How to Plug Drill Holes in Laminate Cabinet Doors

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

Things You'll Need

  • Wood putty

  • Putty knife

  • Damp cloth

  • Utility knife

  • Laminate

Laminate is designed to mimic real wood.
Image Credit: Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Laminate cabinets are not constructed of hard wood, but some of the tools used on real wood also apply to laminate. If you need to fill a drill hole in your laminate, wood putty will do the trick. While you have to take more care with the surface of the laminate surrounding the hole, the rest of the process mirrors working on solid wood cabinetry.

Advertisement

Step 1

Apply a dime-sized amount of wood putty on the end of a putty knife.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Spread the putty over the hole, pressing downward so that the putty fills the hole and doesn't just cover the surface.

Step 3

Smooth the putty over the hole using your finger. Press hard enough so that the putty is even with the surrounding laminate, but not so hard that a dip appears in the putty.

Step 4

Wipe down the area surrounding the hole with a damp cloth to remove any excess putty. Normally, wood putty can be removed by light sanding, but laminate should not be sanded like real wood unless you are covering it with paint. If you sand laminate, it will expose the medium-density fiberboard, or MDF, underneath.

Advertisement

Step 5

Cover the hole with a small piece of excess laminate, if you have any. When you don't have any extra laminate, cut a small square using a utility knife from an inconspicuous part of your cabinetry, such as the top of a cabinet door that is too high to be seen. Attach the laminate over the hole using wood or super glue.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

references