How to Refinish Hardwood Kitchen Cabinets
Hardwood kitchen cabinets add elegance and bring together the look of your kitchen. They suffer regular wear and tear from exposure to moisture, grease, dust and heat. This can leave them looking dull and worn. Refinishing hardwood kitchen cabinets is a great way to regain the original elegant look of your kitchen. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Screwdriver
- Brushes
- Cloth
- Stain
- Polyurethane
- 150-grit sandpaper
- 220-grit sandpaper
- Chemical stripper
- Putty knife
- Sanding sealer
Instructions
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How to Refinish Hardwood Kitchen Cabinets
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1
Remove all the drawers, handles, doors and hinges from the kitchen cabinets with a screwdriver.
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2
Brush a heavy coat of chemical stripper on the kitchen cabinets with a soft clean brush.
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3
Allow the chemical stripper to sit until the old finish begins to bubble and peel. Test the old finish with the putty knife to ensure it is ready for removal.
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4
Remove the original finish from the kitchen cabinets by scraping their surface with the putty knife.
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5
Sand the whole surface of the kitchen cabinets with 150-grit sandpaper to remove all of the old finish. Wipe the cabinets with a damp cloth to raise the grain of the wood and sand the cabinets again with the 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe the cabinets clean of dust with a damp cloth.
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6
Apply a thick coat of sanding sealer with a clean brush to help the stain absorb evenly into the wood of the cabinets. Allow the cabinets to dry.
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7
Brush a thin, even coat of stain onto the cabinets with a clean brush. Wipe off excess stain with a cloth. Brush on further coats to achieve a darker finish.
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8
Apply a thin, initial coat of polyurethane onto the cabinets with a clean brush. Use long, even strokes and sand the cabinets with the 220 grit sandpaper in between coats. Apply several thin coats of polyurethane to protect the kitchen cabinets from moisture.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Be sure to sand with the grain of the wood.
Scrape with the grain of the wood.
Use a water-based stain for oak cabinets, as oak is a dense wood.
Oil-based stains work best for cedar cabinets, as cedar is porous.
Protect your hands and eyes when working with chemicals
Work in an area that's well-ventilated
