Expert: Jamie Yocono - 8/10/2008

Question
Bathrooms cabinets were installed new approximately 5 years ago. They are all stained a walnut type finish. The manufacturer does not want to get involved. They were custom made. They advised the warranty was one year. The finish has come off the upper sections of my bathroom cabinets most likely from the shower condensation. There is an exhaust fan in the bathroom. The cabinets still have the stain on them in these areas where the finish has come off. I have had numerous what were called professional type painters look at this and they have never got back to me. Can these areas be fixed or do I have to sand them all down and start over. Will applying a poly covering or two on these areas bring them back to the old finish or will this area then not match the other cabinets which have not been affected? Thanks much. Dave Stone

Answer
David,

Seems like I've been hearing a lot of similar stories of moisture damaged finishes like you mentioned, it's odd that they're all failing right around now. Maybe it's summertime humidity adding to the problem? I suspect that the reason that  you never heard back from the painters you called is because it's a labor intensive job, and not one they're that "into" doing. I have a couple of suggestions.

The best way to correct it would be to strip and re-varnish the cabinets. I would probably recommend a more durable varnish, possible a spar varnish, which is known for it's water resistance. I honestly think stripping wouldn't be too difficult, since the cabinets aren't in bad shape, only the finish. So you could paint a layer of stripper on, let it sit and dissolve the old stuff, and wipe it clean. Not a lot of sanding involved, which I think is the messy part. So that would be the perfect resolution - stripping, possibly re-staining back to the walnut color, and then spar varnish.

A lot of work, no wonder those guys didn't get back to you!

But there's another method you could try, it might work. Formby's makes a product called Formby's Conditioning Furniture Refinisher, which (I'm quoting their site) is specially formulated to gently dissolve old varnish, lacquer and shellac without chemicals that may harm wood. It renews the wood's natural beauty without the need for sanding and scraping. Check out their site at: http://www.formbys.com/products/refinisher.cfm

I've used this product to refinish older furniture, something I don't do very often, but it seems like it did a decent job. So it's possible it might work on your cabinets, although you really won't have the grime and build-up on your cabinets that an antique would have.

They sell this stuff two ways, a can by itself, or in a kit, with steel wool, tung oil and other stuff you might need. I suggest you just buy a can of the Refinisher istelf and try it, to see how it works on your cabinets. Basically, you're going to rub it on, sort of massaging the wood with it, for lack of a better word.

It's possible that if the damage is bad, you might still have to go back and apply a fresh coat of varnish. But if you're lucky, maybe this stuff will blend the bad spots into the better areas, and you'll be able to live with it.

I'm no expert on wood finishing, that's for sure, and I usually write back and say that I'm sorry, but I can't really help you out.  But I thought I'd offer this suggestion. Good luck, write back if you need more help, not sure I have more to tell you, but I can offer a shoulder to cry on.... refinishing is a drag.

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