If you live in Fort Myers or anywhere in Lee County, there’s a good chance your kitchen still has the original thermofoil cabinets that came with the house. And if those doors are starting to peel, bubble, or sag, you’re definitely not alone.
In Southwest Florida’s climate, failing thermofoil isn’t a sign you did anything wrong — it’s a sign your cabinets have simply hit the end of the road in a very tough environment.
This guide breaks down why thermofoil cabinets peel in Florida and the smartest ways to fix the problem without automatically jumping to a full (and very expensive) kitchen remodel.
What Are Thermofoil Cabinets?
Thermofoil cabinets are not solid wood — and that’s a big part of why they fail the way they do.
Most thermofoil doors and drawer fronts are built like this:
- A core of MDF (medium-density fiberboard) shaped into your door profile
- A thin vinyl or PVC film is wrapped over the surface using heat and pressure
- An adhesive layer underneath that film that bonds it to the MDF
When everything is new, thermofoil can look clean and consistent, which is why it was so popular in the 1990s–2000s builder-grade construction across Lee County. But that sandwich of MDF + adhesive + vinyl is extremely sensitive to heat, moisture, and time — three things Florida has in abundance.
Why Thermofoil Cabinets Fail in Southwest Florida
Humidity Is the Primary Culprit
Most cabinet manufacturers recommend keeping indoor humidity in the 35–55% range for long-term cabinet health.
In Fort Myers, average humidity runs roughly:
- Mid-60% range in the driest months
- Up to nearly 80% in the summer and early fall
That means your cabinets are living in a constant cycle of excess moisture compared to what the adhesive was designed for.
Here’s what that does over time:
- Moisture slowly seeps into the MDF core
- MDF swells and stays swollen — it doesn’t “bounce back” like solid wood
- The adhesive layer between the MDF and vinyl film starts to weaken
- The vinyl skin begins to bubble, blister, or separate — this is “delamination.”
You might notice it first around the sink, dishwasher, or any cabinet door that gets opened with damp hands. That’s not a coincidence — those are the high-humidity hot spots in your kitchen.
Heat Exposure Around Appliances
Florida kitchens also fight another enemy: heat.
Areas near:
- Dishwashers (especially during dry cycles)
- Ovens and ranges
- Microwaves over the range
- Coffee makers or kettles placed under upper cabinets
…see concentrated bursts of heat and steam. That heat softens the adhesive underneath the thermofoil layer. Once that bond is weakened, the vinyl skin starts to curl, sag, or peel back, often starting at the top edge of doors right above an appliance.
Combine Florida humidity with localized heat, and you have the perfect recipe for peeling thermofoil.
Age and Adhesive Breakdown
In Lee County, the median home was built around the mid-1990s. Many Fort Myers neighborhoods saw big growth during the 1990s–2000s, when thermofoil was the go-to cabinet choice for builders.
Fast-forward 20–30 years:
- The original adhesive has been expanding and contracting for decades
- MDF cores have taken on moisture and lost stability
- UV exposure through windows and sliders has helped dry, bake, and weaken finishes
At that point, peeling is not a question of if, but when. Your cabinets aren’t “suddenly” failing — they’ve been slowly breaking down in Florida’s climate for years, and now you’re finally seeing it on the surface.
Signs Your Thermofoil Cabinets Are Failing
Not sure if what you’re seeing is normal wear or true failure? Here are common signs Fort Myers homeowners notice:
- Edges lifting around door and drawer fronts
- Bubbling or blistering on the center panel of doors
- Sagging or drooping thermofoil, especially near ovens or dishwashers
- Cracks or splits in the vinyl layer where it wraps around edges
- Yellowing or discoloration that doesn’t clean off
- Vinyl film that feels loose or “puffy” when you press it
Once you see more than a small corner lifting, it’s usually a sign that the bond is failing across the door, not just in one spot.
Can Peeling Thermofoil Cabinets Be Repaired?
Short answer: not reliably, not for long.
You’ll see plenty of DIY videos recommending:
- Gluing down loose edges
- Heating the vinyl with a hair dryer and pressing it back
- Patching damaged areas with fillers and paint
These tricks might look okay for a few weeks or months, but they don’t solve the core problem:
The MDF and adhesive are already compromised by Florida’s humidity and heat.
So what usually happens?
- The glued area lifts again
- A new bubble forms somewhere else
- You end up with a patchwork of “band-aid fixes” that never really match
That’s why professionals who work with this every day in Southwest Florida typically don’t recommend trying to “save” failing thermofoil doors. The better long-term approach is to replace or upgrade the doors and give the cabinet frames a finish that’s actually built for this climate.
Your Options for Fixing Thermofoil Cabinet Damage
Cabinet Refacing (Best Option for Thermofoil)
For peeling thermofoil, cabinet refacing is usually the recommended solution.
With refacing, you:
- Remove the failing thermofoil doors and drawer fronts entirely
- Replace them with 100% solid maple doors (Cabinet Renew uses U.S.-made doors)
- Update the cabinet frames so everything matches
- Upgrade to soft-close hinges (Cabinet Renew includes these with all refacing projects)
You keep your existing cabinet boxes — which are often structurally fine — and transform the visible surfaces into a permanent, furniture-grade solution.
For Fort Myers homeowners, this is the sweet spot between “I can’t live with this peeling mess” and “I don’t want to spend six figures on a full remodel.”
You can learn more about how this works on Cabinet Renew’s professional cabinet refacing page.
Cabinet Refinishing (When Applicable)
True cabinet refinishing is ideal when you have solid wood or high-quality existing doors that just need a new, durable finish. In those cases, companies like Cabinet Renew can apply a factory-grade finish using Italian waterborne catalyzed polyurethane that exceeds KCMA durability standards.
However, once thermofoil is peeling, there usually isn’t a good surface to refinish. In most cases, the doors themselves need to be replaced (refacing), and the frames can be refinished to match using professional products — not simple “cabinet paint.”
If you’re curious about what refinishing looks like for non-thermofoil kitchens, you can explore Cabinet Renew’s cabinet refinishing and painting service page.
Full Cabinet Replacement (Often Unnecessary)
Full replacement is sometimes the right choice if:
- Your cabinet layout doesn’t work at all
- The boxes are water-damaged or structurally failing
- You’re already doing a major gut renovation
But if your cabinet boxes are in good shape and the big issue is peeling thermofoil, replacement is usually overkill. Many homeowners find that professional cabinet refinishing and refacing services can save 40–60% compared to full replacement, while still making the kitchen feel brand new.
How to Protect Your Investment Going Forward
Once you’ve addressed the failing thermofoil, there are a few smart ways to help your new finish last in Southwest Florida:
- Control indoor humidity where possible using AC and dehumidifiers
- Use your range hood when cooking to move steam out of the kitchen
- Avoid placing small appliances that vent steam (coffee makers, Instant Pots) directly under upper cabinets
- Add or close window treatments to reduce intense UV exposure on cabinet doors
- Wipe up spills and splashes promptly, especially around the sink and dishwasher
And most importantly, choose finishes that are actually engineered for high-moisture, high-use environments — not just off-the-shelf paint. Cabinet Renew, for example, uses Italian imported waterborne catalyzed polyurethane systems and backs their work with a 5-year warranty, which is a big deal in a climate as harsh as Fort Myers.
Dealing With Peeling Thermofoil in Fort Myers? You’re Not Alone.
If you’re staring at bubbling, peeling thermofoil every time you walk into your kitchen, it can feel frustrating — especially when the rest of your home is in great shape. The good news is, you don’t have to rip out your entire kitchen to fix it.
Cabinet Renew is a local, family-owned company that focuses exclusively on cabinet refinishing and refacing — day in, day out, across Fort Myers and the rest of Southwest Florida. Their full-time team (no subcontractors) sees thermofoil failures like yours every single week and has a repeatable process to turn those dated doors into a durable, factory-grade finish.
- Want to explore cabinet refinishing options for your non-thermofoil cabinets? Start here:
https://www.cabinetrenew.com/cabinet-refinishing-painting/ - Ready to talk about replacing those peeling thermofoil doors with solid maple and a long-lasting finish?
Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll help you understand your options.
Why buy new… when you can renew?