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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Staining Kitchen Cabinets

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Expert: - 7/22/2010


Question

Our intended finish
Hi Greg
Were looking to re stain some outdated cabinets that need some updating. Currently we have Oak cabinets where the grain shows. We are going for a darker cabinet look possibly a walnut or espresso finish. We don't want the grain to be as noticeable and like the darker finish. Our problem is we cannot find a stain that is the right color for our intended look. Many of the stains we've tried have to much of a red color in them. Do you have any suggestions on stain colors, stain companies and where I could find these products? I've attached two images one picture similar to the stain of our current cabinets as well as a picture of the stain we would like to have.
Ryan

Answer
Hi Ryan, in order to change the color of Oak cabinets, (or any cabinet that's finished), you would need to strip off the existing finish chemically, down to bare wood. That's a big job as these finishes are usually very tough, durable finishes, if done in the last 20 years or so....Oak has pronounced grain, and trying to hide it is also difficult and will require a pore filling agent as part of the finish. These dark "espresso", "Coffee", type finishes are done with dye stains and toning, and can not be accomplished with the typical consumer grade oil stain...and the toning is done with dye based color coats, sprayed on after the stains and special sealers...and these are not DIY finishes, unless you have spray equipment and experience and knowledge with the products and techniques used in these finishes...stain alone will not get you there, especially on a hardwood like Oak. These finishes can have upwards of 10 individual steps, and again, are not the stuff of the novice finisher.....they represent state of the art techniques. Even the clear coats used after getting the color done are specialized, catalyzed clear coats, meeting KCMA standards, and produce an extremely hard, durable finish that will last upwards of 20+ years. Again, not a project for a novice finisher......wish I had a better answer- please post back- regards- Greg

Greg Scholl

Expertise

Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.

Experience

Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.

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