Expert: Eileen Cronk - 1/3/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Eileen,  I've read alot of your responses and hope you can help me.  We are doing a diy kitchen reno (big job) We have purchased additional used cabinets to add to our originals.  The old cabinets are raised 3/4" oak solid full frame Honey finish the new ones are the same with the exception of a cinimen finish.  I know these are not standards and are just names but we are hoping to refinish the lighter honey finish cabinets to match the darker cinamin cabinets.  The layout we have designed will not have any of the old an new cabinets immediatly next to one another. and we have been very fortunate to find custom made cabinets that match up and fit in our renovated kitchen so perfectly.  In closing I will metion that the cabinets are approx 20 years old (both sets) and are in very good shape no sun or water damage on either set.

Any advice you could give would be most appreciated.
Thanks in advance

ANSWER: Hi David
Nice to hear from you.
This certainly sounds like something I would attempt to do.
You have two 20 year old sets of oak cabinets in two different colors. You want to make them match as close as possible but they will be on opposite sides of the kitchen so a slight variation would not look bad.
Its fairly straight forward. The set that you want to change will need a complete stripping with an MC paint stripper.
Then you will need to do some stain samples (the back of a cabinet door is a good place.)
First try the Minwax line of oil stains. Minwax has color charts (although not great they are a starting place at least), and it may end up you will need to do some custom mixing of the Minwax stains.
You have the age of the oak cabinets in your favor believe it or not.
This older oak will take a stain fairly well I feel.
The biggest piece of advice I will give you (if you choose to listen LOL), is this..Do not sand these cabinets after the finish is removed. If you use the correct method to strip and the correct stripper its not necessary and in fact will remove all the ageing and color the wood has aquired over the last 20 years. You do not want this to happen. You want the sets to match in this way as well as in stain color.
If you need my full stripping instructions just ask.
Good luck
Regards
Eileen


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the timely response.  Could you elaborate on the correct method to strip these cabinets and If you use the correct method to strip and the correct stripper its not necessary and in fact will remove all the ageing and color the wood has aquired over the last 20 years.
This will be our first attempt at stripping,  we will have some spares of the cabinets that are to be stripped so we have that much in our favour. A little room for a learning curve there.
But any tricks of the trade you could pass along would be very helpfull.  Even a step by step from the beginning to end if possible with product recommendations. I've heard of citrisrip do you recommend that one.
The staining and top coat(urethane or whatever is on the other set of cabinets) we can handle.  
I have used minwax in the past with reasonably good success.
Thanks for your time
Dave

Answer
Hi Again Dave
INSTRUCTIONS FOR STRIPPING DAVES OAK CABINETS
The first thing you must do is assemble the material to do the job.
The stripper is the most important item.  
I am hoping you can get "CIRCA 1850" brand paint and varnish remover in your area.
Here is a link
http://www.swingpaints.com/1806.htm
I do not recommend the stripper you mention.

MATERIAL LIST For the stripping stage.
1 gallon stripper (you may need more depending on the amount of cupboards).
6 boxes of Bull Dog steel wool in medium grade.
One 3 inch oil based paint brush.
Rubber gloves (like you do dishes with), and a pair of cotton gloves inside the rubber ones.
People react differently to stripper. A lot of people feel heat through the rubber gloves, but I feel cold. Have no idea why.
An empty large coffee can. (for the stripper)
A couple of old tooth brushes.
Lots of old rags (I like t-shirts or cotton but for this first stage whatever you have)
Lots of newspaper to protect the garage floor
LOTS OF VENTILATION..A MUST
That's all you need to get started.
HERES WHAT YOU DO...
Work in sections, perhaps a couple of doors at a time.
Brush on the stripper with the brush. Stripper will quit working if it dries, so keep it wet till the finish softens.
Then take a rag and wipe this mess off.
Then another coat of stripper, rag off again, then while the wood is still wet, take the steel wool and rub with the grain till the wood is nice and clean.
Depending on the material you are removing, another coat of stripper is often needed but you will know this as you progress into the job.
Use the toothbrush in crevices.
Thats all there is to it ...move to another section and continue.
No other prep is necessary...and DO NOT SAND
Your cabinets are ready to be stained and finished.
About the sanding as you asked.
As you know Dave I work mostly on refinishing. Any piece I remove the finish from has already been sanded to perfection by the builder (as your cabinets have).
When I refinish old furniture I am not attempting to make it look like it was just made (horrors LOL).
In the case of your cabinets, you do not want to do this either.
All the wood surfaces in our home darken over time. This darkening does not penetrate the wood very deeply and we can remove it with sanding if we choose. In the case of old furniture we do not want to remove it and the same goes for your cabinets in this case.
If you have an extra door, do a test.
Finish one without sanding and one with. Then compare. You will see a big difference.
Please let me know if anything is not 100% clear.
And I am here if you run into problems.
Regards
Eileen