Scheduled visit
A wardrobe panel has swollen at the base
The bottom edge of a built-in wardrobe's side or plinth has swollen, the laminate has lifted, or the board crumbles when touched. Particle board does that when it absorbs water — and the question is where the water came from.
Carpentry
Scheduled work. A door or lock that will not secure is prioritised.
Call nowRequest a carpentry visit on WhatsApp01LIKELY CAUSES
What usually sits behind this symptom, and what tells one cause from another.
Water from floor mopping wicking into unsealed edges
Swelling only at floor level along cleaned areas.
Leak from an adjacent bathroom or AC unit
Moisture readings high in the wall or floor behind the wardrobe.
Condensation on an external wall behind the unit
Wardrobe on an external wall; damp and mould behind the back panel.
02BEFORE ANYONE VISITS
What you can safely check.
- Empty the wardrobe base and check whether the floor or wall behind is damp.
- Note whether the wardrobe backs onto a bathroom or external wall.
- Keep mopping water away from the base while it is assessed.
- Look for mould on the back panel.
03WHAT WE MEASURE
We take moisture readings in the floor and wall behind the wardrobe and assess how far the swelling extends into the carcass. If a leak is involved, it is traced and fixed before the joinery is repaired.
04IN A VILLA
Villa wardrobes often line external walls or back onto bathrooms, and are mopped around daily. Particle-board carcasses absorb any water they meet, and the damage stays hidden behind the doors.
05THE FIX
Which repair, and when.
Swollen board loses strength, shelves and doors sag, and hidden mould spreads behind the wardrobe.
Replace the plinth or base panel and seal edges
Damage is limited and the source was mopping.
Fix the leak, then repair the carcass
Water is coming from behind.
Improve ventilation behind the unit
Condensation on an external wall is the cause.
06Typical villa carpentry work
AED 150 – 400 for a door adjustment, AED 300 – 900 for leaf or frame repair
Indicative market ranges, not a quotation — a firm price follows inspection. Wardrobe hinge and runner replacement typically falls between AED 150 and AED 500 per item.
07QUESTIONS
- Can swollen board be dried and reused?
- No — particle board does not recover once swollen. The damaged panel is replaced.
- Could it be a bathroom leak?
- If the wardrobe backs onto a bathroom, it is worth testing. We check before repairing the joinery.