What Can I Use to Cover the Underside of My Wall Cabinets?

Although your wall-mounted cabinets might look nice from the front and sides, they are often unfinished on the underside. Although this is not a problem for stacking cabinets, it poses a larger problem for cabinets placed over a countertop where you can visibly see the unfinished bottom. Fortunately, there is an easy and relatively inexpensive solution to this problem. Use sheets of iron-on wood veneer to conceal the unfinished bottom of your cabinets. Iron-on wood veneer is available in a variety of styles — try to choose a veneer that matches the wood your cabinets is made from.

Iron-on veneer sheet
Utility knife or scissors
T-shirt or cloth
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the dimensions of the underside of the cabinet. Use these measurements to help you cut your iron-on veneer sheets to the correct dimension. Use a sharp utility knife or heavy duty scissors to cut the veneer down to size. Cut an individual sheet for each cabinet underside you’ll be covering.
- 2
  Examine the underside of the cabinet and ensure that the wood surface is free of any dirt and debris. If it is dirty, wipe it down with a clean, damp cloth.
- 3
  Ask a friend to help you hold the veneer in place. If the cabinet is already hung in place you’ll be working upside down. Make sure the sheet is perfectly positioned on the underside of the cabinet.
- 4
  Cover the surface of your hot iron with an old T-shirt or cloth. Gently rub the iron over the entire underside of the cabinet so the veneer sheet sticks to the cabinet. The heat will cause the iron-on veneer’s glue to melt, thus making it stick in place.
- 5
  Repeat this process to cover the remaining cabinet undersides. Once you’re finished, the cabinet bottoms will look just as good as the front sides.

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