Water damaged cabinets?

[Karen]

We had a water leak in our kitchen that ran under the wood flooring and over to our cabinets. The end panel of one of the cabinets is clearly water stained 1-2 inches up from the floor (water “wicked” up the cabinet, it was never close to that deep). The cabinets are particle board construction.

My question is this – Do the cabinets need to be replaced? All the toe kicks have been removed and it now appears that a few of the particle board supports are split. This may be a silly question, but does this sometimes happen over time, does it just appear that way and the cabinets are really alright, or does this indicate that the particle board got too wet and is now starting to give way?

Any help is appreciated!

[LJ in TX]

then they may be damaged and need to be repaired. the indicator of damage will be if there is any signs of swelling/warping of the boards….the other concern is delaminating of the facing from the particle board. of course your homeowners policy should cover the repair of the damages minus your deductible. If really concerned ,,,have a good experienced contractor come in and give you an assessment/estimate for repair. probably be worth getting several damage assessment opinions. be cautious ,,some of these contractors will tell you something just to try and get the business even though the damage was not as severe….of course yoru insurance adjuster will be less likely to agree that damage was that bad…that why it is always adviseable to get a detailed assessment and estimate for repair from a reputable contractor. good luck…Water and particle board do not mix! LJ

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