# Refinishing Damaged Drawer Front to Match



## SimonJester753 (Nov 15, 2015)

Yesterday, my dog chewed one of my Ikea Akurum cabinet drawer fronts. Ikea does not sell them any more.

I went to the local Ikea and asked about getting one. They had none left in stock. I asked about the 25 year warranty. They said if it failed they would "find" me one. So they'll find one for free if it fails, but not sell me one if it gets damaged. They really know how to lose customers.

I think my first try will be to refinish the drawer front. It is Adel medium brown. The new line has the same finish available, but they don't make the same size. It can be seen here: 
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90268155/#/00268150

Does anyone know of a stain that's a good match? Also, any tips on refinishing these types of doors?

My next option is to buy Grimslov doors and convert the drawer cabinet to one with hinged doors.

Another option would be to buy a door that is the same color, disassemble both doors and replace the damaged stile with a piece cut down from the purchased door. I assume the doors are glued. The stiles and rails are solid wood. I'm not sure about the panel.

Keep in mind, I live in a co-op apartment and don't have a workshop. I have a Black & Decker workmate, a power hand drill and circular saw and various hand tools.


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## mikeswoods (May 18, 2009)

That will be a challenge---a pro refinisher might be worth tracking down.

That is not stained and finished---but, instead, sprayed with a colored lacquer----
At minimum, you will need an air brush and a lot of experimenting to get the color right---

Sherwyn Williams can mix up colored lacquers for you---but getting it to blend? Oh,boy--Mike---


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It looks beyond refinishing to me. I believe I would fabricate a new front. The color can be achieved but it takes a lot of patience and tinkering even for a professional finisher. You might contact customer service at Ikea and see if they will give you a list of the finishing products used on the piece. If you can't get that information I would make a new front out of maple and start with the dye stain M520-4086 Cherry Ultra Penetrating Stain from Mohawk Finishing Products. http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=178 This stain has to be sprayed and sprayed at low pressure. Try it on scrap wood first at full strength. If it is too dark thin it with dentured alcohol. If it needs to be more red you might need to get another dye to add to it a little at a time until you achieve the color. Sometimes it takes a multitude of different color to match what someone else has done but I bet Ikea just opened a bottle of something and sprayed it on. It's just difficult to say what color you might need until you try it. I finished a job one time that I believe was that color and the cherry stain is what I used.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Ikea also applies a UV coating for their final coat, which is something you can not do at home.


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## SimonJester753 (Nov 15, 2015)

*Another brilliant idea...*

Thank you all for your responses.

Given what's been said about what a difficult job it would be to get the finish to match, and I only have 1 shot at it, I'm wondering if buying a door from Ikea and patching it might not be the way to go. 

Rather than try to unglue the joint, get someone with a table saw to slice the front half off the old drawer front stile and do the same to a section of the new door and glue it on. Then, only the bottom edge would need finishing. Since that's about 6" off the floor in a corner, an exact match would not be necessary.

I would happily entertain bids on the job. I can pack and UPS the old drawer front and a new door and a check.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

SimonJester753 said:


> Thank you all for your responses.
> 
> Given what's been said about what a difficult job it would be to get the finish to match, and I only have 1 shot at it, I'm wondering if buying a door from Ikea and patching it might not be the way to go.
> 
> ...


So you have a new door and need it to be matched to the old one that the dog tore up? Is that what you are saying?


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## SimonJester753 (Nov 15, 2015)

RandyReed said:


> So you have a new door and need it to be matched to the old one that the dog tore up? Is that what you are saying?


I can go to Ikea and buy a door the same color with stiles the same width, but the stiles are not the same length.

BTW, only the right stile seems to be damaged. What appears to be nicks on other parts is splinters adhere with dog slobber.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

SimonJester753 said:


> I can go to Ikea and buy a door the same color with stiles the same width, but the stiles are not the same length.
> 
> BTW, only the right stile seems to be damaged. What appears to be nicks on other parts is splinters adhere with dog slobber.


I can match the "new" drawer front to the "tore up" drawer front if thats what you are saying. No problem. Message sent.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You options are very limited for a repair*

Since you have no "workshop ....Keep in mind, I live in a co-op apartment and don't have a workshop. I have a Black & Decker workmate, a power hand drill and circular saw and various hand tools....." repairing the door by replacing the styles is not a viable option. Your best bet in my opinion, it to use an epoxy wood filler, like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/PC-Products-12-oz-PC-Woody-Wood-Epoxy-Paste-163337/100649620
Then stain and spray finish the repaired area to match as best as possible. 

It will not be perfect. If you want it perfect, take the drawer to a cabinet shop, don't ask how much and have them call you when it's finished.:blink:

Use chicken wire to cover all the cabinetry in the house and give the dog a smelly slipper, dog chews, hard nylon bones, treats and other objects it can chew on without doing damage... it's lonely and bored ...get a catpanion.


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## SimonJester753 (Nov 15, 2015)

Actually, this whole thing started when my dog was chewing/scratching the steel panel fire door, trying to get out. The door was old and sagging, so I got a new, flush one installed with a 34" high stainless steel kick plate. After installation, I came home to find dog slobber on the stainless, but no damage.

A couple of days later, he was trying to chew the smooth stainless and wandered over to the cabinet, where he could get a grip.

It's not that he needs a chew toy- he want to go to the park 24/7.

So now I'm getting a stainless kick plate for the bedroom door and some plates to go on either side of it.

BTW, I'm not allowed to reply to private messages till I have more posts. I can read them. Send shipping info.


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

As long as we are clear in the message I sent, Im cool with it.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Another option to replacing the door could be filling the damage with wood putty, sand it flat and recover it with veneer.


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## rmwebb1 (Nov 27, 2015)

There are plenty of people that have been able to match the Adel Medium Brown door stain. So I would try and fix and re-stain.

OR

You could replace the two bottom drawers with doors (hopefully they will have a size that fits from the Sektion line) and keep the drawers inside by buying the silver drawer fronts from Ikea. You'll also have to buy the hinges for the drawer that are 153 degrees.

OR

Almost the same as above except buy new Sektion doors for the cabinet and new Sektion drawers to go inside. All you'll have to do is drill the holes inside the cabinet for the new drawer glides.


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