FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Restaining kitchen cabinets

bayendeavors | Posted in Construction Techniques on October 27, 2008 11:51am

Hey all, I have to restain some kitchen cabinets on a kitchen remodel I am doing. The question is, do any of you have a kick

product you swear by that minimizing sanding. I’m not really happy with liquid sandpaper and I’m even less happy about having to use an orbital sander.&

#160; The cabinets are red oak, with a golden oakish stain currently. Polyeurethane finish, and are about 15 years old. The new color is going to be a cabernet, a little less red.  Any suggestions before I break out the sanders and elbow grease?

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. DonCanDo | Oct 28, 2008 12:57am | #1

    If I understand correctly, you're planning on stripping the poly and then removing the current stain so you can re-stain.

    Liquid sandpaper is a deglosser that prepares a painted/poly'd finish for re-finishing.  It's not meant to actually remove the finish which is what you need to do.  You'll need paint stripper for that... or lots of sandpaper.

    Removing the current stain, which is certainly embedded well into the wood (especially an open grain wood like oak) is going to be your big challenge.  I don't know how to do that, but I'm trying to clarify what you're asking because maybe someone will come along who's done this.

     

    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | Oct 28, 2008 02:21am | #3

      It might work in this SPECIFIC case.Liquid sandpaper is for deglossing slick finishes and not limited to paint. I have used it many times on varnished woodwork that is being painted.Now he wants to go from a light stain to darker one.It would be worth it to try a test sample. Degloss and then use a gell stain and then varnish..
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

      Edited 10/27/2008 7:21 pm by BillHartmann

  2. frenchy | Oct 28, 2008 01:04am | #2

    Short answer NO!

     Can't be done affordably! (Unless you are willing to work for 50 cents an hour or so)

     suggest paint..

  3. sledgehammer | Oct 28, 2008 02:33am | #4

    I hope you are just sanding the face frames, as you'll never get the doors and drawers sanded uniformly enough to take a stain and not look like a blotchy mess.

    1. bayendeavors | Oct 28, 2008 05:30am | #6

      Yep, Just face frames, doors, and drawer fronts...sides of finished end cabinets etc... Not looking forward to it! But Yeah, bill, more or less lighter to darker...more like lighter to redder. But is liquid sandpaper the only product that will degloss? If so, do I just do one application of it, then try polyshades or a similar product to adjust the tint

      1. USAnigel | Oct 28, 2008 08:24am | #7

        Do a face lift with new factory finish doors and fronts. quicker and cheaper.

      2. SteveSchoene | Nov 03, 2008 09:21pm | #8

        Don't use Polyshades.  That has potential for disaster since it is very hard to apply evenly without overlap streaks. 

        If the old finish has signs of wear it would have to be stripped with a chemical paint stripper.  Sanding doesn't evenly remove the old finish, especially with red oak where the stain and finish may have penetrated quite deeply.  This is a very time consuming, expensive job that would only be worth it on very high end cabinets with architectural distinction.  Otherwise you could likely reface the kitchen with veneer and new doors and drawer fronts for a lot less money. 

  4. TomE | Oct 28, 2008 03:03am | #5

    Bill is probably advocating the best bang for the buck method.

    Prep your test sample and go with gel or tinted poly product and keep adding coats to get close to your desired finish color.

    The idea is to add color with the poly (like a transparent paint) not to actually stain the wood.

    There are several products out there that will tint finishes. Aniline dyes for example could be used to tint water based lacquers and poly's

    Spraying the finish would be a nice way to go too.

  5. Dave45 | Nov 03, 2008 09:41pm | #9

    I think that you're heading for a train wreck with this.

    To get a decent color, you're going to have to remove all of the old poly - or whatever finish was used. Unless the wood was sealed before staining, the stain (and finish) was pulled deeply into the oak grain and will make it difficult to get your darker stain to "take".

    If you really gotta try this, do a small door, or drawer front, and see how it comes out. I'm betting that you'll decide that it's way more of a PITA than it's worth.

    1. bayendeavors | Nov 05, 2008 10:49am | #10

      yep it was a PITA! I talked them into paint. Bin primer and two coats of BM Satin Impervo alkyd Missisipi mud color. Looks great and only took 3 days

       

      1. DonCanDo | Nov 05, 2008 09:02pm | #11

        Thanks for the update.  I've done that same job except that I used an alkyd primer.  And yeah, it does take more time than the area would make it seem.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

A Practical Perfect Wall

Getting the details right for a wall assembly with the control layers to the exterior and lots of drying potential.

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • Midcentury Home for a Modern Family
  • The New Old Colonial
  • Modern and Minimal in the Woods
  • Bryce Hollingsworth, Dry-Stone Waller

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 333 - August/September 2025
    • A Practical Perfect Wall
    • Landscape Lighting Essentials
    • Repairing a Modern Window Sash
  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data