RV Cabinet & Furniture Repair in Jensen Beach
Broken hinges, sagging doors, delaminating surfaces, and water-damaged cabinetry. We fix the inside of your RV on-site.
772-356-0328TL;DR
- Cabinet door, drawer, hinge, and hardware repair for all RV types
- Delamination repair and panel replacement for water-damaged cabinetry
- Dinette tables, booth seating, and furniture mount repair
- Cost: $100 to $1,500 depending on scope. Most hardware fixes under $250.
- On-site service in Jensen Beach and Martin County. Call 772-356-0328.
RV cabinets aren't built like the ones in your house. They're made from lightweight particleboard, MDF, and thin luan plywood to save weight. That's fine when they're new, but after a few years of road vibration, temperature swings, and Jensen Beach's humidity, these lightweight materials start failing in predictable ways. Doors sag, hinges pull out, laminate peels, and anything near a water source starts swelling.
Scott Marlins has been repairing RV cabinetry and furniture for over 10 years. He's seen every failure mode that Jensen Beach's climate produces, from bathroom vanities rotting from the bottom up to overhead cabinet doors that won't stay closed because the frame has warped. Most of these problems are fixable without replacing the entire cabinet, which saves you significant money.
Here's what goes wrong with RV cabinets in Florida, what it costs to fix, and how to prevent the worst damage.
Common Cabinet Problems in Jensen Beach
Hinge failures are the most frequent cabinet repair we handle. RV cabinet hinges are typically European-style concealed hinges (the cup-and-arm type) mounted into particleboard. Road vibration loosens the screws over time, and in Jensen Beach's humidity, the particleboard around the screw holes softens. Eventually, the hinge pulls right out of the door or the cabinet frame. We fix this by drilling out the damaged hole, gluing in a hardwood dowel, and remounting the hinge into solid material. Cost: $15 to $30 per hinge, and it'll hold better than the original.
Drawer slides fail in two ways: they bend from overloading (people put too much weight in kitchen drawers), or the mounting screws pull out of softened particleboard (same humidity issue as hinges). Replacing drawer slides in an RV costs $50 to $150 per drawer depending on the slide type and length. We use ball-bearing slides rated for heavier loads than the originals, which prevents the same failure from recurring.
Delaminating cabinet surfaces are extremely common in Florida RVs. The thin laminate or thermofoil that covers the particleboard substrate lifts at the edges and corners where moisture gets underneath. Once it starts peeling, it spreads quickly. If the substrate is still solid, we can re-glue the laminate using heat and contact adhesive. If the substrate has swollen from moisture absorption, the panel needs replacing. Re-gluing: $50 to $150 per panel. Replacement: $150 to $400 per panel.
Water damage under sinks is a near-certainty on any RV over 5 years old in Jensen Beach. The P-trap, supply lines, and faucet connections all have the potential to drip or seep, and the cabinet floor directly below absorbs every drop. By the time you notice the cabinet floor is soft or discolored, the damage has usually been developing for months. We replace the cabinet floor panel, check and fix any plumbing issues, and seal the new panel against future moisture.
Pro Tip
Check under every sink in your RV twice a year. Pull everything out and press the cabinet floor. If it gives at all, you've got moisture damage starting. Catching it early saves $300 to $500 compared to waiting until the floor collapses.
Furniture Repairs We Handle
Beyond cabinets, RV interiors have furniture components that take abuse from travel and Florida's climate. Here's what we commonly repair.
Dinette table leg mounts are probably our most frequent furniture fix. The center post mount that holds a free-standing dinette table is bolted to the floor. Road vibration loosens the bolts, the mount wobbles, and eventually the bolt holes in the floor enlarge to the point where the table won't stay upright. We reinforce the floor mounting point, install a larger base plate, and use locking hardware that resists vibration loosening. Cost: $100 to $200.
Booth seat and sofa frames crack at the joints. These frames are typically stapled particleboard, and the staples don't hold up to repeated sitting/standing stress combined with road movement. We reinforce the joints with wood glue and screws, or rebuild sections with plywood when the particleboard has crumbled. Cost: $150 to $400 depending on how many joints need attention.
Overhead cabinet latches fail frequently. The positive-catch latches that keep overhead doors closed during travel wear out or break. When they fail, the door swings open while driving and dumps the contents on the floor (or on you). Replacing a latch takes about 15 minutes per cabinet. We carry several styles on the truck. Cost: $20 to $40 per latch.
Wardrobe closet rods and shelves sag or break from weight and humidity. The clothes rod brackets pull out of softened sidewall material, or the shelf supports fail. We anchor rod brackets into solid backing material and replace shelves with moisture-resistant alternatives. Cost: $75 to $200.
Why Florida Is Harder on RV Cabinets
RV manufacturers design cabinets for average conditions, not Florida conditions. The particleboard and MDF used in most RV cabinetry absorbs moisture from the air. In Michigan, where average humidity is 60%, this isn't a major problem. In Jensen Beach, where we average 75 to 85% humidity year-round, the wood products are constantly absorbing moisture and never fully drying out.
This chronic moisture absorption causes particleboard to swell, which loosens screw holes and weakens panel joints. It causes laminate adhesive to fail, which is why you see peeling surfaces. And it creates the conditions for mold growth inside enclosed cabinet spaces where airflow is minimal.
Temperature cycling makes it worse. An RV sitting in Jensen Beach sun reaches interior temperatures over 130 degrees F on a summer afternoon. Then the AC kicks on and brings it back to 75. This 55-degree swing happens daily, and it causes materials to expand and contract repeatedly. Joints loosen, adhesives fatigue, and structural connections weaken over time.
Florida Factor
Run a dehumidifier in your RV when it's in storage or not being used. Keeping interior humidity below 60% dramatically slows cabinet degradation. A $150 dehumidifier can prevent $1,000+ in cabinet repairs over 5 years.
Pricing Overview
| Repair Type | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Hinge replacement (per hinge) | $15 - $30 |
| Drawer slide replacement (per drawer) | $50 - $150 |
| Laminate re-glue (per panel) | $50 - $150 |
| Cabinet door replacement | $100 - $300 |
| Under-sink cabinet floor repair | $200 - $500 |
| Dinette table mount repair | $100 - $200 |
| Booth/sofa frame reinforcement | $150 - $400 |
| Full cabinet rebuild (water damage) | $500 - $1,500 |
Our Repair Process
Step 1: We inspect all cabinets and furniture, not just the ones you called about. Problems in RV cabinetry tend to cluster. If one cabinet has water damage, adjacent ones probably do too. If hinges are failing on one set of doors, others are likely close behind.
Step 2: We quote every repair individually so you can prioritize. Maybe you fix the water-damaged vanity now and schedule the cosmetic hinge replacements for next month. We give you the full picture and let you decide.
Step 3: For hardware repairs, we carry common hinges, slides, latches, and fasteners on the truck. Most hardware fixes are completed the same visit. For panel replacements or rebuilds that require specific materials, we'll schedule a follow-up visit once parts arrive (usually 2 to 5 business days).
Step 4: Any water damage repair includes identifying and fixing the moisture source first. New cabinet panels installed over an active leak will fail just as fast as the originals. We fix the leak, let the area dry, then repair the cabinetry.
Related Interior Services
Call 772-356-0328 for a free estimate on cabinet and furniture repair.
Cabinet & Furniture Repair Questions
How much does RV cabinet repair cost in Jensen Beach?
Simple fixes like hinge replacement or drawer slide repair run $100 to $250. Rebuilding water-damaged cabinets or replacing delaminated doors costs $400 to $1,500 depending on the extent of the damage and materials needed. We quote exact prices on-site.
Can you fix delaminating cabinet surfaces?
Yes. If the substrate is still solid, we can re-glue the laminate using heat and marine-grade adhesive. If the particleboard underneath has swollen from moisture, the panel needs replacing. We'll tell you honestly which approach makes sense for your situation.
Why do RV cabinets fall apart in Florida?
RV cabinets are typically made from lightweight particleboard or MDF with a laminate or thermofoil surface. These materials absorb moisture from Florida's high humidity, causing swelling, delamination, and structural weakening. Coastal salt air accelerates the degradation of hardware like hinges and slides.
Can you match the existing cabinet finish?
In most cases, yes. We carry common RV laminate patterns and can order specific matches if needed. For solid wood components, we stain-match on-site. Perfect color matching on older cabinets can be challenging due to UV fading, but we get very close.
How long does cabinet repair take?
Hardware fixes (hinges, slides, latches) take 1 to 2 hours. Door replacements or panel repairs take 2 to 4 hours. Full cabinet rebuilds for water damage can take 4 to 8 hours spread over 1 to 2 days if adhesives need curing time.
Do you fix dinette tables and booth seating?
Yes. Dinette table leg mounts, booth seat frames, cushion platforms, and the wall-mount hardware for folding tables are all common repairs. The table leg mount is probably the single most common furniture repair we do. They loosen from road vibration and eventually break.
Can water-damaged cabinets be saved or do they need replacing?
It depends on how far the damage has spread. If only the bottom panel of a cabinet is water-damaged (very common under sinks), we can replace just that panel. If the damage has spread to the sidewalls and shelves, partial or full cabinet replacement is more practical.
Do you repair bathroom vanities in RVs?
Absolutely. RV bathroom vanities take the most moisture abuse of any cabinet in the rig. Sink leaks, shower splash, and humidity destroy them faster than kitchen cabinets. We repair or replace vanity boxes, doors, drawer fronts, and countertops.
Cabinets falling apart?
We'll fix the hardware, repair the damage, and reinforce it all. On-site in Jensen Beach.