How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Refinishing kitchen cabinets is an inexpensive way to make it feel like you've remodeled the entire room. Before you start, give some thought to the overall look you'd like to achieve. You will have many wood stains to choose from. Refinishing, while substantially less expensive than getting new cabinets, requires a significant investment of your time. Before you commit, understand that it will be a lengthy project though not difficult. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Drop cloth
- Mineral spirits
- Rags
- A detail sander (not necessary but helpful)
- Sanding block and sandpaper (medium and fine)
- Tack cloth
- Rubber gloves
- 2-inch foam brushes (two to three)
- Can of wood stain
- Can of polyurethane sealant
- Stir stick
Instructions
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Refinishing
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Using the screwdriver, remove the cabinet doors. Take off the hardware and number the doors in an inconspicuous place so you can replace them on the correct frame, even if they look to be identical in size.
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Remove the drawers. Unscrew the drawer fronts, if they are constructed to allow this. If not, you can work with the entire drawer. Remove drawer hardware and number the drawers as well.
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Place all the doors and drawer fronts on a flat surface that you've covered with a drop cloth. You can use a garage floor, porch or even your basement if it is ventilated properly. You can work on the cabinet frames in the kitchen, taking care to use a drop cloth.
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Clean the grease and dirt from the frames, doors, and drawers using a rag and mineral spirits. Allow each area to dry thoroughly.
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Sand the old finish off the cabinets. You can do this by hand with a medium sanding block or you can use a small detail sander to make the job go faster. Sand with the wood's grain to avoid scratches. Use sand paper to get in any curved areas that are not reachable by the sander or block. This is the most time consuming part of the project so be patient. You must get all the old finish off in order for the new stain and finish to adhere properly.
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Once you have finished sanding, remove all the dust using the tack cloth. Be sure to get in any detail areas. You will want to make sure there is no dust on the drop cloth either since it might contaminate your new finish.
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Once all dust is removed, use the foam brush to apply the stain. Mix the stain with the stir stick, taking care not to cause air bubbles. To apply the stain, use long, even motions that go in the direction of the grain. Leave the stain on for 10 to 15 minutes and then wipe excess with a rag. You may wish to apply a second coat to darken the color. Allow to dry four to six hours between each coat.
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Apply polyurethane to seal the stain using a clean foam brush. Mix carefully and use the same sweeping motion that you did to apply the stain. For cabinets, at least two coats of sealant are preferred, letting it dry between each coat. Three will provide additional protection. Several thin coats wear better than a single thick one. Between coats, lightly sand the surface with the fine sandpaper and remove dust with the tack cloth, taking care to sand in the direction of the grain. Let dry thoroughly.
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Re-attach the cabinet and drawer hardware, and then carefully re-attach the doors and drawers using your numbers to ensure they are matched to the correct frame. Enjoy the new look and feel of your kitchen!
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit photo courtesy of sayruok123
