How to Re-Finish Your Kitchen Cabinets DIY
Finished cabinetry generally consists of two elements: wood stain, to bring out of the grain of the wood, and gloss -- varnish or polyurethane -- to seal it in and make it shine. When you refinish cabinets, you need to remove both elements so you can apply new stain and gloss. Sanding down the surface is the quickest and surest way to get that old finish off. Ask your local home improvement store which type of stain is best for your particular cabinets' wood.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Screw driver
- Newspapers
- Vibrating sander
- Rough, medium and fine sandpaper
- Paint brushes
- Wood stain
- Cotton rags
- Polyurethane gloss
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1
Disassemble the cabinet with a screwdriver, taking off the hinges and other hardware. Lay newspapers out around the edges of the cabinet. Lay the doors and other parts on the papers.
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2
Set up the vibrating sander with heavy sandpaper. Sand the surface of each wood part to the cabinet, getting the top layers of the existing finish off by digging into the top layer of the wood.
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3
Reload the sander with medium sandpaper. Sand the cabinet again, getting off the last of the finish. Sand a third time with fine sandpaper to get the surface smooth and even. Wipe off the dust.
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4
Brush wood stain over each section of the cabinet with a paintbrush. For each section, brush the stain on heavily and let it sit 1 minute, then wipe off the excess stain with cotton rags. Do all the sections.
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5
Brush a coat of polyurethane gloss over each section, keeping it very thin and light. Let it dry for 6 hours. Lightly sand the cabinet by hand with fine sandpaper.
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6
Brush on another layer of polyurethane, again keeping it light and thin. Let it dry. Sand by hand. Add a third layer of polyurethane.
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7
Let the third layer dry for 24 hours. Reassemble the cabinet.
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