Expert: Jamie Yocono - 8/27/2008

Question
I've bought a house in Sun City Anthem with Hickory Cabinets through out
the house.  They have a yellowish tint. (Natural I suppose.)  Is there a
possibility of refinishing them with a darker finish (more of a dark cherry type
look)?

If there is, is it a big big undertaking (handled by someone other than me of
course)...

Thanks,
Marilyn

Answer
Marilyn,

It's possible that you might be able to darken your cabinets, it all depends on what's on them.

See, wood is like our skin, in a way. It has pores, and it breathes. If the wood is sealed, like with varnish, a new darker finish can't penetrate it. So it depends on what the existing finish is.

There are two types of finishes - surface finishes, like varnish, shellac or lacquer, that sit on top of the wood. Or penetrating finishes, like oils, that penetrate into the pores. I'm guessing that your finish is a surface one, so if you tried to apply stain, it would just bead up on the surface.

To darken the cabinets, you would need to sand all the existing finish off, and then stain them darker. If you miss sanding off the varnish in some places, those places will appear lighter.

Then when the stain dries, you would need to re-apply a varnish to protect the wood from things like grease in the air, and oil from your hands.

Yes, it's a big job. BIG.

There is one other suggestion I have, but still - it's best left to a professional. It's called fuming, basically, you let the fumes of ammonia react with the tannic acid that's already in your wooden cabinets. The two re-act quite nicely, and will darken your cabinets without even touching the existing finish. The fumes, however, are TOXIC. Not toxic - but T O X I C. Dangerous.  It's an involved process, but it could be done. Once the fumes dissipate, the room is safe again, there is no lingering danger.

So - those are the short and long answers to your question. Hope this helps, write back if you have more questions,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com