Tips For Re-Staining Your Kitchen Cabinets Like A Professional

While the thought of re-staining your kitchen cabinets is daunting, if you are careful about how you proceed with the project, then you can achieve professional-looking results.

To this end, follow these tips when you are preparing your cabinets and applying a new coat of stain:

Number Each Door and Cabinet Opening

It is very common for older kitchen cabinets to have variations in their door size and hardware locations. To keep from having to solve a "which door goes where" jigsaw puzzle since your doors have been refinished, take the time to label the doors and their corresponding cabinet openings. If you use either a pencil or small piece of masking tape to label them, then you can easily remove them when you are done and not leave any permanent marks on your cabinets.

You should also label drawers and their openings as well. In fact, sometimes drawers are the hardest to place back into their exact spot after a major project since generally they all appear to be the exact same size and shape. In reality, each drawer has worn in place and needs to be placed back into the same place from where it was removed.

Use a Palm Sander with Multiple Grits of Sandpaper

Before you can apply new stain to your kitchen cabinets, first you need to completely remove the dirt, grease, and previous finishes. The first step is to wipe down the cabinets well with a solution of dishwashing detergent and water. Wipe every surface and use a toothbrush, if necessary, to remove the gunk in small design cuts. Let the cabinets completely dry.

On the dry cabinets and doors, use a palm sander to remove the old finish and get down into the raw wood. Start sanding with a larger grit sandpaper, and work your way down to a very fine grit. Taking your time during this step will ensure that your kitchen cabinets have a professional finish when your project is completed.

Once the cabinets have been completely sanded, then you should wipe them down with a tacky cloth to remove any dust.

Use the Right Technique to Apply the New Stain

The best way to apply the new stain to your kitchen cabinets is to use a clean cotton rag and rub the stain onto the wood going with its grain. Wipe off any excess stain with a clean cloth as you work to keep the surface evenly toned.

Seal the Cabinets with Marine Varnish

Finally, once the stain has dried on the cabinets, and you have completed any sanding that you want to do on them, then you should finish them with a coat of marine varnish. Marine varnish is available at your home improvement store, and it is designed to give a waterproof finish, making it a perfect way to finish your kitchen cabinet refinishing project. To learn more, speak with a business like Big John's Closeouts.


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