Dometic door panel question

[btcruzer]

I've read that the door panels on most refrigerators are reversible, as in, woodgrain on one side and maybe a solid color on the other. I',ve looked at mine, the top edge of the door comes off easily (3 screws) and it looks like the panel might slide up and out. BUT - the panel looks thicker than I imagined and doesn't budge- at least without the use of tools and some force. So, what gives? So far not the door panel. Anyone know of any Dometics that do remove?

[allen8106]

DrewE wrote:
There is a sort of foil-covered foam insulating board (or something similar) on my fridge adjacent to the panel, which is presumably what it's taped to. The actual panel is fairly thin. Mine weren't taped on, or if they were the tape had since ceased to be adhesive to any noticeable extent.

I actually removed it precisely to stick on a vinyl self-adhesive whiteboard material, the thin stuff that comes on a roll. I figured I had sufficient woodgrain elsewhere in the motorhome, but no place to jot down notes and shopping lists. I did have to make a little border around the whiteboard stuff (I used patterned duck tape, though I'm not convinced that is the ideal solution) as the vinyl roll was about 1/8 inch too narrow for the door.

For the whiteboard, at least, it would have been a bit better to have primed the panel with white paint first as the vinyl is just a teensy bit shy of being truly opaque. It works reasonably well on the whole, though. Good quality whiteboards do erase more readily than the vinyl sheeting, but are also a bit more costly.

There is a paint you can paint it with that makes it a white board.

[btcruzer]

Okay, then. While we're at home for a while, I think I might attempt to at least remove the panel(s). It is cold outside here, so can anyone tell me if one of the edges can be removed like the top strip? That would probably make removal easier. My panel seemed pretty determined to stay put, But the wife in not a " woodgrain " fan. We actually ran across a "Racing Edition" class C that had an interior that she loved. Nearly everything cabinet wise was a carbon fiber lookalike. I think it looked sightly overdone but could look really good in the right proportions. And would update looks of the interior. I've found sources for the vinyl wrap in the carbon fiber design and think the 'fridge might be a good place to try it out. To you guys who have removed the panels --- were they Dometics?

[DrewE]

In re-reading my post, I see I forgot to mention one suggestion. If you're looking to replace with something stiff and nonflexible, grab your tape measure and check the clearance between the top of the door and the ceiling. I had to flex the panels somewhat because they were both a little longer than the available height. I have a pots-and-pans drawer underneath my fridge, so it's well above floor level.

[colliehauler]

I replaced my door panels with black acrylic plastic, matches the rest of the appliances. Old panels slide out the top but did not have room before hitting the ceiling. I raised the panel enough to clear the bottom track then bowed the panel to get it out, did the same to put the new acrylic panel in.

[Rog___Nan]

We replaced ours last spring. As stated they were very thin and held in place with a couple of pieces of what looked like the same stuff as panel the adheisive was long gone. We went to cabinet and counter top shop and they ordered a large piece of black Formica and even cut it to size for us and gave us the left over for around $50. We left ugly wood panels in and slid black pieces over them. OMG what a great difference it really made the kitchen area look in style! All we had to do was remove top plates on each door. Our stove was already black and we had replaced microwave a couple of years ago from plain black to black and stainless. We are very happy with the outcome.

[DrewE]

There is a sort of foil-covered foam insulating board (or something similar) on my fridge adjacent to the panel, which is presumably what it's taped to. The actual panel is fairly thin. Mine weren't taped on, or if they were the tape had since ceased to be adhesive to any noticeable extent.

I actually removed it precisely to stick on a vinyl self-adhesive whiteboard material, the thin stuff that comes on a roll. I figured I had sufficient woodgrain elsewhere in the motorhome, but no place to jot down notes and shopping lists. I did have to make a little border around the whiteboard stuff (I used patterned duck tape, though I'm not convinced that is the ideal solution) as the vinyl roll was about 1/8 inch too narrow for the door.

For the whiteboard, at least, it would have been a bit better to have primed the panel with white paint first as the vinyl is just a teensy bit shy of being truly opaque. It works reasonably well on the whole, though. Good quality whiteboards do erase more readily than the vinyl sheeting, but are also a bit more costly.

[wlstroud]

My Dometic refer/freezer has raised panel wood inserts. They slide up for removal after removing the retaining angle on top of each door. Panels had double sided foam tape that acted as anti-rattling and securing. I had to replace my refer this past summer and re-used my panels.

[btcruzer]

Thanks, Chris

I was thinking that panel looked like it wanted to stay. You know of anyone who has used a vinyl wrap on refrig. doors?

[Chris_Bryant]

They are not usually reversible- on models with replaceable panels the panel is supplied by the OEM. Often they use doubles sided tape to adhere the panel to the front of the door, to keep them from rattling or moving.