Darken Cabinets Without Stripping The Existing Finish

My bath makeover may perhaps live the slowest inwards history. It started in conclusion yr when I removed the hideous, inexpensive low-cal bar inwards a higher identify the vanity as well as replaced it amongst 2 beautiful low-cal fixtures.

The adjacent measuring was to add together moulding to the wall-mounted mirror, as well as I shared some tricks to brand that procedure easier.

And that's where things stayed... for months as well as months. Recently, I finally constitute the motivation as well as decided it was fourth dimension to tackle updating the vanity. If you lot conduct maintain lived inwards a solid built inwards the in conclusion 25 years, the odds are pretty practiced you lot conduct maintain lived amongst cabinets similar these. Typical, builder-grade oak, finished inwards a gold/honey color.

I had a determination to make. Was I going to pigment or stain them? I conduct maintain decided although its amend than golden stain, I don't actually tending for the hold off of painted oak. You tin withal run across the heavy grain, fifty-fifty later on a twosome coats. Also, I conduct maintain yet to sell my married adult man on painted cabinets. So stain it is! There was absolutely no agency I was going to attempt to strip all the existing stain as well as complete off this vanity, addition I was looking to minimize roughly of the oak grain. I had the sentiment that I could role a tinted topcoat, similar Minwax's Polyshades to darken the woods (same technique I used on my sometime kitchen table). Unfortunately, Polyshades is a fleck of a drippy mess as well as tin larn thick as well as globby amongst multiple coats.

I started researching as well as discovered that a lot of people conduct maintain had swell success darkening finished woods amongst gel stain. The showtime tutorial I read was this one. Just nigh every tutorial I read claimed you lot must role General Finish gel stain, as well as every unmarried i of them used the color Java. I decided to live a rebel as well as attempt something else, as well as approximate what? It worked!

I used nigh one-half a quart of Varathane gel stain (by Rustoleum) inwards the color Dark Walnut .

My bath makeover may perhaps live the slowest inwards history Darken Cabinets WITHOUT Stripping the Existing Finish

If you've decided to darken your cabinets, lets become over the steps I propose you lot follow.

First, take the drawer faces as well as cabinet doors. I conduct maintain seen people stain them inwards place, but don't do it. It takes similar v minutes to unscrew the sometime doors. Lets do it the correct agency people.

Next, give everything a low-cal sand-down, specially if your cabinets are on the newer side. It shouldn't accept really long. You arn't looking to take the finish, only give it roughly "tooth". I used 150 grit. Make certain to role a damp rag or tack stuff to wipe them create clean after.

Once your woods is prepped, fourth dimension to start staining. One error I run across people do is to non stir their stain. Gel stain is super thick! Like pudding. Although the pigment inwards gel stain doesn't separate every bit speedily every bit traditional stain, it is withal a practiced sentiment to stir it good earlier use.

As for application, I'll admit, I totally stole this idea. Once again, beingness a rebel, I tried applying the stain amongst a high lineament brush but withal had terrible brush strokes. I finally caved as well as went amongst the crowd as well as used a thick sock over a gloved hand. It actually worked swell to larn a smooth, fifty-fifty application.

For an authentic, stained woods look, brand certain to wipe amongst the grain of the woods as well as live mindful of intersections. Keep the coats fifty-fifty but thin. Warning, the showtime coat volition hold off similar crap. At this quest you lot volition totally live 2nd guessing yourself as well as perhaps cursing my name. It volition larn better, I promise. VERY IMPORTANT! Let each coat dry out for at to the lowest degree 12 hours. Seriously. I don't tending if the tin says you lot "can re-coat inwards 2 hours". Don't do it.

Yes, I conduct maintain 2 steps labeled #4

Each coat gets amend as well as better. It took me iii coats till the color looked fifty-fifty as well as natural.

If you lot desire professional person results, you lot are going to desire to spray your sealant (I'll explicate to a greater extent than inwards a minute). Take the doors to the (open) garage to spray, but the vanity volition conduct maintain to larn sprayed inwards place. Yes, you lot tin spray within your house. Actually, that's how the pro's do it. You tin alternative upwards plastic drib cloths at Home Depot for dirt cheap. Cover anything you lot don't desire sprayed as well as brand certain to conduct maintain every bit much ventilation every bit possible!

If you lot read other tutorials, they volition all tell you lot to role a water-based, wipe on exceed coat. Here's my thoughts: This is a bathroom. These cabinets volition live oftentimes exposed to water. Water-based sealants aren't durable to long term H2O exposure.

Once I decided to refinish my cabinets, I decided to brand them hold off as well as experience every bit professional person every bit possible. I started watching dozens of YouTube videos as well as reading on cabinet maker forums. One affair was universal. Professionals role lacquer to seal cabinets for a diversity of reasons. #1- Its dries fast! You tin re-coat, without sanding, inwards thirty minutes. #2- It dries difficult every bit a rock, different poly products which are essentially flexible plastic. And #3- It is VERY durable. Once fulled cured, a lacquered surface should withstand years of heavy use. I know, DIYers are ordinarily scared of lacquer.

The practiced intelligence is, I constitute a clear lacquer inwards a spray can! I conduct maintain a twosome of pigment guns, but I attempt to avoid running anything but water-based products through them, since I loathe the create clean up. Home Depot carries a production past times Deft (owned past times Minwax) that is perfect! It goes on super even, as well as gives professional person looking results. I sprayed iii coats on the vanity every bit good every bit both sides of the doors as well as ended upwards using vi cans. Here is a link to purchase it online

After allowing the lacquer to dry out over-night, i to a greater extent than measuring I highly recommend is using felt or condom pads on the drawer as well as cabinet faces. These trivial guys are like shooting fish in a barrel to find, cheap, as well as assistance your cabinets component subdivision much to a greater extent than smoothly. The pocket-size infinite they furnish betwixt the doors as well as frames continue the fresh stain as well as lacquer from sticking to itself. They are also a must for painted cabinets! Here's a link to purchase them online

If you lot are attaching novel hardware, brand your life easier as well as construct a jig from roughly combat wood. It takes exclusively a twosome minutes to pose together as well as ensures each hole is drilled inwards the exact same spot on every door. If you lot don't experience similar putting a jig together, you tin purchase a plastic guide here.

The in conclusion steps are to attach the hardware as well as drawer faces, as well as hang the doors.

Let's accept i to a greater extent than hold off at the "before".

And hither is the after!

A few of the photos become far hold off darker than it actually is. This shot shows the truthful color the best. A dark, rich brown.

I am inwards LOVE amongst the hardware, generously donated past times D. Lawless Hardware! If you lot are looking for cabinet hardware, you lot conduct maintain got to banking concern agree them out. I honestly would gild from them fifty-fifty if nosotros didn't conduct maintain a relationship. Honestly, the best prices as well as best client service!

The pulls are Traditional Minaret inwards chrome

And the knobs are the 1 1/4" Polished Chrome Knobs.

I know I'm bragging, but they actually do hold off professionally refinished inwards person. Its non done yet though. I've got something special to pose on exceed of it curing inwards my garage every bit nosotros speak. I'll part it every bit before long every bit it's done!