A DIY Guide for Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets

Refinishing your cabinets will give your kitchen an attractive new look. You do not have to be a professional to do this job. Educating yourself on refinishing techniques prior to starting the project is your key to success.

Be sure that you have quality built wood cabinets before you begin. When choosing the stain you need to decide what look you want to achieve -- lighter or darker cabinets. Lighter colors make a room feel brighter. Darker colors can make the room feel dull and dreary. The colors of your countertops and floor coverings also play a part in the selection process. They will need to match with your choice of stains.

You will need some tools in order to perform this task -- cleaning solution, a drill or screwdriver, sandpaper, synthetic steel wool, putty knife, dust masks, drop cloths, a box (or two) of rags, paint tape, brushes, rollers, stain and varnish.

Brushes vary greatly in price. Purdy and Wooster both market quality brushes and rollers. A good brush often has more bristles. It holds and releases stain or varnish better and minimizes brush marks. Polyester and nylon brushes work best for waterborne materials. Black or white china bristle brushes work better with oil base products.

You will need to wash the cabinets to remove grime build up from dirty fingers, frying and cooking. Professionals use TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) for this step. Most home improvement centers and hardware stores carry this product. After you wash the cabinets, wipe them with clean rags to dry them.

The doors and drawers need to be removed from the cabinet frames. Use baggies or a covered container to hold the hardware (hinges, knobs and pulls) when you remove them. This ensures that no parts or pieces will be lost during the renovations. Number each door and drawer when you disassemble the cabinets. Then, put a corresponding number on its frame. This helps you remember where every door or drawer was originally located. Doors should be laid flat for sanding, staining and varnishing.

Place the paint tape around the cabinet frames. This ensures that you do not stain or varnish the walls by accident. The countertops and floors should be covered with drop cloths.

To remove the old finish you will need to strip and sand the cabinets. Citristrip Gel is a good stripper. You may need to go over tough spots a couple times. Then, you will need to sand the wood so you have a smooth surface. Using a power sander will speed up the process. You should use 180 to 220 grit sandpaper. Remove the dust by sweeping and wiping doors, drawers and frames after sanding them.

Next, you need to fill any holes or cracks with wood filler. Zar Wood Patch or Famowood work great. The drying time required depends on whether you use an oil or latex stain.

Always stain and varnish in an area that has sufficient ventilation. It is advisable to wear a dust mask.

Now you are ready to begin staining the wood. Zar offers a nice selection of stains. The stain needs to be well mixed before you apply it to the wood. Use a brush or clean lint free cloth to put the stain on the wood. Wipe the stain evenly and follow the direction of the wood grain. Be sure to get stain in all the cracks. You will need to wipe the excess stain off with a clean dry rag. If a darker color is desired you can stain the wood a second time. Allow adequate drying time before you begin varnishing. Wipe wood surfaces with a tack rag before you varnish.

Applying a clear finish will protect your hard work. Zar and Fabulon both offer an excellent selection of products for final coating for your cabinets. You will need to varnish the doors, drawers and cabinets at least three times. Thin coats work best -- do not slop the varnish on. Between coats you will need to lightly buff with fine sandpaper or synthetic steel wool. Remember to dust before applying the next coat of varnish. Do not sand after the final coat of varnish is applied. Always allow full drying time between coats of varnish.

Replace the doors and drawers after they have fully dried. You may scratch or otherwise damage the finish if you move them too quickly. It is best to have a helper when you put your doors back in the frames. Fitting them squarely in place may take some additional adjustments. Once the doors and drawers are reassembled you may want to leave them slightly ajar. This will give the finish added time to fully cure.

To further change the décor of your cabinets add new hinges, knobs or pulls.

Good luck refinishing your cabinets!