Expert: Eileen Cronk - 8/29/2006

Question
Hi Eileen

Our kitchen is "pickled maple" and about 10 years old. It's still in good condition except that it has developed a yellowing where it is in shade. So, when you open a door the face-frame has a yellow line around where the door would cover it. I don't think its a failure of the finish as the yellow also appears on the melamine shelves where they join the face-frame.

My challenge is whether I can remove this "stain" somehow... Especially under the old door handles too, as I want to replace that hardware with more modern ones and where the shaded area shows it is, of course, yellow too. (It also may need a light sanding there as there is some ridges in the finish there).

I don't feel qualified to refinish all the cabinets, but it seens a shame to replace a good kitchen that, at least functionally, has nothing wrong with it.

Appreciate any advise you may have!

Regards, John

Answer
Hi John
Nice to hear from you.
I appreciate where you are coming from with your cupboards.
Certainly a shame to replace.
And you are correct that this is caused from sunlight.
Unfortunately the only proper fix is strip and refinish but you can not do that so perhaps we could try a different approach..that may or may not work LOL, but I am confused with the "pickled Maple" term you use so I need clarification on the type of finish on these cupboards.
Certainly I am familiar with pickled oak, but not maple done like this.
A picture would be great too.
Any chance?
ecronk@sympatico.ca is my address.
Regards
Eileen