Expert: Eileen Cronk - 1/27/2009

Question
My kitchen cabinets are showing their age. They are oak with a non shiny finish.I don't want to change the color just coat them with a matte lacquer to bring them back to life.They have areas dryer than others,wear spots etc.  Do I have to sand them before I apply the finish.I intend to wash them down with tsp first,wai for them to dry and then apply my finish.Would this be the correct method or should I do something else?Any information would be appreciated.Thank you

Answer
Hi Tess
Nice to hear from you.
You do not need to sand if you are using a steel wool pad as a scrubber during the cleaning.
This will deglaze the surface enough that a fresh coat will adhere.
Make sure you rinse well after the cleaning.
Good Luck with this
Regards
Eileen