Main > Main Forum
OOPS! Need help with melamine repair!!!
1UP:
Can anyone tell me how I can touch up the surface of black melamine? I almost had my basic cabinet frame done today. Things were going smoothly until I went to do a cutout in one of the sides with my hole saw...and ended up cutting about a millimeter into the surface of the other side panel!!! :o I was sure I had moved the other one out of harms way, but in the fury of burning sawdust, I guess things shifted a little...
I've seen black touch-up pencils for wood, and tubes of stuff used for filling cracks in laminated countertops. Are any of these any good? Are they permanent? How invisible would the repair be? Are there other alternatives? Wood filler and spray paint? Anything would look better than the big beige arc that is marring my finish! It just happens to be in the one spot that's visible from the outside (monitor bezel area.)
HEEEELP! :'(
1UP:
Also, I knocked one corner off the marquee area. Actually broke off on one side when the somewhat large cutout piece dropped off at the end of the cut! Took out a triangular piece about an inch across, on one side of the board. This is not my day... ::) Any suggestions?
jelloslug:
Unless it would cost too much I would just toss them and make new pieces. You will be much happier with the final product. If you want to fix the scratched one try this: fill the groove with bondo or wood filler, sand smooth, paint ENTIRE surface. If you did the correctly you will not be able to see the groove. As for the broken corner, you could try to patch it by cutting the broken part smooth and making a piece that fills in the broken corner but the seam will show. I would just make a new one though.
1-up:
--- Quote from: jelloslug on July 15, 2002, 09:14:16 am ---
Unless it would cost too much I would just toss them and make new pieces. You will be much happier with the final product. If you want to fix the scratched one try this: fill the groove with bondo or wood filler, sand smooth, paint ENTIRE surface. If you did the correctly you will not be able to see the groove. As for the broken corner, you could try to patch it by cutting the broken part smooth and making a piece that fills in the broken corner but the seam will show. I would just make a new one though.
--- End quote ---
Sorry, this time it's not the money, it's the time. I spent hours sanding and finishing that sucker, I'm not going to start over for one scratch. Filling and painting sounds better to me. I was thinking maybe I could get away with only painting that spot if I copied part of the melamine texture with some brushed-on latex (have that already) which I could peel off and lay it over the paint while it's still curing to give it the same pattern... Dunno if this will work, but I could test it on scrap... Any better ideas?
Fortunately, the broken corner is on the side that will be laminated, so no seam would show if I just repair that side. I just need to make sure it's strong enough to not get knocked off again. Maybe I'll just screw a metal strip flush with the surface (routered into the surface), laminate over it, and pack in wood filler from the other side. Put on the t-molding and maybe you'll never see it...
jelloslug:
Somthing you might want to try on the groove is to tint the filler to match the melamine first. Since you are going to reproduce the surface texture you might be able to skip the painting step ( I reproduced the grain on some damaged plastic parts from my coin door like that). As for the corner there is this marine grade wood filler (can't rember the name right now) that cures very hard that might work better. If you use it don't cut of the broken corner, just remove any loose pieces. The bond will be better if you have a rough surface. I saw the stuff a Home Depot. If you can't find it almost any 2 part epoxy putty would make a good patch.