Expert: Jamie Yocono - 4/23/2011

Question
I have 16 year old whitewashed maple cabinets in my kitchen.  The whitewash is chipping off.  I'm thinking about stripping them, and just keeping the maple natural.  I need advise on if this is a good idea and if a natural maple cabinet will not only look good, but will it hold up if it's not stained and/or varnished.

Answer
Tina,

If you strip the whitewash from your cabinets, you still need to add some sort of a finish back onto the wood. Yes, you can leave the wood in it's natural, "un-whitewashed", appearance, but you still need some sort of a clear sealer on top of the wood. Otherwise, the wood will absorb moisture and grease from the air in the kitchen. That would be a bad thing.

What I would recommend is stripping off the old finish that you don't want, and then sanding the wood down, to eliminate any defects. Do a very nice job, as every little defect will show.

Then look for a product called a wipe-on polyurethane. I think Minwax makes one, but there may be others. It's very easy to apply with a soft rag, you basically just put a small amount on a rag and wipe it in. There are no brush marks to deal with, and it dries very quickly. It's easy to use, and gives very nice results. I'd apply at least two coats, which will be enough to protect your wood, while still leaving you with the look of natural maple.

Hope this helps, write back if you need more information and I'll try to help.

Jamie in Vegas


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Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com