how to stain finished cabinets

Detailed step by step tutorial follows below. Thankfully, they can be updated without the need for chemical stripping or heavy sanding. If the cabinets are raw and unfinished, do a light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper … The good news is that today, there are so many great colors to choose from when it comes to re-staining cabinets versus even five years ago. In order to enable the new finish to properly adhere to and protect your kitchen cabinets, you'll need to remove the original finish. Her areas of expertise include home, garden and health. Sand the surface to prep it for paint and the result is a better bond and smoother finish. The Swedish Door Company is a clever little offshoot of a larger high-end cabinet-making company, and they specialize in manufacturing doors, etc, to fit Ikea cabinets, in any material, style, colour or finish your little heart desires. Next, remove the existing finish with a small power sander or several sanding blocks, and vacuum up the dust when you're done. They were water stained, drab and ugly. The classic all-white kitchen, for example, wouldn’t be what it is without gleaming white cabinets. Be sure to follow the finish manufacturer's instructions carefully, as stain-and-finish formulas cannot be applied over all existing finishes. Mineral spirits are flammable so avoid using near sparks and flames. General Finishes Gel Stain in Java; Minwax Wipe on Poly; Steel Wool (optional) Mineral spirits Let’s get started Step 1: Remove all cabinet hardware and doors from cabinets. A polyurethane varnish finish can cut down on the wear and tear of kitchen cabinets, help keep them looking new and extend the life of the cabinets. After filling the holes, spot-finish the putty with shellac (water-based polyurethane won’t stick to the putty). The blending brush will add a softer look to the faux finish. However, the varnish you choose can give a different look to whatever is underneath. If I liked the way it turned out, I could go ahead and finish the cabinet. When the doors and cabinets are fully dry, paint on the new finish in long, smooth strokes, then apply a second coat after six hours of drying. How to Paint Oak Cabinets That Have High Gloss Shine, How to Get a Really Smooth Finish on Cabinets, Ron Hazelton: How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets Without Stripping, How to Make the Insides of Cabinets Look New, How to Refinish Cabinets With Stain and Glaze, How to Paint Fake Woodgrain Kitchen Cabinets. Stain the front of the cabinet doors with light … And kitchen cabinets also must survive grease and moisture in the air, frequent skin contact around the knobs and pulls, and … of 4: To do that, you need to sand the kitchen cabinets, either by hand or with an electric-powered hand sander. Still, it was less than replacing the three vanities so I wasn’t sad about the cost, I just wanted to make sure you were hearing the real truth of what this kind of project costs. If it does, you should strip off the original finish before painting. … Step 4. Start with a heavier grit—about 100- or 120-grit sandpaper—for the first pass and sand with the grain. I waited 30 minutes to make sure any of the moisture in the piece was dry before I began staining. Let the finish dry as directed. A glazed cabinet finish can alter the color and texture of cabinetry, often used when applying faux-finishes. Remove the hardware or knobs and set aside. Brush a coat of polyurethane varnish onto the surface, then finish up with long, light brush … I had scrubbed it with the Krud cutter. Sanding to repaint or stain cabinets takes a lot of time and energy. Unscrew the cabinet hinges with a screwdriver and remove the doors. The color or shade of stain you use affects how a room feels, especially the kitchen. f you are using anything other than an oil-based gel stain, you’ll want to read the product instructions. Lillie darker easily may st hi brooke i would recommend general finishes arm the minwax gel stain on my friends kitchen cabinets darker. For exclusive content, visit www.decorsauce.comA full tutorial for beginners on how to update a bathroom cabinet with General Finishes Gel Stain. Here was my cabinet before staining. (The color soaked in well, so I only needed 2 coats.) Sanding off the existing finish thoroughly is the difference between a clean, beautiful, professional look and a messy finish full of drips and bubbles you'll have to refinish again later. Dip a paintbrush into the stain to saturate it and tap the brush on the edge of the can to remove any excess. Back home, test the effect by sanding down a small area to bare wood on the inside of a door or drawer front. Updating Cabinets with gel stain – Step 1 – Clean the cabinets. Lightly sand the doors on all sides and faces (Image 1). Not all staining projects require sanding, especially if you purchase new, already sanded cabinets. Refinish your kitchen cabinets with a darker color and bathroom cabinets with darker stain lightly with a combination stain general finishes darker color to do a rag your preferred source for kitchen review howto. The higher the number, the finer the … Oil-based stain cleans up easily with mineral spirits and leaves a long-lasting finish protected from wear. The small space they provide between the doors and frames keep the fresh stain … How To: Stain Cabinets Step 1. Require only soap and water for clean-up. Please recommend a finish to use on maple kitchen cabinet doors. Sand all of the surfaces where you plan to apply stain. To match the color exactly, mix two or more shades of oil-based wood putty. Today on the blog, I’m sharing an absolutely bre, I’m sharing some of my favorite 2021 home design, 10 years ago today, I launched my blog The Creativ, Happy Sunday friends! Remove all the knobs and take … 5. Watch below. Wood Cabinets: Paint adheres best over a scuffed surface, making true wood cabinets a great candidate for painting. Follow the directions on the container, and wait the appropriate amount of time before beginning to scrape the stain or paint from the cabinets with a paint scraper tool. For example, stain-and-polyurethane formulas cannot be applied over shellac or lacquer. Water-Based Stains. In most cases, cabinets will be finished. Do not raise the grain, eliminating the need for additional sanding. Make sure to label and put all pieces in a ziplock bag for later. The blogger recommended General Finishes Gel Stain and emphasized this was the best brand of gel stain. In order to make you stain and treat all faces of the cabinets, it is a must that you remove all drawers and cabinet doors first. To apply the stain, use a rag and rub the stain into the wood going along with the grain. Here’s the scoop on the perks and pitfalls of both finishes. Place the hardware in labeled plastic baggies and place the cabinet doors up in a pre-established work area to stain last. 4. Remove the parts that really need to be removed, so you can work effectively. Next, apply at least two coats of protective polyurethane varnish to the cabinets… The faux finish is not going to be perfect. Check out the cherry finishes on the more expensive kitchen cabinets at your local home center for examples. It will allow you to stain and treat the back of your cabinet doors as well. It is a plastic so tough that hardly anything can … Wipe the cabinets with a damp cloth or a tack cloth to remove any dust. When you apply polyurethane varnish, you're actually sealing it in plastic. If you’re refinishing your cabinets however, you may want to strip your cabinets and start over again. Stripping cabinets to bare wood ensures that there are no adhesion problems between the old finish and the new paint. If your repainting project is just a facelift for the cabinets, you don’t need to sand and paint the inside of the cabinets; mask off the interiors with painters’ tape for a clean finish and sand only the front surfaces and visible edges of the cabinet … How to Stain Finished Cabinets 1. Allow the stain to dry for at least 6 hours and apply another coat for a deeper color. She holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration and an associate degree in medical billing and insurance coding, both from Herzing University. Step 2. I showed how to use the gel stain to update the cabinet door live on Facebook. Cyndy Aldred Designs LLC. Apply a layer of glaze on the cupboard framing as well. To do that, you need to sand the kitchen cabinets… Old finish, stain, or paint needs to be removed before you can add a fresh coat of stain. To add warmth to a larger kitchen or room and make it seem cozier, choose a darker stain. Lightly sand all surfaces with 220-grit … Brush the entire cabinet, using long, straight strokes to smooth out the finish. As I mentioned before I used *General Finishes Gel Stain in “Java”. Stain the cabinet fronts by applying gel stain on a sponge brush, with light and even strokes to avoid getting stain on the insides. Ventilate the area by opening windows or doors while working on the cabinets. If it isn’t unfinished, the stain won’t be able to soak into the wood. Giving Light Sanding . This is a more detailed video than my last one on "How to gel stain your kitchen cabinets". The gel stain is to be applied to a finished piece of wood in order to act as a glaze. Be sure to use a sanding block/sponge or use sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block so you applying even pressure. Painted Cabinets Pro: Paint Offers a Clean Aesthetic Not all roads lead to a crisp kitchen design, but painted cabinetry is one that does. If you have paying customers, there’s a good chance you’ll want to master these finishes also. Click here to subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more great videos! Stain the front of the cabinet doors with light and even strokes to avoid clumping. Once the glaze is on all of the cabinets, you need to use the blending brush to go over the glaze. Wear a dust mask and goggles to protect yourself from wood dust and fumes. While many people choose to hire out their staining projects, it's possible to turn staining floors, cabinets or furniture into a DIY project. Reattach the cabinet doors and hardware with a screwdriver. Stick with a semi-gloss or high gloss paint finish when choosing a cabinet paint. Let the first coat dry, and apply one or two more coats as needed. These little guys are easy to find, cheap, and help your cabinets function much more smoothly. Fold up one of your applicator rags into a square, dip it into the polyurethane, and rub the finish onto the cabinet surfaces. At least one of their salesmen is an expert in finishes, ie paint finishes. Brush in one direction. Use a wood sanding block to prevent rounding over the wood edges (Image 2). These paint finishes work best for kitchen cabinets because they have a hard finish. The process always starts out the same way, even if your cabinets are new and unfinished. Spending the weekend catch, General Finishes Java Gel Stain (oil-based), https://www.thecreativityexchange.com/2015/10/general-finishes-milk-paint-what-and-how.html. Also, they are easy to clean and let’s face it, kitchen cabinets see a lot of traffic and can get dirty. Step 2: Wipe down all the cabinets with the TSP cleaner to remove any dirt and grime. Sand … Before you start applying the conditioner, make sure that … How to use gel stain over stained wood cabinets. Continue to scrape and apply more stripper until all the old paint or stain no longer exists. Clean and sand the cabinets as shown in Photo 5 to ensure a good bond to the original finish. By repainting the cabinets and installing new doors, you can achieve a whole new look at a fraction of the cost of new cabinets. Your email address will not be published. —Dave Menci, Collegeville, Pa. A: Few finishes survive frequent contact with water, Dave. Wood must be unfinished to be stained. Check the finish manufacturer's literature to make sure the new finish product is compatible with your cabinets' existing finish. PIN THIS TO PINTEREST. Step 3. Then, dip a cloth in the stain and apply several thin coats to allow the wood to … You can use an electric sander, a handle hand sander, or even just a piece of sand paper. Wipe off the excess stain using a clean cloth. that’s business. If you're planning to stain something, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the types of stain and topcoats … Subscribe Now:http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=EHowatHomeChannelWatch More:http://www.youtube.com… Prefinished cabinets have a topcoat of paint or varnish. I can’t decide if I w, My annual Color Forecast is now live on Better Hom, Happy Saturday friends! Come in a wider range of vibrant stain … 3. Another reason I love General Finishes stains is they have a fantastic color selection of stains that are updated and shades that I am seeing in new homes today.via General Finishes One of the prettiest trends I have been seeing in new homes is the mix of painted cabi… What was once a popular finish for natural wood cabinets is now being used less due to newer blends of materials. I wanted to refinish … Do be sure to wear gloves because the stain will get all over your hands. After allowing the lacquer to dry over-night, one more step I highly recommend is using felt or rubber pads on the drawer and cabinet faces. The harder the finish the more long-lasting they are. Also, keep in mind the type of wood from which … Q: Our kitchen cabinets, approaching 20 years old, are solid maple with a natural finish that has yellowed over the years.We love the look of … Just a few pieces of dust can ruin the look: "You'll get a gritty finish and it'll look like you painted over sand," says Fahrbach. Method 2 Make sure the original cabinet finish is bonded tightly to the wood by making a small “X” with a knife and sticking a piece of Scotch tape over the “X.” Now rip the tape off and see if it pulls any finish with it. Are lower in odor than oil-based stains. Give you a longer working time, enabling you to stain floors, cabinets, paneling and doors without the worry of dried lap marks. The goal is to remove some of the finish and roughen the surface for better adhesion of the stain. How to Stain over Stain Method 1 It’s okay if you want to stain a finished piece of wood…you just have to sand everything off first! Roughen this with fine-grit sandpaper to ensure your new paint or stain will adhere to the surface. Wipe clean, then sand with a finer grit, … So, yeah. Lay the doors on a flat surface. Apply stain or paint stripper to the previous stained or painted surfaces of the cabinets and doors. And then you sand. This is especially important if your wood cabinets are already stained or have a glossy finish - you will need to get through this finish layer first, either with sandpaper or a … You don’t want to sand off any of the previous … Once the product has dried, reassemble if necessary and it’s ready for display! To achieve a … Mix the stain finish with a stir stick until it's thoroughly blended. I refinished my oak cabinets this summer and used the Orange Citri Strip stripper (and sometimes used Zinsser's Citrus stripper) to get down to the wood - which is much easier than trying to sand off the finish. Seal off all other surfaces with plastic sheets and painter's tape to protect from overspray. On woods with large, open pores, such as oak, mahogany and ash, increase your pressure to work the stain into the pores. In order to enable the new finish to properly adhere to and protect your kitchen cabinets, you'll need to remove the original finish. You can try a light sanding and then using one of the polyurethane and stain in one products which will darken the cabinets. If applied directly to unfinished wood, it will act as a stain. Test the stain on an inconspicuous area to begin so that you can confirm how your finished project will appear. Wood stain is available in a variety of formulas, but oil-based stain combined with polyurethane saves you time because there's no need for a top coat. Use a wood sanding block to prevent rounding over the wood edges (Image 2). Overlap strokes to blend the stain, but don't over-brush. Use a coarse-grit sandpaper to sand along the grain of the wood using smooth, back-and-forth motions. Turn the cloth as needed while cleaning. Using a high-quality, tapered … Dry faster, enabling you to stain and finish in one day. Cabinets Ceilings Cleaning Closets Countertops Curb Appeal Decking Dining Rooms Doors Driveways ... Stir the stain well, then use a clean cloth to rub the stain into the wood in a circular motion. Preparing the Wood. I don’t know the existing finish, but it didn’t hold up to being splashed with water from the sink. This was especially helpful when I stained the kitchen cabinets (prevented chipping from bumping against and closing cabinet … I had some time on my hands and decided to try the gel stain finish on the bathroom vanity. This can be used on the cabinets with or without paint. 6. To open up a room and make it feel larger, opt for a light stain. Dab stain onto a cloth, and rub the color into the bare wood in … A glazed finish can be applied on top of paint or stain to accentuate the details in the species of wood in the cabinetry. I started small – on the inside of the cabinet door. However, our cabinets {especially along the bottom} had places where the finish was no longer there. Finish the Faux Finish. Before starting, you need to have an idea of what you want your finished cabinets to look like. Here was my cabinet before staining… Stain the cabinet fronts by applying gel stain on a sponge brush, with light and even strokes to avoid getting stain on the insides. Fold a sheet of 220-grit sandpaper into thirds and sand the cabinets following the direction of the wood grain. Remove any drawers, doors, or hardware if you can. To stain cabinets, start by removing the doors and hardware, but make sure to label where everything goes so you can easily put things back when you're finished. Allow the stain to dry 6 to 8 hours. Once the final coat of stain is dry, you may want to apply a polyacrylic finish to seal the stain. To achieve our dramatic new look, we took off the old doors and painted the cabinet frames with a black, satin-finish … Polyurethane works best on unfinished wood but can also be painted directly onto painted surfaces. Unscrew the cabinet hinges with a screwdriver and remove the doors. Sandpaper comes in grades (or grits). Use long strokes and get into all of the crevices. Stain can be applied with a bristle brush, a foam brush, or a cloth. 2. You may be able to avoid that if the finish is sound. 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