I am trying to come to a decision on how to repair/replace the cabinets in my 64 globetrotter. Due to rain coming in through a broken window for a couple of years most of the cabinets are badly delaminating. I believe I will be replacing ALL of the cabinet DOORS with something much like what is original (dark stained plywood doors), while salvaging the hardware for what goes in their place. I believe I can save the cabinet boxes in the kitchen and bathroom, but all others are beyond repair.
To avoid having to match the stain and wood type and allow myself the ability to make repairs with putty and glue, I am interested in PAINTING the cabinet boxes that I am keeping.
What are your thoughts on painted boxes with stained doors? If I go with paint, where can I find a good color for the 64? Is this hardware worth saving? Any other thoughts or advice?
From my perspective, it would be a better choice to rebuild the cabs and stain them rather than paint them.
The wood is oak - it's easy to find and it's not that hard to match the stain - I did when I built the dinette in our '64 GlobeTrotter. Your doors look like they could be salvaged if you just sand them down and refinish them. If you are refinishing the doors (or building new) the boxes could all be stained at the same time.
The second reason I'd say "don't paint them" is I had to remove a previous owner's paint job in our '56 Safari - it was a PITA!!! I would never-ever buy another painted interior - nor advise anybody else to.
Your resale will be much better with stained wood cabinets...especially if rest of your interior is close to original.
But that's just my 2-cents.
Shari
__________________ Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008 WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005) AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
IF you decide to redo the cabinets to the point of replacing the knobs, I would be interested in the knobs and catches. I believe only '64's used the knobs that we have. Best of luck on whatever you do, and please do let us know. I have to do cabinet work, as my PO glued mirrors on our overhead lockers. File it under "what where they thinking???". Good luck!
-Tim
__________________ "I've got aluminum fever, and the only prescription, is more AIRSTREAM!!!"
First thing first, do not let one little piece of hardware or any lights and such, get away without offering to other forum members. There is much interest among other 64 trailer owners.
Next, use anything that you can as far as cabinet ends, bottoms, and doors as templates for anything new that you may have to construct. Then as Shari said, 1/4 and 1/2 inch Oak plywood is easy to get. Check your local Home Depot or Lowes for this stuff. Do not paint, but if you must go for something that matches the counter top. I think that might look O.K. for the ends of the cabinets. I kind of like the color stain that your doors are. Antique Oak in a Minwax paste stain should match up pretty well. Go for it.
Welcome to the forums, Valentine.
Your cabinets are in the same condition as mine. My condolences.
I will be making all new cabinets for mine. The delamination goes deep into the veneers when they are moist for a long period of time. The parts of my cabinets that looked okay were actually in very bad shape also.
Here's an idea though. the face frames and back frames on lower cabinets are solid wood, and should be salvagable if removed carefully. The end panels are 1/4" plywood and the doors are probably two different thickness's: 3/8" on small doors and 5/8" or 3/4" on tall doors, or something close to that. You could remove the end panels from the frames, the glue joint is probably already gone anyway, and replace them with new. the interior cabinet partitions and other non-exposed parts were made from exterior grade fir plywood, and you may be able to salvage them. In fact, you might keep everything together except the oak finished ends and upper cabinet bottoms, and just replace the necessary parts. Cut all new doors, and sand everything well. With this done you could pick a new color stain and not have to be concerned with color matching. The upper cabinet bottoms are 1/4" plywood on a frame of solid wood, so if you can remove them carefully they can be replaced in the same manner as the finished ends.
Keep in mind that the existing knobs are made to work with the thickness of plywood they are attached to. if you can't get the same thickness, use thinner material and a spacer on the back of the door to acheive the original thickness (and if you are going to replace the knobs I am looking for the larger type for my rig)(and I'll be parting with my smaller knobs)
Good luck with your project, Rich
So I guess im convinced to stay away from the painting idea. The cabinet doors really are in bad shape. The pic doesnt tell the whole story. The face veneer has come completly off of many of them.
Tim, i'll def let you know if I don't reuse any of the cab hardware, and for that matter let evryone know if there is anything I dont reuse.
Shari, your globetrotter is beautiful! I found the site for maxwell a while back and have found it very helpful. I am concidering making the guacho/dinette conversion.
Shari, your globetrotter is beautiful! I found the site for maxwell a while back and have found it very helpful. I am concidering making the guacho/dinette conversion.
Aw THX!
If you need any help when it comes time to make your dinette...holler ~
Shari
__________________ Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008 WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005) AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
If you need any help when it comes time to make your dinette...holler ~
Shari
I fully intend to have you and Uwe on Internet speed-dial when it comes time to pull out my gaucho and build the dinette! I, too, have spent a lot of time ogling Maxwell's website.
Don't paint ! From the photos your cabinets look well worth saving but not all the hardware is. If you search my posts you can see what I did with my cabinets. Its under - Refinished at last. I did manage to get some photos up but I'm not Mr computer so I don"t know how to link you directly to it.
I have successfully repaired small areas of delamination by taking a 16 ga hypodermic syringe with some thinned glue and inject the glue between the layers and clamp. You can get the syringe where veterinary supplies are sold. Here in ranch country across the street at the hardware.
Just had to throw one more comment in on the side of the majority.
Staining new wood to match existing wood-work is a true art form.
I have used Watco - Danish Oil Finish and been very happy with the results.
You can mix different colors together to match your old finish.
My experience on this is that it requires trial & error and time.
You really need to let each trial dry for 8-10 hours to see what the final color will be.
The nice thing about this stuff is that it is easy to touch-up and recoat if needed.
BWH
Agree on the no paint. I also used a syringe and watered downed stainable wood glue. I was working on a curved cabinet out of my 55 Wally Byam Holiday. I figured I didn't have anything to loose. I put blue painters tape around the front edge to keep the glue from running down toe front. I used a ratchet tie down strap and numerous wooden leveling wedges to make it tight. It took three applications. After the glue dried, i filled the cracks with stainable wood putty, sanded with 120 then applied wiping stain then three coats of spar varnish applied with a close nap small roller. Each coat was sanded with 220. I finished with 600 grit wet & dry and Old English furniture polish. I was amazed.
OH yeah, I was looking for vintage hardware for the Holiday and came across a collection in an old hardware store. I bought a large number of hinges, latches etc. all 50's and earlier. I can send you pics of what I have or post them if you are interested. I found the exact hinge for my Holiday! I couldn't believe it. Mine are the ones in the lower right. Most were old but never used and still in the original packages!
Thanks for all of your comments and advice. I'll see what I can do with the glue and needle salvage evrything I can. I've heard from a few of you say that the hardware is not worth saving. Why is plywood that is falling apart worth performing sugery on, but knobs and hinges get replaced? The drift I am getting is when I replace the doors, get new hardware b/c origional hardware is hard to deal with. Is this true?
You can see in the pic on the left that the doors are not only delaminating, but face veneers have fallen off. The radius cabs in the background have no face veneer left at all. The pic on the right is sideways, but shows better the knobs I have. It looks like these knobs have some sort of 'compression washer' that grips the stem and holds the knob on. It it looks like it might not be removable. Is this why they are not worth saving? Has successfully removed and replaced these knobs?
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I would never-ever buy another painted interior - nor advise anybody else to.
go for something that matches the counter top. I think that might look O.K. for the ends of the cabinets. I kind of like the color stain that your doors are. Antique Oak in a Minwax paste stain should match up pretty well. Go for it.
(and I'll be parting with my smaller knobs)
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