Can I Stain My Cabinets A Different Color?

You can stain your cabinets a different color to give it a new and refreshing look. In fact it is easier to change the color than replacing the old cabinets. Going from dark wood to a lighter color can be strenuous. However, applying a dark color for your light wood cabinets is usually an easier process. But before staining your cabinets a different color, it is always important to know the construction of the cabinets and whether the cabinet finish is sealed. In case the cabinet finish has a sealer, you will first need to determine which type of sealer was used for the cabinet finish. Knowing these details will help you determine how to proceed with staining your cabinets.

Cabinet Construction:

Typically, most cabinets are made of either solid wood or light plywood. There are some cabinets that have thin layers of veneer so that the wood pattern becomes uniform. Sometimes, veneers are used to intimate some special woods that are more valuable. When it comes to stain your cabinets, it is important know the construction of it since plywood and veneer require special care. The method of staining cabinets also depends on the cabinet’s finish. In order to determine whether the finish is sealed, you can apply a drop of water to the surface. If the water soaks in, you can say that the wood is not sealed. Depending on the type of surface, you may need minor treatment before staining.

Stain Products:

You can use stains to darken the unsealed wood cabinets. The stain will darken the cabinets with a great polyurethane finish. In case, the cabinet is sealed with anything other than polyurethane finish, it will need to be stripped of the finish before staining. Also, you need to test the stain in an auspicious area before using stain on the cabinets. This ensures that you will get the actual color you want. Since the interior color and finish of the cabinet is quite different from the exterior surface of the cabinet, the interior of the cabinet may not be the best place to test the stain.

Surface Preparation:

You need to remove all doors and drawers from the cabinets before staining it a different color. You should also take off all the handles, pull knobs, hinges, and any other types of hardware from the cabinets. Under any circumstances, you should not sand the unsealed cabinets. If the cabinet has other types of finish, you will need to strip the finish to bare wood so that it accepts stain.