For several years I had been looking for info about this topic.
Every "pro" said, "No." I'm a pro, and I will have to try and fail with a few different approaches before I say it cannot be done.
Five years ago, I found an entry by a woman who had claimed success. As soon as I saw "denatured alcohol," I knew she was on to something. It's about completely de-glossing the surface and removing the pebble texture. I did
exactly as she had. The results are now five years old, and a sample board has lived all over the kitchen---far closer to heat and water sources that any of the actual cabinet surfaces. It cannot be pried away with a chisel-tipped scraper.
I did those on melamine cabinets I had built from scratch. I had intended to attach a veneered 1/4' sheet to the cabinet ends. When I arrived at that point, I didn't want to add that extra dimension to an entire 32mm, face-frameless project.
Start with 80 grit sandpaper. Use a 4" pad sander---hooked up to a vacuum is even better. Apply normal pressure---let the tool do the work---and keep it moving. If you let it stay in one place, it may sand through. Each sq. foot needs about 1.5 minutes of sanding. That's a really loose estimate. Keep stopping and feeling the surface after you've removed any residual dust.
Direct a strong light source across it. Any place you can still see any sheen at all is not sufficiently sanded. Have at it again, but for short periods and keep rechecking with the light and your fingers.
When that's done, use a green plastic steel wool pad (like you use to clean your outdoor grill) dipped in denatured alcohol. Let all of the fluid drip out, then use a padded-up rag as a backer for you gloved hand. One quick "wash" is all that's needed. Then spray water on it and immediately wipe it down.
You will know when it's ready to accept contact cement when you try to run a dampened paper towel over it. Unlike before you sanded it, it will refuse to glide across the surface, as if it's a tack cloth. Run it over unsanded melamine to see the difference.
When you are sure the entire surface is "de-pebbled" de-glossed, and wiped and washed clean with alcohol and water, and wiped dry, you're ready to go.
Just to add, since I changed my mind and sort of had to do it this way, the cabinets were all installed, so I had to do all of this vertically. Same everything, just keep a drop cloth beneath.
I would use it anyway, but when doing this vertically, you must use GEL contact cement, so it won't drip down.
Hope this is useful. I wish I made note of her name, 'cause she's awesome!
