How to Refinish Oak Cabinets

Refinishing oak cabinets is a task that just about anyone can perform with some time and elbow grease. You can take your old cabinets, getting worn from use and time, and make them look next to new again, sparing your wallet a big hit. And if your kitchen is looking a little drab, a brand-new look for the cabinets may be all that's needed to spice it back up. Follow these guidelines to safely remove the old stain and prepare the cabinets for a change.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 409 or other household cleaner
• Screwdriver or drill
• Painter's tape
• Dropcloths
• Sawhorses
• 2 10-foot-long, 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber
• Safety glasses
• Heavy-duty, chemical-resistant rubber gloves
• Charcoal face mask
• Brush-on paint and varnish stripper
• Plastic putty knife
• Lacquer thinner
• Stain
• Sanding sealer
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Polyurethane (you can choose satin, semigloss or high gloss)

Preparing Cabinets for Stripping

1. Clean the cabinets. It is important to remove grease from cooking and grime that builds up over time. Spray them down with a household degreaser, such as 409, and wipe clean with a rag. This will allow the varnish stripper to penetrate better to remove the old polyurethane and stain.

2. Use your screwdriver or drill to remove all hardware. This includes door and drawer handles, and all of the hinges. Take all drawers and doors to another area, preferably your garage.

3. Use painter's tape to protect the walls from being damaged by the stripper. Place the tape on the wall next to the end of the cabinets. You can also tape cardboard next to any cabinet ends that are in contact with a wall. This will give you an added layer of protection.

4. Cover the counter top and floors with thick dropcloths.

5. Set up your sawhorses in the garage or similar space, placing dropcloths underneath them to protect the floor. Lay the 2-by-4s across them. This will give you an area to work on the doors and drawers that will keep dirt off of them and also be easier on you physically.

6. Open a window or several windows to allow ventilation while working in the kitchen. Paint and varnish strippers are extremely potent, and the vapors can be harmful if breathed for too long.

7. Put on safety glasses, rubber gloves and a face mask before starting work with the stripper.

8. Using your 2 1/2-inch angled brush, apply the stripper to the cabinets. Many strippers begin to work within 10 to 15 minutes. Do about a 3-foot section at a time. This will allow you to start scraping the old stain off with a plastic putty knife. Scrape the stain off of the knife onto a piece of cardboard or into a metal bucket.

9. Use the same process in Step 8 for the doors and the drawers, applying the stripper to no more than 3 doors or drawers at a time. Once you have completed stripping all of the doors on the first side, turn them over and strip the other side. Allow to dry overnight.

10. Use lacquer thinner to remove any residue left on the wood surfaces. Soak a rag in the thinner and wipe the cabinets down with it. You may need to apply more stripper if enough of the old stain did not come off during the first application. Allow to dry overnight.

11. Dip a rag into your choice of stain. Rub the stain on the cabinets and use a dry rag to wipe off the excess. Do only one side of the doors at a time. Allow the stain to dry overnight. Repeat this process the next day on the opposite side of the doors.

12. Clean your paintbrush in a metal can with the lacquer thinner, rinsing several times to be sure the product is completely removed, after each application of products.

13. Use sanding sealer to protect the wood and add to its durability. Apply the sealer to all parts of the newly stained cabinets and allow to dry overnight.

14. Using the 220-grit sandpaper, lightly sand all of the wood until it feels smooth to the touch. Wipe down with a clean cloth to make sure all the dust is removed.

15. Lightly brush on the polyurethane, going with the wood grain. On doors, the grain will be up and down, and on drawers it will be side to side. Polyurethane runs and drips easily, so be sure to cover the cabinets, but not too heavily. Allow to dry overnight.

16. Reinstall the hardware.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider purchasing new hardware to give your cabinets another low-cost lift.

• If the stripper comes in contact with your skin, wash it off immediately with soap and water. If you are having any trouble breathing, leave the area until it has had time to air out. If the trouble persists, see a doctor immediately. Don't skip the removal of the cabinet hardware. The varnish can cause discoloration and corrosion.