Advertisement
Are your kitchen cabinets in need of some TLC, oak cabinets, or combination stain? Stained cabinets seem to be aged and weathered. The finish is no longer as noticeable as it once was. It’s time to refinish your cabinets to bring them back to the same level of beauty as the rest of your kitchen cabinets without stripping.
Refinishing kitchen cabinets, doors, and drawers does not have to be a costly or time-consuming task. You may believe that you must strip your kitchen cabinet doors and drawers in order to stain or paint them, but there is no need to go through such a lengthy procedure.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that some volatile compounds present in paint strippers are hazardous and may be damaging to a person’s health. Utilize these strategies to refinish kitchen cabinets door without having to remove them completely.
If you want to learn how to restain kitchen cabinets without stripping, keep reading this article.
Why Restain Kitchen Cabinets?
Did you ever wonder why is it necessary to learn how to restain kitchen cabinets without stripping?
Well, if you’re considering restaining the doors and drawers of your kitchen cabinets, you may be attempting to avoid the trouble of a complete kitchen redesign. Refinishing kitchen cabinets may add value to your house and, with little additional care, you may even see a return on your investment.
Others are just dissatisfied with their outdated kitchen cabinets, doors, and drawer fronts. You first fell in love with them, but you’re ready for a change. Refacing cabinets and drawer fronts is an inexpensive way to update the look of your kitchen and amaze guests.
How to Restain Kitchen Cabinets without Stripping
Remove the Kitchen Cabinets
It is almost hard to refinish kitchen cabinets that are not removed from their hinges. As a result, you’re going to wish to eliminate them.
The most time-consuming and hardest step in repainting kitchen cabinets without stripping them is removing the cabinets from the walls. If you are unsure about removing your cabinets, you should pay someone to do it for you. Removing cabinets from your kitchen is a straightforward process.
Measure how much length has to be removed from each side of the cabinet, if necessary. This will guarantee that they fit properly after being polished.
Take everything out of your cupboards and drawers. You’ll want to maximize storage space once the cabinets have been refurbished.
Preparing to Refurbish Wood Cabinets
While it is feasible to refinish kitchen cabinets while they are fastened in place, it is preferable to disassemble them completely before beginning. Arrange everything on the ground to facilitate access while working.
One of the first steps when preparing to refinish kitchen cabinets is to remove hinges, pulls, and handles from doors and cabinets. Arrange the doors in the garage on a level platform or workbench. If you want to paint or reuse the hardware, separate it into a small container. While a drill fitted with the right screwdriver bit might expedite the operation, a screwdriver will suffice.
While you do not need to strip the kitchen cabinets, it is vital to carefully clean the whole surface to ensure that no debris remains on the cabinet surface.
Scrub the cabinets with a mineral spirit. Mineral spirits may be purchased locally or online. You may also use regular dish soap in this situation, although it will not be as effective in cutting through solidified oil as a mineral spirit.
The cleaning soft cloth should be soaked in spirit and rubbed over the surface of the cabinets many times until the majority of the grease is removed.
Sand or Degloss Kitchen Cabinets
After cleaning everything, it’s time to sand the wood cabinets.
Lightly sand the cabinets with 220-grit sandpaper. With a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper folded in thirds, use lengthy, even-pressured straight strokes, working with the wood grain of the board. After using both exposed sides of the sandpaper, unfold the third side to expose it for usage.
Sandpaper between molding and indentations in the cabinets using your fingertips. A little sanding roughens the surface to aid in the adhesion of the stain-and-finish compound.
After sanding, surface dust and debris will naturally accumulate on the cabinet doors, which you will want to remove before repainting them. Using a clean, dry cloth, wipe both sides of all doors and shelves. You are now prepared to begin restaining kitchen cabinets!
Time to Stain the Kitchen Cabinets
To begin, try acquiring a touch-up pen. These pens let you correct minor imperfections in the appearance of tiny areas.
These pens come in a variety of styles and wood tones. You should be able to locate a color that matches your cabinets.
However, if you choose to stain the whole kitchen cabinet, you may proceed. Choose the stain color that is most appropriate for you. Choose one that is complementary to the finish.
Apply the stain to the wood cabinets using a paintbrush. As you go, use paper towels to absorb any excess stain.
Now all you have to do is wait for the stain to cure completely before proceeding to the next stage. The drying process might take up to two hours, and in certain cases, much longer.
Updating the Finish
Following that, apply the stain-and-finish compound to the cabinetry’s flat surfaces. Because this is a one-step procedure, it is critical to maintaining uniform and consistent strokes to get the greatest results in the final coat. For an even surface, make the last stroke in one direction – a technique called “striking off.” Avoid overbrushing the area. If a deeper, more vivid color is desired, add a second coat after the first has dried.
Sandpaper with a grit of 320 is recommended. You are not required to do it flawlessly. At this stage, you’re only sanding away any remaining blemishes.
Once you’re through sanding, wipe away all the dust with a clean cloth.
It may take up to 12 hours for the finish to cure, but ensure that it is completely dry before sanding or doing anything else.
Apply Clear Polyurethane
After the paint has dry, coat everything that was painted in the previous step with clear polyurethane. Alternatively, you may use varnish or lacquer in place of the polyurethane in this stage.
We’ll need something to seal the paint and preserve the hardwood cabinets from moisture and other factors. If time permits, add a second layer once the first has dried. This will increase the durability of your restored kitchen cabinets.
Replace the hardware and your kitchen cabinets will seem brand new, exactly as if you had completed a whole kitchen renovation job.
Final Tips
Here are some final tips when considering how to restain kitchen cabinets without stripping.
- Do not skip the washing and sanding processes; otherwise, the stain and finish will not adhere properly to the surface.
- If you are really sensitive to chemicals and strong scents, use a face mask.
- When applying the one-step application, avoid opening the garage door to winds. Dust and debris may accumulate on the surface of your cabinets, requiring more labor to achieve a smooth appearance.
- Protect your hands while working with vinyl gloves.
- Choose a hue that complements your present home décor or complements the new one if you’re intending to redo your kitchen.
- It takes time, but it is possible for those who remain motivated and work diligently to do the task correctly.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and if it helped you learn something new and useful.
If you enjoyed reading this article about how to restain kitchen cabinets without stripping, you should check out this one on how to organize a small kitchen without a pantry or this one on how to remove the kitchen sink drain.
We also wrote about similar topics like how to remove a Moen kitchen faucet, how to clean kitchen faucet head, how long does it take to remodel a kitchen, how to remove an old kitchen faucet, how to adjust kitchen cabinet doors, how tall are kitchen counters, and how to measure a kitchen sink.