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Replace Cabinets?

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HikerSteve View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote HikerSteve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Replace Cabinets?
    Posted: 25 Jul 2022 at 8:35pm
I have a 2017 and when I first got it in 2017 I had a water bottle roll behind the slide out before it was slid out. When I did put it out it broke out the lowest part of the sink cabinet. Then I lost the panel that covers the water pump. I have also dinged and dented other parts of the wood. Between me messing it up and their terrible work of installing it the entire woodwork just looks horrible. They might as well have built it out of painted cardboard.

I am not a woodworker by any means but I am tempted to gut it, carefully take it all apart, and use all their cardboard parts as templates and recreate it out of a nice wood.

Has anyone taken on this task? My wife wants to peddle it down the road and buy something a bit higher quality. I kind of agree with her but I really like it aside from the poor craftsmanship.
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Pod People View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Pod People Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Jul 2022 at 10:27pm
We have a 179 and used to own a 173--so we know about the cabinets.
I am a woodworker and have made cabinets. I think the biggest issue with trying to replace cabinets will be the weight that will result.  You cannot possibly build the same size cabinet with solid wood (or plywood) and get the same weight that the factory has installed. they use small (3/4"x3/4" corners and very thin plywood to fabricate most of the cabinets.  the doors are solid wood, but thin.

there have been several people who have replaced cabinets,  added and modified cabinets(Marwayne particularly) and their skills are superb. However, That is not a project for most people.

some people have painted the cabinets with reasonable results. I would suggest that you make necessary repairs and then try painting.

i think replacing the cabinets would be an expensive job and add a lot of weight.
just my 2 cents
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Vann

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gpokluda View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote gpokluda Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2022 at 10:47am
+1 what Pod People said. Your best bet is to repair as best you can and paint. We've had a lot of experience with cabinet replacement in homes from flipping, especially with IKEA kitchen cabinets. You would easily triple if not quadruple the weight of the existing cabinets in a 179 if you rebuilt them with standard materials available at Home Depot or Lowes.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote lostagain Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2022 at 6:32pm
If you know how to build light weight cabinets, instead of buying heavy particle board ones, some nice results are certainly possible.  I added some light weight cabinet additions to our trailer using light pine framing and plywood that was about 3/16ths of an inch thick.  It added considerable storage space and not more than a few pounds to the weight.  The trick is to learn how to build the cabinets without using kitchen/household style cabinet materials.  The hardest thing was to match the color of the existing cabinets.  Since most low end trailer cabinets have a vinyl skin, it's next to impossible to get a good match.  
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Ben Herman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Ben Herman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2022 at 5:25pm
I would agree with the concerns raised above, and add that the walls are not properly designed to handle mounting of heavy cabinets. 
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David and Danette View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote David and Danette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jul 2022 at 9:22pm
 I too agree with what has been said you could not buy replacement cabinets they would need to be custom made. The quality isn't great but it is something to work with repair or improve. I removed our dinette in our Vibe and rebuilt it using 1/4 inch Baltic birch but that was different than cabinets attached to the walls. I personally would not waste to much time or money with new cabinets the campers are not worth it. I agree with repairing the factory cabinets or some improvements made to them that doesn't add much weight. The r-pods have changed construction over the years the first ones were built stronger better materials. Our 2009 r-pod cabinets were framed using hardwoods with more screws and fewer staples and the doors were very heavy solid hardwoods beautifully finished. Who could give best advice I think would be marwayne as has been mentioned he practically rebuilt the whole interior of his camper. Hopefully he will log in and give some advice.
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Old Man Running View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Old Man Running Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Sep 2022 at 3:39pm
  My comment may be a little late to need but wanted to add a couple of suggestions.  I am not a cabinet maker, but have done some woodworking experience.  After traveling on a rather rough stretch of interstate my bathroom fell off the wall in my R-Pod 196.  After returning home I rebuilt the cabinet using 1/2 inch plywood, finished on one side.  I framed the cabinet with 1 inch by 2 inch red oak and used the original cabinet door.  Additionally, I installed a 1x2 inch vertical support from the bottom of the cabinet to the floor-cabinet directly below.  I also installed 1x2 inch vertical support on the cabinet over the kitchen sink and stove.  Although the kitchen cabinet seemed to be solid, if it did fall, it would do considerable damage.  
  The plywood is much stronger and lighter than the particle board.  I used the original doors, just make sure that they are securely fastened to the cabinet frame.     
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marwayne View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote marwayne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2022 at 11:49pm
I have built many cabinets in our 172  none of them fell down.



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Post Options Post Options   Quote EchoGale Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2022 at 1:12pm
I was able to find some paint that blends well with the dark brownish/gray in my 2016. I posted it on here somewhere but if you want to know the code for it and can't find i I'll see if I can post it again.
Julie
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