Ideas for problem taped wood area in kitchen?

[RVer78]

Bought a used travel trailer and under the stove is like this (see pic). (Underneath tape, wood is cut all around with a very narrow gap between the two wood pieces and the tape is holding it). I’m not even sure what the proper way of fixing this is..? Or at least, some idea to make this area look more aesthetically pleasing.. like an inexpensive (even somewhat temporary) fix. Thanks!

 

[RNS]

Dang that's ugly, at least they used brown tape, wonder if they bought it special. I would get a piece of luan plywood cut a bit larger, cut out the vent hole stain to match and attach it, could use the stain on those other shabby spots too after sanding them.

 

[donn]

Personally I would clean, sand prime and paint that ugly wood. Yea, I know a lot of work, but it would freshen up the trailers appearance a lot.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

That might be poplar or birch veneer plywood, which you can get in small pieces from the box stores. Will take a few stabs to mix a stain to match but it's not hard to do. I think my take on it would be to remove what's there and replace it with what looks like another drawer front or cabinet door, mitered and routered to look like ones already there. With the right attachment method (I used "button fix" hardware for a similar job) you wouldn't see any screws but would retain the feature of having access to whatever's behind there (the reason someone blasted through there in the first place). While you're at it you can fix up the buggered louvers under the fridge.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

All good suggestions above, and all the same basic approach. Fit a new piece over it and re-finish. Either match the old finish or seize the opportunity to do something different.

 

[RVer78]

Thanks! We’ll give some of these ideas a try! Will try to remember to post photos when we’re done.

 

[CityGuy]

That looks to me like a manufactured access panel. I'd pull the tape off and see what's behind it. If it is backed by structural cabinet members it should have/have had clips to hold it in. If it doesn't and framing is there I'd install some plastic cabinet door clips available at any Lowes or Home Depot, and use prefinished wood trim to fabricate a frame to attach to the panel to overlap the cut. If you're not a wood worker a frame shop can make a nice beveled-corner flat frame for you.

 

[garyb1st]

Take the wood to a quality paint dealer and ask them to match the color in whatever finish you want. But make sure you bring a sample of the wood you intend to use to replace it. For paint, if you prime it it won't matter. But if you use a stain, the color will be different depending on the type of wood you use. Also, a pre-stain conditioner may be needed to assure an even consistent finish.

 

[John From Detroit]

I had some panels on my RV where the devices to hold 'em closed failed. Now today i can make new parts but back then I had no clue as to how to fix it.. So the tape may be that kind of thign.

New "Latches" can fix it.