How Can Kitchen Cabinets be Refinished Without Stripping Them?

Old and worn-out looking kitchen cabinets need not be refaced or replaced – a facelift is just right for restoring their outlook value. Kitchen cabinetry has to withstand a lot of wear and tear compared to the cabinets installed in other spaces in the house. Gradually, the kitchen cabinetry develops a time-worn appearance. With the cabinets being in their decent shape, they need not be stripped completely for being restored. The professionals apply a one-step stain-and-finish product for extending their usage.

How Do The Professionals Restore the Old Finish on the Kitchen Cabinets Without Stripping Them?

To flawlessly restore the old finish of the kitchen cabinets, the professional furniture restorations experts use certain things at their workshop in Sandy Bay, which include

• Screwdriver
• Small can
• Clean rag
• Quality varnish paintbrush to keep bristles securely attached
• Mineral spirits
• Stir stick
• Touch-up pen
• Tack cloth
• Stain and polyurethane combination product

The Process Taken Up For Rest

The hinges are removed and handle hardware is pulled from the door and cabinets. The doors are set on a flat surface. The hardware is placed in a separate small can if it is to be painted or reused. A drill equipped with appropriate screwdriver bits speeds the process along.

1. Excess grease and oil residue is removed using a clean rag dampened with mineral spirits that cut through the residue left behind from cooking. The cabinetry is wiped up and down for removing greasy residue. The cabinetry is wiped up and down using the dampened rag for removing greasy residue either by turning over the cloth or replacing the cloth as per need. The step is repeated till the rag is clean.
   Cabinets are sanded lightly using 220-grit sandpaper. Long and even pressured straight strokes are applied to work with the wood grain when a ¼ sandpaper sheet folded in thirds is used. When the sandpaper is turned over for using both exposed sides, the third side is unfolded for exposing it post usage. Fingers are used on the sandpaper for getting between moulding and identifications in the cabinetry. For the combination stain-and-finish product to adhere better, the surface is roughened by light sanding.
2. A tack cloth is used for removing all the surface dust from the kitchen cabinets. The entire cabinets are wiped using mineral spirits once more.
   Before the stain-finish combo product is applied, the cabinets are touched up for ensuring an even colour. A touch-up pen might be dabbed for the wood matched to the existing stain for filling in the cabinetry's worn areas missing colour and finish. It is left to dry for about 10 minutes. The excess is wiped off when it has dried, and the edges are feathered in. If the discolouration from the original colour is slight, then it does not matter as these pens work just like the felt tip pens.
3. Now it is time for the combination stain and polyurethane product. The product is stirred for mixing it thoroughly since pigment settling could occur when it rests for a long time. No pigments are allowed to remain on the can's bottom. Selecting the stain colour that is either same or slightly darker compared to the existing cabinet stain will be giving better results. Since the air bubbles in the stain-polyurethane combo leave behind small bubbles on the cabinetry, so the can is not shaken.
4. The cabinet moulding is painted, and the areas are first the cabinetry areas are trimmed, working with the grain. After that, the stain and the finished product is applied to the flat areas. The strokes are kept even and regular for deriving the best results in the finish coat as this method involves a one-step process. The last stroke is applied, which is the striking off technique for the even surface. The area is never brushed. For a deeper, intense colour, a second coat is applied once the first coat dries up.

The method as discussed is all professional, and you have to resort to it to the best professionals for the task to be done flawlessly. As the trained experts, they will surely bring it back to its former glory.