Last week one colleague of ours was having a bad mood. And it wasn’t some regular mood off session. We could tell from the face that something was seriously wrong.
Upon asking we got to know that his kid took a fork and peeled off the vinyl coating from the kitchen door.
It happened to be, that my colleague was up for selling that house. And at that point, it felt impossible. Moreover, doing a new vinyl coating on the doors would cost a fortune.
So, his question was, how to remove vinyl wrap from kitchen doors?
That way he could at least do a regular paint job without spending loads of extra money into this lost cause.
To solve this, we searched through the internet and surprisingly there was a lack of solutions. So, we talked in some forums and contacted some experts for this. And later on, my colleague successfully did it without any professional help.
So, let’s jump right into the details of this removing process-
Vinyl Wrap Basics
Before starting off with the process, we believe it’s better to cover some basics. So, what is a vinyl wrap? And why is it so tough to remove?
Well, vinyl is one kind of thin and flexible plastic. And just like any other plastic vinyl is moldable by heat usage.
The vinyl wrap is basically, vinyl wrapped around a door by using vacuum, heat process and glue. However, the door has to be made out of moisture resistant board.
The vinyl coating is normally wrapped across the front side of the door and the edges. And thanks to this wrapping the vinyl stays in one piece.
So, this means we can remove the wrapping by applying heat in a specified way.
Vinyl Wrap Stripping Process
As we said earlier here, we have to go through a specific method in order to remove the vinyl wrap. So, we have prepared a step by step process for your ease. But before that, let’s look at the necessary items for this project-
Necessary Items
Here you will need 4 specific items. However, most of these items might be available inside your home. But if you don’t find any of these, you can easily order up. So, here goes the list-
- Utility Knife
- A heat gun or hairdryer
- Driver
- Palette knife
- Once you gather up all these items, you can proceed to the next part.
Step 1: Free up Space
Here the goal is to prepare a workable space. And you can do it in two ways.
You can either remove everything around the kitchen door. Or you can take the kitchen door to a free space.
We believe the second option is the optimum option. So, take that driver of yours and loosen up those door hinges. Along with that, remove the handles and knobs form the door.
Step 2: Open up that Wrap
Here the idea is to break the vinyl into pieces. You can unwrap more easily if the vinyl is in parts. So, how to do that?
Well, we cannot hammer down the vinyl wrapping. It’ll simply break the door. We’ll use the utility knife instead.
So, take that utility knife to one of the door edges. Now run it along with the edges. However, make sure that you don’t force too much into the door. Because here you just want to cut the vinyl layer.
Going too deep or giving too much force might damage the door.
Step 3: Heat up the Game
If you’re done with the previous two steps, then it’s time to bring in the heat. So, take that heat gun of yours and get closer to the door.
However, there’s a certain technique of applying this heat.
Take the gun at hand and start spinning it round and round over the vinyl wrap. Start off from the edges. And keep the gun in a specific area.
At some point, you’ll see the wrap is coming out of the door.
Step 4: Separating with a Putty Knife
Even after applying heat, some parts of the vinyl wrap won’t get separated. So, on those spots, you have to use that putty knife.
So, take the knife to the spot where the glue is strong. Slide it in between the wrap and door. Keep pushing it little by little. And instantly you’ll see the wrap coming off.
Step 5: Repeat the Previous Two Steps
To unwrap the whole, keep on repeating step 3 and step 4. Apply some heat and then use the putty knife to completely separate the wrap.
And it’s better to do this one area at a time. Like you cannot apply heat to the whole board and use the putty knife on the while door at the same time.
Step 6: Sand off the Rest of the Glue
We believe that you won’t leave your door bare customization. It means that you’ll either apply some paint or another vinyl wrap.
No matter which way you go, it’s necessary that the door has a clean surface.
We’re telling you this thing because even after the heat and putty knife usage, some glue may still be on the door. Moreover, sometimes detaching a small area of vinyl becomes extremely difficult.
And because of all these reasons, it’s necessary to sand the door before another makeover. So, how to do that? Well, by using a sander.
We won’t stretch this piece by telling you how to sand a moisture-resistant board or door. That’s the topic for another piece.
All we’re telling you is that sanding is important.
Bottom Line
And that was a wrap. And that’s how to remove vinyl wrap from kitchen doors. Follow these six steps carefully and you’ll find your door ready to use.
However, make sure that you have taken adequate safety measures before every step. A slight mistake can cost you gravely.
So, gather up your items and get to it. Make that door great again. Good luck.
Check other resources related to kitchen :
1. Easy Steps on How to Install Kitchen Cabinet Crown Molding to the Ceiling
2. Step-by-Step Guide to Hard Anodized Cookware vs Nonstick Cookware
