How to Change White Cabinets to Stained

Changing white cabinets to stained cabinets is a time consuming project that requires persistence and attention to detail. No matter what color your cabinets are painted, the most challenging part of the job is to remove the paint completely from the wood. There are commercially available wood strippers that can help, or you can elect to sand a light coat of paint away by hand. Whatever method you choose, the end result is worth the effort.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Cleaning cloth
• Wood stripper
• Safety goggles
• Mask
• Skin protection
• Wood scraper
• 00 steel wool
• Rags
• Naptha
• Lacquer thinner
• Paintbrush
• Stain/polyurethane
• Sponge

1. Remove all of the metal hardware from the cabinet and the cabinet doors. Wipe the surface of the cabinet and the doors to remove dust and other debris. Place the cabinet in a well-ventilated area, out of direct sunlight and away from drafts.

2. Apply a thick layer of solvent-based wood stripper with an inexpensive paintbrush. Begin at the top of the cabinet and work in small sections at a time. Apply the stripper in one direction only, not back and forth. You'll need to dispose of the brush when you're finished. Follow the manufacturer's directions for application and set-up times.

3. Remove the section of stripper with a soft wood scraper. Gently drag the scraper over the wood, always in one direction. Steel wool works well to remove the stripper from crevices and around corners. Continue to strip the cabinet and doors completely, small sections at a time. You may need to apply more than one coat of stripper to remove all of the white paint.

4. Wash the cabinet and doors with Naptha, if the cabinet is old or if many coats of stripper were necessary to remove the paint. Follow this wash with a wash of lacquer thinner. If you only needed one or two coats of stripper or if the cabinet is newer, skip the Naptha and only use the lacquer thinner. These products work to neutralize the wood surface and prepare it for the stain.

5. Allow the stripped and washed cabinet to dry for 24 to 48 hours before you stain it. Do not let the cabinet sit unfinished for longer than a week or moisture may affect the wood.

6. Stain the cabinet and doors with a product that has polyurethane already built in. This will save you a step in the end. Apply the stain/polyurethane with a sponge or a rag, always in the direction of the wood grain. Wipe off any excess stain and let the wood dry. You may need to apply more than one coat of stain to achieve the depth of color you desire.

7. Reattach the hardware and the cabinet doors after the stain is completely dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to wear safety goggles, a mask and thick stripping gloves whenever you are handling wood stripper. Never use a metal putty knife to remove wood stripper as this can damage the wood.

References

• How to Use Wood Strippers

Resources

• How to Remove Paint from Wood