How to Stain & Varnish Cabinets

Staining can completely change the look of your cabinets.

Staining and varnishing cabinets can be difficult. The task requires carefully applying even coats of sealer, stain and varnish. Always keep your workspace as clean as possible to prevent sawdust from getting into the stain or varnish and ruining the look of your cabinets.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• 100-grit sandpaper
• 100-grit sanding sponge
• Paintbrushes
• Stain
• Rags
• Sanding sealer
• 240-grit sandpaper
• Varnish
• Water

Instructions

1. Remove the cabinet door by unscrewing its hinges and pulling the door off the cabinet. Remove the hardware by unscrewing it from the cabinet and door. This makes it easier to stain and varnish the cabinet and door because you don't have to work around the hardware.

2. Sand the cabinet and door with a 100-grit sanding sponge. Sand in the direction of the grain to smooth out the wood. Use 100-grit sandpaper to sand any rounded edges or curves.

3. Remove all of the sawdust with a slightly damp rag. This step is crucial to getting a smooth finish. Let the cabinet and door dry completely before proceeding.

4. Dip the paintbrush into the stain and brush it on the front of the cabinet door. Evenly saturate the entire front of the door to ensure even color. Apply stain to the rest of the cabinet in the same manner.

5. Wipe off the stain with a clean rag, starting with the front of the cabinet door and wiping the subsequent surfaces in the same order that you stained them. This ensures that the stain was on each part of the cabinet for the same amount of time. Wipe with even pressure. Use a new rag each time one becomes covered in stain.

6. Drag a dry brush through any areas (for example, curves or crevices) that you were unable to wipe with a cloth.

7. Examine the cabinet for areas that are swirled or that show streaks. Wipe these areas with a clean cloth to make them uniform with the rest of the cabinet.

8. Let the stain dry overnight.

9. Brush sanding sealer on the cabinet and door with a paintbrush. Sanding sealer helps the varnish attach to the stained wood.

10. Dip a clean brush in clear water and immediately run it over the entire cabinet. This removes any brush lines from the sanding sealer.

11. Let the sanding sealer dry for several hours.

12. Lightly sand the cabinet with 240-grit sandpaper until the wood is smooth.

13. Wipe up the sawdust with a slightly dampened cloth. Let the cabinet and door air dry completely.

14. Apply varnish to the cabinet and door with a paintbrush.

15. Immediately brush a wet, clean paintbrush over the varnish to remove any brush marks.

16. Let the cabinet dry completely.

17. Reattach the hardware with screws and a screwdriver. Put the door back on the cabinet by reattaching the hinges with screws.

Tips & Warnings

• Work in a well-ventilated area to avoid excessive fumes.

References

• Family Handyman: Finishing Wood Trim With Stain and Varnish