Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Lee Schierer in McKean, PA

Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations is made specifically for recoloring cabinets. I'm not sure there is anything that will allow you to change the color of wood cabinets that have a factory finish other than lots of sanding. Just be sure to thoroughly wash the surfaces with tri-sodium phosphate to remove accumulated cooking grease and finger prints.

Lee

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Mark Nowicki

"...learn to love light colored maple cabinets."

You have answered your own question.

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Barry Irby

I just thought I would mention my name a second time.

I think this is going to be a lot of work for a cosmetic item. The comments on cleaning should be emphasized. Check with Sherwin Williams or Rustoleum. Scuff sanding the cabinets thoroughly enough to assure uniform adhesion will be nearly impossible. I predict the new finish will not be nearly as durable as the existing finish.

How about resurfacing them? Buy new replacement doors and drawer fronts and resurface the cabinets. More expensive, less labor. Fewer fumes. New durable finish.

In one of the houses I flipped I built fifty new doors and drawer fronts and had them professionally finished. Went over very well. The doors were shaker style and painted and I had the cabinets painted to match.

staining just the start of project

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

So you find something to change the color. That is step one. Next you need to put a protective coat of a kitchen durable finish over the new color. Good luck finding material that doesn't require spray equipment.

I quit doing house improvements for children. You spend time and talent making modifications up to woodworker standards and then they move 2 years later and leave it all behind. Better to spend your time making furniture so your efforts can be moved with them.

Stop by....I'm on the way.

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

David Yoho

You're probably not going to like this answer but it can work. Many years ago I built an oak bed frame (headboard, footboard, rails) for my son. I went with a clear polyurethane over the red oak. Looked good. Years later he asked if it could be done darker to go with furniture he bought. Because of the poly I scratched my head a little but then came up with an answer that didn't involve stripping.

I started by lightly sanding the finish to give the poly some "tooth" for what followed. Next, I mixed a dark liquid Transtint dye with some Seal Coat shellac and sprayed it on with my turbine HVLP sprayer. The final topcoat was some Waterlox semi gloss I applied by hand. The finish has held up well since this was done and looks great.

I know you don't want to or can't spray but it seems like a good option to achieve what you're after. Luckily I have a turbine sprayer which is very portable and makes less overspray. I wouldn't hesitate to take on something like kitchen cabinets with it.

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Woodie49

Good luck If you Change the Color, you Will Need It!

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Dick Coers

Have her wear sunglasses in the kitchen! LOL

To do anything to kitchen cabinets, there is a lot of time in prep. You have to really scrub and clean all the cooking grease off of them first. This could require something as strong a TSP with a couple of washings. Then scuffing the surface with a light abrasive. You can buy toner in aerosol cans, but it would be an absolute nightmare to get an even coat over a door, not to mention the entire kitchen. Then a couple of coats of something you could apply with a brush.

My suggestion is suggest she lives with it until ready to remodel. Then a trip to IKEA for planning and purchase. You could probably buy the entire kitchen and have it installed sooner than refinishing the existing cabinets.

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

You've all pretty much said what I was thinking.

Thanks for the replies.

Re: staining just the start of project

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

"Stop by....I'm on the way."

I really wish I could. I'll be doing a non stop 12 hour drive down I-77 and I-85.

I'll be pulling a little UHaul trailer in my wife's Hyundai with a dog and a wife (neither of which will be in the trailer). Not looking forward to the drive.

I haven't pulled a trailer since the 80's when I was racing cars. And I'm not in my 20's anymore either!

your route

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Check your timing. If you will be near Charlotte to Greenville late afternoon consider an alternative route of I77, I81, I 26, NC/SC 25, I85. It is all 4 lane and misses the Greenville to Charlotte nightmare. Spartanburg to Greenville is a parking lot at 5 PM +/-. I26 and 25 are lightly traveled.

I have a daughter in Greenville so I have experience with these routes. Greenville to Athens cut off will be easy in afternoon as Atlanta commuter traffic is headed out.

Re: Changing the color of factory kitchen cabinets

Keith Mealy

The way I would attempt this, if I had to, would be to use a glaze. The only possible problem is making sure something will adhere to the existing finish. Some of the catalyzed finishes don't like anything on top of them.

Glaze is very easy to use and adjust as you go as it has long open time.

It needs to dry for 24 hours then have a top coat applied.

Do trial run(s) on the inside of an infrequently used door before proceeding with the work.

The last finishing job I did the stain came out way off the color it was supposed to be. I put on two coats of finish, a coat of glaze and two more coats of finish to get the color I was aiming for.

But, I'd probably learn to live with your cabinets.