More than once we’ve pulled out the… Special cabinet … Allow … Sand the tabletop by hand using a fine-grit sanding sponge or sandpaper and a sanding block, working in the same direction that the wood grain runs. Water-based polyurethane generally is applied with a brush. Apply the stripper to a small section of the wood and let it sit according to the manufacturer’s recommended time frame. This should be done with wood filler. How to Reface Kitchen Cabinets With Self-Stick Veneer, How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets for a Brand New Look, How to Replace Kitchen Cabinet Doors, Drawers and Hardware, How to Fix a Sagging Kitchen Drawer by Installing a Runner, Learn Ways to Replace Kitchen Cabinet Hardware and Steps to Paint Kitchen Cabinets, 10 Decorating Mistakes That Make Interior Designers Cringe, 25 Easy Ways to Upgrade Basic Kitchen Cabinets, How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro, How to Clean a Glass-Top Stove With All-Natural Ingredients, How to Choose the Best Venting System for Your Kitchen. Veneer allows a craftsman to finish a woodworking project with a beautiful exotic wood that might not otherwise be affordable or attainable. It is the ability to sand the surface that determines whether you can remove the existing finish. Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer. Wood cabinets are ideal for painting, but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted. Step 4 Do not attempt to refinish wood veneers … © 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. The key to a successful paint job, however, is all in the preparation. It should bubble up, bringing the loosened old finish with it, allowing you to scrape away the old finish. Fortunately, the preparation is easy and just requires a little sanding and a couple of coats of primer. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Place the hinges, door handles, drawer pulls and screws in a bowl or plastic zipper bag so you don’t misplace them. It goes on milky and dries clear. Small blisters in veneer can usually be flattened with heat. Left for a period of time, however, the water can actually penetrate the finish and damage the veneer. Veneers can be either painted or stained just as solid wood can. … Usually made of wood veneers—which are simply thin slices of real wood laid over cheaper or less attractive wood—antique radio cabinets are a graceful, whimsical and nostalgic addition to any room. Staining or painting wood veneer is no different from staining or painting any wood in that you first must fill in any chips or cracks. First, make sure you sand the wood … Before you can refinish veneer cabinets, you must strip off the old finish. Start by cleaning and sanding the surface, making sure to avoid removing too much of the veneer in the process. Next, self-adhesive, peel-and-stick, lightweight, easy to use veneer sheets are cut and pressed onto cabinet stiles and riles. Semi-paste or paste strippers are good for veneer because they are gentle on the wood and easy to control, especially with vertical cabinet frames. Water-based polyurethane is easy to apply, environmentally friendly and takes well to repeated cleaning. Sand through the finish just enough to … Some of the world’s most beautiful and valuable furniture made by legendary manufacturers including Chippendale and Hepplewhite made extensive use of veneers. Our Roadtrek has oak cabinet doors and some oak interior trim. A veneer is a very thin layer of wood applied to the surface of less-expensive woods. How to Sand & Refinish Cabinets Before Painting Walls, How to Make Cabinets Look Rustic With Paint, How to Refinish Rosewood Furniture With Sanding, University of Arkansas at Monticello: Veneer and Plywood, Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Getting Ready, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension: Removing an Old Finish From Wood, Durability of Thermofoil vs. Wood Cabinets. Veneers are generally very thin, so sanding off the old finish can damage them beyond repair. Use a piece of scrap wood to create a jig and use it to create the holes in the cabinet for the hinges. The lower kitchen cabinets on our 20-year old Roadtrek had some water spots and discoloration. Attach new clean plywood to the sides of your cabinets, then prepare the veneer, cutting it half an inch wider and two inches longer than each vertical stile and horizontal rail. We’ve got three young kids so we’re always looking for ways to work efficiently. Latex paint is a good choice for kitchens because it quickly dries and takes well to repeated cleaning. https://www.hgtv.com › videos › kitchen-cabinet-refacing-with-veneer-61848 Whether or not to apply a sealing top coat to your cabinets is a matter of personal preference. This will dissolve the old finish. All chemical strippers are caustic, so wear protective gear. However, if the wood underneath your upper cabinets is really thin, you may struggle to sand and paint them without cracking the wood. Trim excess veneer flush to front edge of the cabinet. Short of committing to a more costly replacement of outdated kitchen storage, repainting laminate cabinets is an affordable way to turn the eyesore into eye-catching, modern cabinetry. Use an 80-grit instead of 120- or 180-grit sandpaper to create a texture in the veneer. Next, lightly sand and wipe off the dust with a tack cloth. You’ll find the process is similar to refinishing solid wood cabinets. All rights reserved. Emmy-award nominated screenwriter Brynne Chandler is a single mother of three who divides her time between professional research and varied cooking, fitness and home & gardening enterprises. The rails and stiles of a face frame cabinet are the front surfaces of your cabinets, typically 1½” wide with wood grain running … Choose a high-quality paint. Painting hides a multitude of flaws, so it is the better choice for veneers of lesser quality that are showing signs of wear. Brush a coat of chemical stripper onto the veneered furniture. Since veneer is real wood, it is stained in much the same manner as a solid piece of wood… Good quality veneer that is in good condition can be stained and sealed to bring out the natural beauty of the grain. Refinishing an entire set of kitchen cabinets is a significant undertaking. If the internal hardware can be reused, install the old drawer slides onto the … It is possible to refinish some wood veneer furniture. Refinishing Wood Like A Pro Refinishing wood may seem simple; just buy the stain and apply -- but take it from the furniture makeover experts of Hometalk, much can be done to enhance the staining process. Starting at the top of the cabinets, use your brush to apply a light layer of gloss to the wood. It’s best to refinish the cabinet frames at the same time you do the doors and drawers. They were water stained, drab and ugly. Apply a bit of primer to the wood filler so it takes the stain or paint smoothly. If you notice that your cabinets have veneer stickers on them to make them look like real wood, do not remove them. Attach the doors to the cabinets. Let it dry for a day. Applying a couple of coats of paint over a veneer finish can give an item a fresh, new look. Be very careful when you remove the hinges, because even good-quality veneer can crack, chip or peel if you treat it roughly. Attach the drawer fronts to the boxes and then install the drawer pulls. Then repair any minor … Fill any gaps with filler and sand smooth. Some veneers are so thin that, by sanding the surface, you actually wind up sanding through the veneer at the same time. A running enthusiast who regularly participates in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers run, Chandler works as an independent caterer, preparing healthy, nutritious meals for Phoenix area residents. Trim edges and overhang with a utility knife for a perfect fit. Once the wood filler dries, sand it smooth. Refacing cabinets with self-stick veneer is a budget-friendly way of giving your kitchen a fresh new look. Several years ago, Roger refinished the two kitchen drawers and the under sink cabinet … Kitchen cabinets get a lot of wear and tear, and are exposed to more smoke, oils and grease than wood in other areas of the house, so a sealer is a good idea. Glue adhesive-backed MDF veneer panels to bottoms and sides with spray adhesive. Don’t accidentally get carried away and fill in the screw holes, which is a common mistake among first-time refinishers. Easily Renew Wood Cabinets Without Actually Refinishing: Our kitchen and bathroom wooden cabinets are over 30 years old. It has come to be associated with cheap, faux-wood furniture -- and that is unfortunate as well as inaccurate. Refinishing veneer cabinets is no different from refinishing solid wood ones. Brush with the grain of the wood in short, slow strokes, avoiding drips and bubbles. If you heard the word Veneer and what come to your head is only thin layer of wood, identical to fragile and easily-broken furniture, then you have not seen much in various wonderful furniture made of veneer kitchen cabinets.So many furniture designs that can be made with veneer … Always work in the direction of the grain, and use a light touch. The cabinet walls are mostly a plastic oak veneer over plywood. https://homeguides.sfgate.com › refinishing-veneer-kitchen-cabinets-36806.html A glue repair works best if you have a piece of veneer that’s an exactfit and matches up with the existing grain. But if you have a preference for natural a wood finish (stained or unstained with a clear wood finish) and you're cabinets can pass a basic refinishing … Generally, water damage, when caught early, will only damage the surface of the veneer. I wanted to refinish them without all the work and cost of actual refinishing… Sanding is delicate work when you’re dealing with veneers, so don’t use a hand sander. Veneer rails and stiles. If it’s not a match – don’t glue! Get DIY step-by-step instructions on how to refinish kitchen cabinets with veneer to give your kitchen a fresh, updated look. Saturate a smooth foam roller with interior latex paint. If you do, it will be impossible to stain – well – … The laminate must be in good condition for best results. Choosing whether to stain or paint veneers depends on the condition of the veneers once they have been stripped. Begin by thoroughly washing grease and wax off the cabinets with TSP and water. Roll the paint onto the veneer in a thin, even … Veneer may be one of the most misunderstood words in interior design. Water damaged wood veneer cabinets can usually be repaired without the services of a professional refinisher. 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