Expert: Greg Scholl - 1/8/2010

Question
Hi, I have nice oak cabinets,  with raised paneling, about 6yrs old, which appear to have perhaps the normal stain & top coat for protection? I want to darken them. They do no look right in our home, all our furniture wall art, frames, etc are warmer. When I walk into model homes and see beautiful darker cabinets that look so rich in color, some oak(stained dark), some cherry, etc. Is there a way I can do this without having to sand the cabinets? looking for a easy way! Colored laquer, brush & wipe glaze, or darker stain? Please help. Need easy-easy if possible?

Answer
Hi Candy, no there is no way to darken commercially finished cabinets like these without some serious skill and knowledge of the materials and techniques. The "normal" stain and topcoats of Kitchen cabinets are the high end of the coatings technology, meeting KCMA standards for durability and hardness. They are catalyzed finish technology, and crosslink chemically when cured to form a super tough, furniture grade finish designed to last 20+ years.Your cabinets would have to be stripped, (that in itself a huge job, as these finishes are designed to resist all sorts of harsh chemicals), in order to affect any real change in shade or color. Staining has to be done at the wood level, usually followed by "toning", (sprayed on colored clears), and then clear coated. The process is so in depth, that it is very likely to cost more than new cabinets, really....these factory fishes can have upwards of 15 individual finishing steps, and are a closely guarded secret, because the finish is one of the things sets each company apart from each other... that's why it's just not done as a general rule. You'd be better off to save for new cabinets, or investigate kitchen refacing, which entails purchasing new doors and drawer fronts, (already factory finished), and then they match the sides and frames of the cabinet"boxes", to make such a change. That's usually 1/2 - 3/4 the cost of new, depending on the level of cabinetry you would be looking at. This is not a case where something brushed on from a can at Home Depot will miraculously produce a beautiful,dark, rich professional looking (and lasting) finish... Hope that helps- (even though I'm sure it wasn't what you were hoping to hear)- regards- Greg