How to Refinish Cabinets with Stain and Glaze

Just because you have new wood cabinets in your kitchen doesn't mean they can't look as rich, warm and full of character as the ones that have been hanging in homes for one hundred years. This procedure attains that look with a combination of stain and glaze. The stain shades wood in a natural tone, in an even fashion, which makes a base for the glaze. The liquid glaze is applied to the wood and wiped off the same way stain is. Glazing, however, is meant to be less consistent and settles more darkly in cracks and corners than on flat surfaces, making for an aged look. A final coat of gloss is applied as a sealer.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver Newspapers Medium-grade sandpaper Small edging power sander (for sanding tight areas) Painters tape Rubber gloves Paintbrush Can of wood stain (light-toned works best under glaze) Paper towels Can of glaze in color of your choice Can of gloss finish (polyurethane is recommended)

Instructions

How to Finish Cabinets with Stain and Glaze

1. Remove the cabinet doors using a screwdriver to unscrew the hinges. Remove all other hardware from the doors and cabinets. Set the hardware and screws aside. Lay the doors on a workbench or on newspapers on the kitchen floor.

2. Thoroughly sand all cabinet and door surfaces with medium-grade sandpaper and an edging power sander. When finished, vacuum up all the dust and wipe down the surfaces.

3. Tape and cover the areas under and around the cabinets with newspaper. Wearing rubber gloves, use a brush to apply the stain liberally, working from the top of the cabinets downward. Let the stain sit for a few minutes (according to manufacturer's instructions), then wipe it clean with paper towels. Repeat the process for the doors.

4. Allow the stain to dry overnight. Apply the glaze in the same manner, brushing it on and letting it sit for a few minutes before wiping it off. It will need more time to sit than the stain did, however, until you see the wet surface of the glaze starting to dry. Unlike the stain, the glaze won't produce smooth, even color but will show more variation.

5. Allow the glaze to dry overnight, then apply a thin coat of gloss. Use slow, careful strokes made along the lines of the cabinets. When the gloss has dried, rehang the cabinet doors and replace the hardware.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide to apply a second coat of gloss, lightly buff the first coat with fine-grade sandpaper to provide the tooth necessary for the second coat to stick.

• Always provide good ventilation by opening windows and/or doors when working with stains and other chemicals.

References

• How to glaze cabinets.