Replace laminate on plywood kitchen cabinet in Hong Kong

I would like to replace the laminate on my plywood kitchen cabinets with a wood veneer. Is there a specific method for removing laminate? Should I treat the plywood cabinets before I apply the veneer, and what type of glue would you recommend?

Unless the laminate comes away easily don't try to remove it: you are likely to damage the plywood underneath, If the existing laminate is in decent condition and the edges are squared off rather than rounded, you could simply attach more wood veneer. You should also look into the cost of creating new plywood doors finished in wood veneer because there may be a drastic price difference. Either way, if your budget allows, I recommend you contact a carpenter or another contractor to tackle the job to achieve a decent-looking result.

Usually there is no need to treat plywood before laminating. The glue I recommend is Patlee Contact Adhesive by Henkel, available from Wing Lee Hardware, 154 Wellington Street, Central.

For a large selection of wood veneers as well as Formica laminate, go to Hop Sze Timber Company at 425 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai (tel: 2833 6069).

Where Can You Buy Kitchen Laminate in Hong Kong?

Finding the right laminate in Hong Kong is not difficult if you know where to look. The Sheung Wan and Central district has been the traditional hub for building materials for decades, and it is still the best place to browse in person. Here are my top recommendations:

• Hop Sze Timber Company -- 425 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai (tel: 2833 6069). Excellent range of Formica laminates and wood veneers. Staff are knowledgeable and can cut sheets to size. Expect to pay HK$150-400 per standard sheet (1220mm x 2440mm) depending on the pattern and thickness.
• Wing Lee Hardware and Metal Company -- 156 Wellington Street, Central (tel: 2544 2345). Good for adhesives, edge banding, and tools. This is where I buy Patlee Contact Adhesive, which runs about HK$80-120 per tin.
• Sheung Wan building material shops -- Along Queen's Road West and Des Voeux Road West you will find a cluster of small shops selling laminate offcuts and remnants at bargain prices. Perfect if you only need to reface a few cabinet doors rather than an entire kitchen.

When choosing laminate for a Hong Kong kitchen, pay attention to the grade. You want high-pressure laminate (HPL) rated for horizontal surfaces, not the thinner low-pressure stuff that is only suitable for vertical applications. HPL is more resistant to heat, moisture, and the inevitable scratches from daily cooking. In our climate, moisture resistance is especially important -- kitchens here tend to be humid, and steam from rice cookers and kettles can wreak havoc on cheap laminate.

If you want a wood-look finish without the maintenance headaches of real veneer, modern laminate patterns are remarkably convincing. Formica's Woodgrain collection and Wilsonart's range both offer realistic options starting from around HK$200 per sheet.

How Much Does Cabinet Refacing Cost vs Replacement?

This is the big question, and the answer can save you a significant amount of money. In Hong Kong, a full kitchen cabinet replacement typically costs between HK$40,000 and HK$120,000 depending on the size of the kitchen and the materials used. That includes demolition, new cabinets, installation, and all the disruption that goes with it.

Refacing -- where you keep the existing cabinet boxes and just replace the door fronts and drawer faces with new laminate or veneer -- costs a fraction of that:

• DIY laminate refacing (materials only) -- HK$2,000-5,000 for a typical Hong Kong kitchen with 10-15 cabinet doors.
• Professional refacing -- HK$8,000-20,000 including labour and materials. A carpenter can usually complete a standard kitchen in 2-3 days.
• New cabinet doors only (custom made) -- HK$15,000-30,000 if you want solid wood or high-end laminate doors made to measure but keep the existing carcasses.

The key consideration in Hong Kong is kitchen size. Most kitchens here are between 30 and 60 square feet, which means you are dealing with fewer cabinets than a typical Western kitchen. That actually makes refacing even more cost-effective, because the labour-to-materials ratio works in your favour.

If you decide to tackle the laminating yourself, here are my tips for using contact cement in Hong Kong's climate:

• Work in an air-conditioned room -- Contact cement needs to be touch-dry before you bond the surfaces together. In Hong Kong's humidity, this can take twice as long as the tin says. Running the aircon speeds up drying and gives you a better bond.
• Use dowel rods for positioning -- Once contact cement touches itself, there is no repositioning. Lay thin wooden dowels across the cabinet surface, position the laminate on top, then pull the dowels out one at a time, pressing the laminate down as you go.
• Roll it firmly -- Use a J-roller or a rolling pin to press out air bubbles, working from the centre outward.
• Trim edges with a router or file -- A flush-trim router bit gives the cleanest edge, but a fine metal file works if you are careful and patient.

If your kitchen is getting a refresh, it is worth considering the worktop at the same time. Have a look at our guide on renewing granite worktops stained by cooking oil -- a common problem in Hong Kong kitchens. You might also want to revive your kitchen table while you are at it.

When Should You Call a Professional?

Laminating flat cabinet doors is a manageable DIY job if you are patient and methodical. However, I would recommend hiring a carpenter in these situations:

• Curved or shaped cabinet doors -- Laminate does not bend easily, and getting it to conform to curves without cracking requires specialist equipment and experience.
• The plywood underneath is damaged -- If the cabinet boxes are water-damaged, swollen, or delaminating, simply sticking new laminate on top will not fix the problem. The structure needs repairing first.
• You want edge banding to match perfectly -- Getting laminate edges to align seamlessly takes practice. A professional will have the right tools and can achieve a factory-finish result.
• You have more than 15 doors to do -- The time investment for a larger kitchen makes professional help worthwhile, especially when you factor in the cost of mistakes.

For more kitchen improvement ideas, explore our complete kitchen repairs guide.

Last updated: March 2026