with another new blade) cut through both thicknesses of veneer.

Remove the damaged veneer and glue in the new patch. You'll still be barely able to see it but the seam line will match perfectly and it will be a straight line.

This method can also be used to repair wallpaper. Refinish the entire panel.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Rezzy

So the moisture is under the plastic wood veneer. Is there a fix for this?

You didn't help your explanation here. Wood veneer is a thin piece of decorative wood glued over plywood and then finished with varnish or oil. No plastic involved. Plastic laminate is a layer of finished plastic (may have an artificial woodgrain) glued over plywood or pressboard. In either case a partial repair is very difficult (and, in my experience, obvious). If you can obtain a matching piece of the finish material, you can glue it down and (in the case of veneer) finish as billknny described. I have used wood bleach successfully on hardwood floors and furniture, but not on wood veneer. I suppose it can't hurt to try. That doesn't preclude going on to repair wiuth a new veneer layer. How experienced are you at woodworking and furniture repair? The most straight forward answer may be to contact Lagoon about replacement doors.

A photo would help here as glued on hardwood edging will complicate a repair.

[mickand]

Try finding a 'faux' finisher - a good one should be able to color and grain the damaged area then refinish.

[P3sailor]

Replacement of the veneer may be easier than a repair. The problem here would be matching the new veneer with the old, which the manufacturers of Lagoon may be of some assistance.

[Cheechako]

So it's plastic "wood look" facing and it's dark or is it bubbled up? If bubbled up I might try some hobby shop thin iso glue, clamp a flat piece over it with was paper in between and that may glue it back down. The iso glue ("5 second glue") comes in ultra thin to thick types at the hobby shop. The thin or ultra thin seeps into any tiny space fast. Not sure if there is a way to deal with excess glue though...

If it's just the one door, I wonder if Lagoon could sell you a new door?

[PortClydeMe]

Hmmm. Water damage. That's a tough one. Whenever I think of the interiors of modern cats, I always think ... uhhh, well ... anyway, here's a place to maybe start:


https://heatherednest.com/ikea-paint-repair-kit/

[rabbi]

Pictures please!

Is this an older one with real wood veneer or is it a more recent one with Alpi 'processed wood' which in fact is just colored wood fibres mixed with plastic?


Modern cat interiors actually age ok in most parts. Alpi wood is very scratch resistant and hard to damage. Just the cheap edge bands wear off and look worn. But these are an easy DIY, and costs maybe 20 bucks for the whole boat.