Ok, so I'm not sure of the correct term for the lining of kitchen shelves. This will be my first new house that just has raw wood in the cabinets. I want to protect the shelves but I'm not sure of my options. I know they sell the sticky paper but is that the best way to go? Is latex paint an option? Is there anything else out there?

Any comments or recommendations would be appreciated

 

We did the sticky paper in our old house. We haven't done anything where we are at now. Frankly I don't see the point, the last "sticky paper" project was driven by my wife. She bought the paper and made me put it in.

A few scratches in the cabinets won't bother me.

 

Yup you could paint them or just get some shelf liners. Don't get the sticky paper shit, it looks like hell.

I have something like this in my cabinets. It's off-white not green. I actually found it at the dollar store and it works great.

 

The main reason I want to do it is to protect the wood from water marks/warping. I have a silly wife and a bunch of kids over all the time that tend to put away wet dishes.

Yeah, I'm really not thrilled about the whole paper thing.

 

That's a good idea, never thought about that as an option. Thanks

 

I think it's called contact paper (i.e., it contacts the surface and it sticks). I hate putting it in whenever I've moved b/c you have to measure, stick, re-stick if you mess up, etc. I personally think a good solid coat of washable paint is a better option-you would need to wipe it off occasionally.

 

Well if you like the look of the natural wood, a few coats of water-based polyurethane will protect it very well.

 

Are your cabinet shelves white melamine finish?
This is pretty much standard in the industry these days for interior cabinet shelves.
If so, you can cover them with shelf liners if you choose, otherwise the melamine is quite durable on its own.

 

Reading is fundamental

 

Yeah, i think the shelves are fresh cut pine.

 

Ash,

do they look like they have any kind of clear finish on them? I couldn't imagine someone putting raw wood shelves in a kitchen.

If so, and you like the raw wood finish, just do what I said, couple of coats of satin poly. You can even get it in a spray can if you don't want to use a brush.

 

I don't think they have any clear finish on them. I ran my hands over them and it felt like fresh saw dust. Spray sounds like the best idea.

 

i've got a similar problem...my shelves are kinda old and straight wood...so i wanted to cover them with either contact paper, or, some left-over linoleum i found in my kitchen after they finished changing it....probably the contact paper is easier, but i think the linoleum would be better...do you have to use a special kind of adhesive on linoleum? anyone know what it's called?

 

I just put in new oak kitchen cabinets and inside the drawers are bare wood. I rubbed the insides with Minwax and the wife is going to buy contact paper this weekend. I like that stuff from the Dollar Store. I'll have her check into that as well.

 

It's called linoleum adhesive.