Refinishing bleached oak kitchen cabinets, need ideas.?

I must agree with Furn-Man above. Ideally you want to use lacquers for the best results, which would give you clarity. However you do have a few options still open.

The most essentially step in anything you choose to do is ensuring the cabinets are clean and free of grease and oil, to do this you can wash them thorougly with murphy's oil or TSP. These are degreasers that will remove all of the waxs and oils that may have built up on your cabinets over time. If you don't do this, nothing you put on will adhere properly and you will have a nightmare.

You can replace sanding the cabinets down, with using what is known as liquid sander. It goes under the names of Wil-Bond, End sander or sometimes liquid sander. This is a fast drying chemical that will "etch" the surface of the cabinets which is essential for the next techniques. This will eliminate the dust from sanding, BUT you must get good ventilation when you are doing this.

Next you have two options:

If you can remove the doors and take them someplace else with ventilation your're in luck. At this point you can go to a good paint store and pick up what is known as "Lacquer Spray Toner". This is essentially colored lacquer in an aerosol used for toning/ shading or changing the color of a wood stain. If they have a good selection you have multiple colors to choose; some good names for toners are Behlen, Mohawk, Star and Lenmar. Avoid department store brands like Minwax, McLoskey, Valspar. The toner will allow you to alter your bleached color without mutting the wood grain. You MUST put a clear coat over this when you are done however to protect it from scratches. Practice on the back of a door to find out if you like your new color before you go to the main project.

The second technique you can use will work for the "carcus" or main body of the cabinets, as well as the doors if you can't find lacquer toner or have no place to remove the cabinet doors too.

Look for Old Masters or Bartley Gel Stain, DO NOT USE MINWAX!! A gel Stain is a thick gooey product used predominately for staining fiberglass doors and woodgraining techniques. I am going to get technical now...Gel Stain is thixotropic...this is a fancy way of saying its like ketchup, the more you shake it the thinner and more liquidy it gets. When you get your gel stain shake or stir the hell out of it. Then with a cheap natural bristle brush, apply it to the back of one of your doors. Then with a softer brush "soften" the stain down. If you're a woman or have one in your life have her show you how she applies her blush, its essentially the same technique. The gel stain will add color, but not eliminate the grain, it is also very sticky and will adhere to the wood with minimal effort. Again, practice makes perfect and use the back of the door. If you are really feeling creative, you can "cake" the gel stain into the cracks and crevices of the door frames with a rag, this gives and antique or "tuscanny" look.

The last and final step is to coat them with a clear coat. I would recommend a waterbased polyurethane, as it will remain clear and not yellow. The sheen (matte, satin, semi-gloss, high gloss) is up to you. Some good brands are Muralo/Graham, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Mckenzie Stewart and Coronado....again do NOT use Minwax.

Good Luck and remember to read all the instruction and most of all have patience and practice your technique.

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Refinishing bleached oak kitchen cabinets, need ideas.?

Does anyone have a suggestion how to eliminate the bleached look and stain the cabinets a darker shade while retaining the wood grain? I'm not crazy about sanding, there is just too much cabinetry too consider, but I will if there is no other choice. Painting and hiding the wood grain is out...

almost impossible to do in the house - requires you to use alcohol based dye stains which need to be sprayed on and require ventilation.- and glaze stains - and shading lacquer. This will give you a wood looking finish that is a little muddy. Another option is to faux paint cabinets - paint a wood base color then use wiping glaze to simulate grain and then a protective top coat( need a very experienced finisher to get the right look.

For the best results the old finish needs to be stripped off to the bare wood.

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/x3C9D

Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

u can buy a wood stripper thats in a gel form that you applt to the wood and let it set for a few minitues then start scrapping a few repeated steps of this and youll de good to go also remove the doors and them on a bench or somthing lke and do it in your driveway once the wood is raw again start staining and then apply a polyurathane as a top coat that can be brushed on

good luck

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