# Painted cabinets cracked at every joint!!!



## dzl13 (May 5, 2011)

We recently redid our kitchen ourselves save for the cabinets as we did not have the skill nor tools nor time to do properly. It's been about 8 months now (done in summer thru a winter) and now every single joint is split or cracked through the paint. Face frames, sides, and even railes and stiles where they meet. It looks like the cabinet guy either didn't use glue or just did a sorry job. My question is what are my options? Can I use my Kregg pocket screw jig pull the face frames and doors back together as best I can the repaint? Please help, we've got to do something as we're looking to move soon.

Pics attached.

Thank you.


----------



## Al_Amantea (Dec 27, 2014)

If it were me, I would apply a quick bead of acrylic latex caulk, and repaint. Try to force these joints together is going to be a big mess. 
The caulk will remain flexible, and allow the wood to continue to move with seasonal changes. 

Follow me on Instagram! 
"@amanteafinewoodworks"


----------



## dzl13 (May 5, 2011)

Appreciate the advice. Do I need to sand around the joints then caulk or can we simply clean out the joint and caulk then respray?


----------



## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

Having paint split on joints like that is not that uncommon.. many would say it's almost guaranteed to happen.. the wood expands and contracts and the paint isn't able to keep up... This will be especially noticeable when say the cabinets were made in summer during a time of high humidity and u hit winter which is a time of low humidity.. so the wood did what it naturally does and contracted...


----------



## dzl13 (May 5, 2011)

Understood so what do professional cabinet makers/finishers do to combat this other than hold their joints together better than this joker did?


----------



## clarenceboddick (Nov 30, 2016)

Particle board or real wood?


----------



## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

dzl13 said:


> Understood so what do professional cabinet makers/finishers do to combat this other than hold their joints together better than this joker did?



They use stain and polyurethane, not latex paint.


----------



## dzl13 (May 5, 2011)

> Particle board or real wood?


maple veneered plywood sides poplar frames.



> hey use stain and polyurethane, not latex paint.


Fair enough but not every application calls for stained cabinets and this was SW enamel paint.

Thanks


----------



## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Wood moves no matter how joined. I would be very surprised not to see what you are experiencing no matter whose paint you used.


----------



## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

dzl13 said:


> Understood so what do professional cabinet makers/finishers do to combat this other than hold their joints together better than this joker did?


What they do is tell people that their painted wood cabinets are going to get cracks at the joints and offer them MDF doors if they can't deal with it...


----------



## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

When panel doors are built, the panels and frames are finished separately. The panels are left loose in the grooves of the inner frame, allowing the frame to expand and contract without compromising the joints. 
Your cabinet frames and panels appear to have been built tight, then painted.

What to do now? Look for a coating with good elastomeric qualities, like a premium urethane. Should be able to find it in white. Check marine supply.
Still no guarantees.


----------



## rockmup (Feb 20, 2017)

Looks like the glue let go.
You could scrape the joints a little and use a latex caulk, force it into the joint and then paint it. If done right you could use a super fine paint brush to touch it up.

If they were mine, I'd knock the face frames off and re glue.


----------



## Erico (Oct 24, 2016)

ryansdiydad said:


> What they do is tell people that their painted wood cabinets are going to get cracks at the joints and offer them MDF doors if they can't deal with it...


Yep. The cabinet maker should have managed expectations better.

This is why many painted cabinets are built with v-groove joints. The joints hide the cracks.

I don't care for the v-groove look. It looks ok on a shaker door but I still don't care for it.

I know some makers say v-groove or solid mdf doors if painted. Take it or leave it.


----------



## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

I made beaded face frames and panel doors and I am getting cracks.
Nothing can be done about it.

I will wait a bit and then hit them with glaze and then really see the cracks when the dark glaze goes into them.
It may be a bonus as they may look even older. :vs_worry:


----------



## dzl13 (May 5, 2011)

Appreciate all the comments guys. I never realized that cracks in the paint are a fact of life when using "real" wood, I'm guessing that display cabinets at HD or Lowes are all MDF???. 

Is the consensus that this is acceptable in a home sale? I feel like I'm going to get a lot of pushback from perspective buyers about the paint condition.


----------



## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

dzl13 said:


> Appreciate all the comments guys. I never realized that cracks in the paint are a fact of life when using "real" wood, I'm guessing that display cabinets at HD or Lowes are all MDF???.
> 
> Is the consensus that this is acceptable in a home sale? I feel like I'm going to get a lot of pushback from perspective buyers about the paint condition.


If you're concerned, just use acrylic caulk as mentioned and paint them.
It will still show a bit, but no actual "crack" will show.

You got a pic from further back? I'd like to see what they look like in general.


----------



## TimPa (Aug 15, 2010)

wow, this is an eye opener for me. I have built many cabinets, and live where summer and winter vary greatly in relative humidity. while most of my cabinets were varnish, some are painted. but, I can say that cracks in my cabinets are more the exception than the rule, if any.

I am fully aware of expansion and contraction issues as well as cross grain situations, but the cracks in the photo appear to be almost a failed joint to me.

just my 2 cents.


----------



## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

TimPa said:


> wow, this is an eye opener for me. I have built many cabinets, and live where summer and winter vary greatly in relative humidity. while most of my cabinets were varnish, some are painted. but, I can say that cracks in my cabinets are more the exception than the rule, if any.
> 
> I am fully aware of expansion and contraction issues as well as cross grain situations, but the cracks in the photo appear to be almost a failed joint to me.
> 
> just my 2 cents.


When I made my doors, I sanded the edges dead flush after joining.
A short time later, they were not flush anymore as the cross grain direction shrunk/expanded. With the paint on top of this situation, something has to give.


----------



## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Usually the person making the furniture and doing the finishes sees the imperfections way before anyone else.


----------



## Erico (Oct 24, 2016)

dzl13 said:


> Appreciate all the comments guys. I never realized that cracks in the paint are a fact of life when using "real" wood, I'm guessing that display cabinets at HD or Lowes are all MDF???.
> 
> Is the consensus that this is acceptable in a home sale? I feel like I'm going to get a lot of pushback from perspective buyers about the paint condition.


Who knows how long those HD cabinets have been on display.

I was in a kitchen showroom (I forget who) several years ago and saw some shaker doors where the panels had all shrunk to reveal the un-finished edges. They looked terrible - especially on display.

You should see if you can get a wax crayon touch up stick in a color that is close.

Those cracks are too small for caulk.

I did a painted white kitchen a couple years ago that everything showed up with cracks. They where Merillat cabinets - terrible quality control but the crayon they sent was an exact match. Fortunately, the cabinets were pure white. The trick was getting to the replacements before the customer had another melt down. I have a room full of rejected white doors. Some multiple time rejects. Lol.

The technique I settled on with wax was to tape off either side of the crack just to keep clean up to a minimum. Fill the crack a little high and scrape off with a credit card.

Mohawk is the brand cabinet makers send with cabinets. I had another off white kitchen where the supplier sent pure white - not so good.


----------



## rockmup (Feb 20, 2017)

dzl13 said:


> Appreciate all the comments guys. I never realized that cracks in the paint are a fact of life when using "real" wood, I'm guessing that display cabinets at HD or Lowes are all MDF???.
> 
> Is the consensus that this is acceptable in a home sale? I feel like I'm going to get a lot of pushback from perspective buyers about the paint condition.



I build cabinets for a living, its not a fact of life but does happen. You see it generally in only a couple instances. Old cabinets that the glue has let go so the nails pull away or they were just poorly made. 
Glue has gotten better in the last 20 yrs and face frames that are pocket screwed together rarely see those issues. 

Just some food for thought, since the flood in Louisiana we have been in homes that we did 30 years ago, zero damage unless they were under water for more than 24 hrs or so. Pretty cool, imop


----------



## Erico (Oct 24, 2016)

TimPa said:


> wow, this is an eye opener for me. I have built many cabinets, and live where summer and winter vary greatly in relative humidity. while most of my cabinets were varnish, some are painted. but, I can say that cracks in my cabinets are more the exception than the rule, if any.
> 
> I am fully aware of expansion and contraction issues as well as cross grain situations, but the cracks in the photo appear to be almost a failed joint to me.
> 
> just my 2 cents.


What kind of paint do you use?


----------



## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

In my case, I used pre-cat lacquer.


----------



## Erico (Oct 24, 2016)

123pugsy said:


> In my case, I used pre-cat lacquer.


I really need to give that a try. I have an HVLP spray system I've been using for waterborne poly. Really want to try pre cat lacquer.

Do you have a brand you like?


----------



## MichaelRivera (Feb 24, 2017)

How did it happen?


----------



## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Erico said:


> I really need to give that a try. I have an HVLP spray system I've been using for waterborne poly. Really want to try pre cat lacquer.
> 
> Do you have a brand you like?


I've only tried the one.

Post cat is better I believe. It will give a harder finish.


----------



## TimPa (Aug 15, 2010)

Erico said:


> What kind of paint do you use?


 I used to use oil base paint for cabinets for 30+ years. but the latex paint has improved so much, I have been using that for the last few years. I still primer even tho they say it is built in. all brush on.

one important factor when building cabinets is to make sure your wood is as acclimated as you can get it. I wouldn't think of buying wood today and starting to build with it tomorrow. the more stable the wood is, the less initial movement you will receive.

once built with stable wood, using good joinery and sealed well, the movement should be minimal.


----------



## Al_Amantea (Dec 27, 2014)

dzl13 said:


> Appreciate the advice. Do I need to sand around the joints then caulk or can we simply clean out the joint and caulk then respray?


A quick scuff sand wouldn't hurt. 

Follow me on Instagram:
"@amanteafinewoodworks"


----------

