How to Restain Oak Cupboards
Wooden cabinets add beauty and grace to any home, but over time even the most lovingly cared-for cupboards can start to show signs of wear, or just become outdated or simply too familiar. Giving your kitchen a face lift is as easy as changing or refreshing the stain. Oak cabinets do not absorb stain as easily as softer woods, so you won't need to strip or sand too aggressively to prep your surface for the new look. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Stain
- Non-yellowing sealer
- Screwdriver
- Dust mask
- Medium and fine sandpaper
- Rags
- Staining sponges
Instructions
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1
Measure the surface area of your cabinets, and buy enough of your new stain to cover at least one coat, two if you want a deeper color. Buy enough sealer for one coat.
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2
Empty the drawers and cabinets, unscrew all the cupboard doors and drawer fronts from their hardware, and remove them.
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3
Put on your dust mask, and use medium sandpaper to remove the old sealant from the cabinet fronts.
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4
Use fine sandpaper to smooth out any remaining sealant.
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5
Wipe away all dust with a damp rag.
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6
Use the staining sponge to apply the new stain, working with the grain of the oak.
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7
Let the stain dry overnight.
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8
Apply another coat of stain if the color is not rich enough. Let it dry overnight.
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9
Apply the sealer, and let it dry overnight.
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10
Replace all of the doors and drawers.
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Tips & Warnings
New hardware can spruce up the look even more. Wood filler is useful for filling in any chips or scratches.
Always work in a well ventilated area.
