Protective Plastic film on kitchen cabinet laminex

[davewastech]

Hi folks,

About 2 months after we bought our current house one of us noticed that one sheet of laminex in our kitchen still has the film partially on. Somebody had previously had a go at scraping it off but only succeeded to turn it into a mess. I guess they must have used water or spray-and-wipe or similar. I've also had a go at it with a razor scraper, but it is now quite difficult to scrape off.

Now this cabinet was installed 18 years ago, and otherwise was a bit up-market in its day, and all the other kitchen surfaces are excellent. A spare bit of the same laminex left in the junk in the garage also had the original film attached, but it peels off very easily. So I presume whatever was used to try to remove the film from the sheet in the kitchen caused it to stick on very firmly.

How did we (and others) not notice this earlier? Well it's the vertical end of the cupboards, it goes from ceiling to floor, and is in a poorly-lit part of the kitchen.

Sorry if I sound dumb knowing nothing about this product. :CBut does anybody know how I can get this film off? (and also if wetting this stuff causes the problem described)

Thanks - any advice much appreciated,
Davewastech

[Godzilla73]

G'day,

Try spraying some turps on it with an old spray and wipe bottle or similar, let it soak in and dry off. It should, with a bit of luck crinkle up and be easier to peel off. You probably have the world record for plastic left on laminate still in use, it's painful to remove after a month let alone 18 years...

[davewastech]

G'day,

Try spraying some turps on it with an old spray and wipe bottle or similar, let it soak in and dry off. It should, with a bit of luck crinkle up and be easier to peel off. You probably have the world record for plastic left on laminate still in use, it's painful to remove after a month let alone 18 years...

Thanks Godzilla73,

I'll try the turps when mum's not in the house. (Mum's more than a bit turps-o-phobic....)

Cheers,
Davewastech

[LinesElectrical]

Turps or paint thinners is the go.
Thers a couple of types if film a brittle plastic type and a soft stretchy kind with the soft kind I have had success when using old bits out the spares rack by applying some gentle heat from a heat gun or hair dryer to stretch it off and turps or thinners to clean up the residue.

[davewastech]

Thanks LinesElectrical,

I had some success experimenting with a hot air gun and following quickly behind it with a scraper blade. Slow though. It looks like 2 square meters might take 2 hours or so. Mind you it's had 18 years to stick on hard...

Cheers,
Davewastech

[Integrity]

Thanks LinesElectrical,

I had some success experimenting with a hot air gun and following quickly behind it with a scraper blade. Slow though. It looks like 2 square meters might take 2 hours or so. Mind you it's had 18 years to stick on hard...

Cheers,
Davewastech

Hey Dave,

just wanted to say you are very lucky if you were successful with this method. NEVER USE A HOT AIR GUN on laminate tops or panels. if your not concentrating you will bubble the laminate and ruin the whole top and you will also reheat up the contact glue underneath which. the best way is thinners just dont go over board and watch out for any cuts you may have on your hands. We use this method to clean kitchens and shops cabinetry and it comes up nice.

integrity
Commercial Shopfitting | Domestic Joinery | Cabinet Making | Contract Shopfitting Services Brisbane | Shelving Products | Integrity Shopfitting (http://www.integrityshopfitting.com.au)

[davewastech]

Hi to Integrity and other forum members,

Thanks for your reply. What kind of thinner do you use? (There's lots of different thinners on the market - eg white spirit, acetone, turps, xylene, glycol ethers, etc. - the list is long, depending on what you want to thin)

Cheers,
Davewastech

[davewastech]

Hi again,
Just a follow up. I tried turps. It didn't have any noticeable effect on the film.
So I went back to using a hot-air gun followed closely by a razor scraper as before. Was careful not to over-heat. It was a success, and nothing difficult except it took me about 2 hours to do 2 sq meters.

Of course there is the possibility that this method may result in bubbling with a different laminate. Maybe being 18 years old it could be drier inside?

Cheers,
davewastech

[jatt]

Will have to try the turps idea. Have some spare benchtop thats identical in color to the stuff in the kitchen.

Whats the chances of finding the exact same color after 5 years!!!!!!

My issue is what I recon would be the veggie oil residue that the wooden chopping block has been treated with.

[manofaus]

its a long shot but eucalyptus oil? It gets all kind of tacky stuff off, or nail polish remover perhaps. I have never tried it myself, just know they work in other situations...

[Handyjack]

its a long shot but eucalyptus oil? It gets all kind of tacky stuff off, or nail polish remover perhaps. I have never tried it myself, just know they work in other situations...
... and if it doesn't get the tacky stuff off it will cure your cold. :rolleyes: If you don't have a cold you won't get one while working with eucalyptus oil. And will leave a wonderful smell. :C