Monday 5 August 2013

How to Restain Wood Kitchen Cabinets

How to Restain Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Wooden cabinets are not the kind of thing you want to just rip out of your kitchen and throw away. If they are solid wood, they are usually quite valuable. They can be painted, or to be even more beautiful, they can be refinished to make the wood like it was brand new. Here are a few tips for restaining your wood cabinets safely and successfully.

Instructions

    1

    Remove the cabinets from the wall. There are usually screws that are holding them in place. It helps if you can have two people for this job so that one person can hold the cabinets in place while the other person removes the screws. Label the cabinets with a piece of tape on the inside of the cabinet and door so you can reinstall them in order.

    2

    Unscrew all the hardware, including the hinges, the knobs and any other metal work. Set these aside in a container so that you don't lose them while you work on refinishing the cabinets. Usually they can be reused, unless you are updating the look with new hardware. You can sell them quite easily, as hardware is expensive, and there are people in the market for old hardware.

    3

    Paint on the gel stripper with the paintbrush. It helps to lay out all the cabinet doors in one area and the cabinets in another. Don't work on more than one or two cabinets at a time when you are applying the stripper, as it will dry out if left for too long. Let the gel sit for about 10 minutes or until you see the surface has bubbled up and softened.

    4

    Scrape the old surface off with the scraper, making sure that you work only in the direction of the grain. Scrape the softened varnish into a container, such as an old coffee can. The stripper gel is quite caustic and will burn your skin, so wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area.

    5

    Scrub any stubborn spots with the steel wool again, making sure you work only in the direction of the grain. If you go across the grain, you will form scratches that will be easily visible later and that will take a lot of sanding to smooth out.

    6

    Wipe down the newly stripped surface with a rag dipped in mineral spirits to remove the residue left on the wood. Allow the wood to totally dry before sanding smooth with sandpaper. Wipe clean with a tack rag.

    7

    Paint on the new stain finish with a paintbrush, after all the surfaces have been stripped and sanded clean, making long, smooth strokes while it's wet to keep bubbles from forming. Try to keep from going back over areas already coated that are starting to dry. Apply another coat after letting it dry for at least six hours. Give it a light sanding between coats.

    8

    Apply at least two coats of protective polyurethane varnish to finish the cabinets. Polyurethane comes in a variety of finishes, and is most commonly seen in satin or glossy. Either can be used, according to your preference, but keep in mind that a glossy finish is more likely to show fingerprints and dust. To apply the polyurethane you can use a brush, or a paint sprayer if you have one available. Apply one thin coat and let it dry 24 hours. Use fine steel wool or 200-grit sandpaper to lightly sand the first coat. Remove all dust with a damp cloth, and then apply your second coat. Let the finish dry completely.

    9

    Allow the surfaces to dry for 24 hours and then reinstall all the hardware. Screw the cabinets back on the wall in the same order as you removed them and according to the labels you marked them with.

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