How to Fix Water-Damaged Kitchen Cabinets

Before you can fix the water damage on your kitchen cabinets, you need to know the type of damage you’re dealing with. Is it on the surface or structural? Surface-level water damage can appear as stains, either as white spots or milky-colored patches (blushing). Bubbling or peeling wood veneer is another sign you need cabinet repairs. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert to tackle this DIY.

If water has had time to sit and seep into your cabinetry, this puts you at a higher chance of having structural damage. Structural damage causes your cabinets to sag, crumble, and rot. Because of the unchecked and undried water, you’ll need to check for mold. At this point, you’re past repairing them and better off using the services of cabinetry professionals to replace them. 

Take off the doors. If your kitchen cabinets are still wet, this will help air circulate and get them to dry faster.

Use rags and towels to soak up any standing water. Open all the doors and windows in your kitchen. This helps speed up drying time by increasing air circulation and decreasing humidity. Wet-dry vacuum cleaners, fans, and dehumidifiers are optional but are especially efficient for quick-drying cabinetry.

Depending on their location, your kitchen cabinets can wind up with grime and grease. While you can use an antibacterial cleaning solution to get the job done, you likely have everything you need in your home. Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle with liquid dishwashing soap. Spray the mixture on your cabinets and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub it clean with a sponge.

How you repair your water-damaged kitchen cabinets depends on their style. Some homeowners choose to paint over their cabinets, while others enjoy the depth that wooden cabinets add to a kitchen. To fix your cabinets, you may need to remove stains and reglue laminate.

Remove White Spots and Blushing

White spots and blushing are two types of stains indicative of water-damaged wood. This type of damage is visible on unpainted wood furniture. In short, you only need this step if your kitchen cabinets are made of wood. Your cabinets may look like wood; however, laminate and thermofoil cabinets, more cost-effective choices for kitchen cabinetry, are made with a plastic vinyl layer that can mimic the look of wood. 

To remove white spots: Gently rub a soft cloth—dampened with liquid furniture polish or denatured alcohol—over the white spots until they disappear. 

To remove blushing: Apply denatured alcohol (for shellac finishes) or lacquer thinner (for lacquer finishes) to a towel. Quickly pass the towel along the stains in short, gentle strokes until the blushing disappears.

Reglue Cabinet Layers

Heat and moisture in your kitchen can cause delamination—the peeling and separating of your cabinet layers. Apply a heavy-duty construction adhesive, like Liquid Nails, under the lifted layers and use cabinet clamps to hold them together. If the layer is too damaged to be reglued, remove and replace it.

Remove the original finish on your kitchen cabinets after painting or staining in preparation for applying a new one. Depending on the stripping agent you use, it can contain powerful and harmful chemicals, so make sure you wear the right protective gear, including safety glasses, gloves, and a mask. 

Use a paintbrush to apply a generous coating of chemical stripper to the surface of your cabinets. Let denatured alcohol (for shellac) or lacquer thinner (for lacquer) sit on the surface before scraping the paint or finish off with a plastic putty knife. 

After stripping the original finish, some may be left behind. Sand the surfaces with an orbital sander and sandpaper, making sure you’ve removed all traces of the finish. This will create a smooth surface for staining and applying a new finish to your cabinets. Use a vacuum or dry cloth to clean the area of any dust and debris.

Sanding helps create a smooth surface. Unfortunately, no amount of sanding will help you correctly fix your cabinet if its surface is riddled with scratches, dents, and holes. That’s when you need to get your hands on wood filler. Use a putty knife to apply wood filler to your cabinets. 

Firmly press the product into every nook and cranny. After letting it harden, smooth out the surface with your orbital sander. Follow up by hand-sanding with a fine 220-grit sandpaper, making sure you move in the direction of the wood grain. Vacuum or use a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust or debris.

You’re done fixing your water-damaged kitchen cabinets. That said, your job isn’t done. Leaving your cabinets bare won’t be visually pleasing, and leaving them unprotected makes them susceptible to future water damage. You need to walk through the final steps to refinish your kitchen cabinets by staining or painting your cabinets before adding a protective seal.