Expert: Eileen Cronk - 4/4/2007

Question
I have 15 year old pickled custom cabinets.  The lacquer has yellowed.  I know that I can strip the lacquer, but my problem is the pickling.  Some of it has rubbed off by the handles.  Should I strip the cabinets, and try and match the stain. Is this possible.   I love these cabinets, but don't know how to handle the pickling .  

Answer
Hi Jeanne
Nice to hear from you.
Once the cabinets are stripped, a lot of the pickling will come off, but not all.
Unfortunately that is just the way it is with pickling.
Its just thin paint wiped on bare wood.
Most people want to remove the pickling and go back to wood. In my experience this cannot be done.
In your case, you want the pickling, but want to remove the yellowed laquer, so like I say the stripper will remove a lot of the pickling but not all.
Then you must "re-Pickle" LOL..never used that word before, but you get the picture.
So the answer to your question of "should I strip the cabinets?" the answer is you have to to get the yellow laquer off.
And of course you can match the stain.
Here is everything you need to know about doing it.
http://www.alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/pickling.html
Jeanne its a very easy process.
Then apply a couple of coats of water based poly which will not yellow.
I know you can do this.
Kindest regards
Eileen