How to repair saw damaged Melamine shelving?

[Fred4]

I bought recently from Bunnings 6 ,1200 * 300 melamine coated panels. Every panel is damaged from saw cuts on each end which has left a series of small chips. One side and both ends are not covered with Melamine. I have glued on the provided melamine strips covering all raw faces.

The attached photo shows one end of a board. I could not buy the appropriate touch up paint suggested by the lady at the tradesman's counter as you were out of stock. I have purchased from Lincoln Sentry a Melamine white touch up paint and my question is, how best to apply the product. Do I dab it on or try and run a single line of paint along the edge. Will it look like a patched up job no matter what I do and am I better off just leaving it as it is.?

Thank you.

Sorry I can't upload photo for some reason.

[EricL]

Hello @Fred4 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about touching up the ends of your melamine panels.

The common method of repair is to dab the touch up paint on the damaged areas only. Your goal is to visually reduce the number of chips you can see on the edge of the melamine. A bit of patience will be required when applying the touch up paint, but the results will be worth it.

Applying it in a straight line will make it more noticeable as the paint has bit of depth to it when applied to a flat surface. 

I suggest sending your photos to this email address - workshop@bunnings.com.au and we'll post them for you.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Fred4]

Thank you EricL for your reply. As a newbie I wondered if anyone would see my question and reply. I am waiting for the touch up to come and as soon as it does I will heed your advice and then accept your offer and send the photos.

Much appreciation for your advice. This is a wonderful service by Bunnings.

Fred4

[EricL]

Hi @Fred4 

Please keep us updated with your progress, if you run into any issues while applying the touch up, please don't hesitate to post a question.

Eric

[Fred4]

EricL

You will see that I managed to get a photo of the boards as I bought them plus my tape of the raw edges

Fred

[Fred4]

EricL.

Here is a picture of the finished shelves after using the melamine touchup. I'm delighted with the result ,and your advice to spot touchup rather than run a line of the touchup liquid. Now they are ready to be assembled.

Many thanks.

finished touchup panels

[EricL]

Hello @Fred4 

Thank you so much for posting that update, those shelves look much better now that you've applied the touch up paint. Would it be possible for you to post where the shelves will be positioned? I'm sure our members would be keen to see the overall picture of your project.

Eric

[Noyade]

Hi @Fred4 

They do look much better now!  👍

Every panel is damaged from saw cuts

Can you tell us more about the cuts? What saw? What blade?

Cheers and well done!

[Fred4]

Noyade, I think I could have been clearer in my first post. I didn't cut the shelving. The ends were like that when I bought the shelves from Bunnings in North shore Qld. I posted to get help how to rectify a problem I purchased. When I drew the condition of the ends to the lass in the Tradesman counter she only suggested doing what I have done!! I did check through every panel in Bunnings and they were all the same.

So sorry I can't tell you what saw, what blade Bunnings used.

I have a a Radial Arm saw and I use an aluminium cutting blade and it cuts timber and anything with no damage and a beautifully finished cut. It doesn't need any touching up. A beautiful smooth cut ready for assembly.

Thanks for your interest.

Fred4

[EricL]

Hi @Fred4 

Thanks for that added information, let me tag @Noyade to make sure they see your response. 

Eric