Do-it-Yourself Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing

Solid wood kitchen cabinets are designed to last, but the stain can be affected by the constant exposure to grease and humidity. If the color and sheen on your cabinets has been dulled over time, you can refinish them. You need to sand down the cabinets to the original wood, then refinish with new stain. It does take time and labor, but the result, and the savings from doing it yourself, is rewarding.

1. Clean the cabinet doors and frames. Use a mild cleaning solution to remove grease and dirt from your cabinets. This will make sanding them much easier.

2. Start at one end of the bank of cabinets. Remove the hardware of the first cabinet and put it into a baggie marked "Cabinet 1". As you remove the hinges, mark the cabinet door with painters tape indicating this is door 1. Doing this for all the cabinet doors will ensure they are reinstalled in the proper order. Store the doors and hardware in a safe place.

3. Remove the shelving from the cabinets, again marking them so they are put back in the same place when you reinstall them. If your shelving isn't removable, you will need to sand and stain them when you do the frame.

4. Sand the cabinet frame first. If possible, remove all appliances from the kitchen. If they can't be removed, cover them with plastic to avoid damage. Wear a dust mask and use a hand sander. Start at one end and carefully sand the framework, including the interior. Wipe down with a dry cloth.

5. In your work area, sand the shelves down to the bare wood. Do this systematically; remove the piece of tape that indicates where the shelf belongs and sand the shelf. Put the tape back onto the shelf and set aside. Continue to sand all the shelves.

6. Sand all the doors using the same system to tag the doors as you did the shelves. Once all the shelves and doors are sanded, clean the work area of all dust and wood particles.

7. Stain the cabinet frame first. Apply the stain of your choice using a small sponge brush or cotton rag. Follow the grain of the wood and apply the stain in long smooth strokes. Put the first coat of stain on the entire cabinet frame in one session. Add a second coat to darken the color. The more coats of stain you add, the darker the tone of the stain will be. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.

8. Lightly sand the frame by hand with fine grit sandpaper and wipe down with a dry cloth. Then add a coat of polyurethane to the frame. The sanding allows the polyurethane to penetrate the stain. Adding a coat of polyurethane will protect the stain and add sheen to your cabinets.

9. Stain the shelves with the stain of your choice. Just as you did with the frame, follow the wood grain and apply the stain in smooth strokes. Allow each coat of stain to dry before applying the next coat. Add the coat of polyurethane after sanding lightly, just as you did with the frame.

10. Stain the doors of the cabinets, following the same procedures as with the frame and shelves. Apply the stain of your choice to the door front and sides. Allow the stain to dry and apply the stain to the back. Continue to apply coats of stain until you achieve the desired color. Lightly sand and apply a coat of polyurethane. Remember to put the piece of tape back onto the door that identifies its location.

11. After staining the doors, reinstall the shelves (if you removed them) into the frame of the cabinets, followed by reinstallation of the doors. Bring the appliances back in or remove the protective coverings. Clean up and enjoy your new cabinets.