How to Darken Natural Oak Cabinets
Natural oak cabinets can be a good choice for your kitchen, but only if they complement the rest of the room. Natural oak may not be so wise a choice in a kitchen with dark walls and dark wood accents, but you can darken that natural wood and make your existing cabinets work with the decor. Darkening your existing natural oak cabinets is also a cost-effective alternative to purchasing and installing new cabinets. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Saw horses
- Sander
- Sandpaper
- Shop vacuum
- Soft cloth
- Drop cloth
- Wood stain
- Paintbrushes
Instructions
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1
Unscrew the cabinet doors from the body of the cabinets and set them on a pair of saw horses. Remove the decorative hardware from those doors and set it aside in a safe place.
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2
Sand the entire surface of the natural oak cabinets and cabinet doors until they are perfectly smooth. Start with a coarse sandpaper and use it to sand down the existing stain and remove it. Then switch to a finer grain sandpaper to remove any remaining rough edges.
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3
Use a shop vacuum to clean up the sawdust and grit left by the sanding process, then wipe the entire surface of the cabinets and cabinet doors with a damp cloth. Dry the cabinets thoroughly with a clean dry cloth.
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4
Protect your work area by laying down a drop cloth on all exposed surfaces, including your counter tops and the area underneath the saw horses and the cabinet doors. Shake the can of stain thoroughly to distribute the color evenly and break up any clumps.
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5
Open the can of stain and stand a large paintbrush up in it. Take the brush and use it to apply the stain to the cabinets and doors in large, broad strokes, always going in the direction of the natural grain in the oak. Apply the first coat of stain, wipe away any excess with a damp cloth, then allow the stain to dry. Apply additional coats of stain if you wish, until the cabinets have the rich dark color you want.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
