cabinet refinishing advice

[mark b]

Hey gang.... I've done plenty of staining and stuff in my time, but I'm looking for a suggestion on a set of kitchen cabinets I'm helping someone with.

They were built in the 60's so the wood is good quality. I had to sand down a few doors to bare wood due to worn finishes. However, most of the other doors are in really decent shape except for common wear around the knob areas. Being 60's circa doors, they must be coated with shellac or varnish since ployurethane did not exist them.

I'm going to restain and poly the doors I took to bare wood.
For the other doors should I:

1) light sand them, then attempt to stain the lighter worn areas to blend with the remainder, then poly them
2) light sand them, restain the whole door and then ploy (my concern is the dark vs. light area will get worse, not better)
3) steel wool instead of sand, then stain and poly
4) poly them and do not attempt to stain the lighter areas

I don't have the time to sand them all to bare wood and most of the areas do not need it anyway.

Suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[Otto J]

i Have a giant belt sanding machine that will take the finish right off. You send the whole door thru the machine, But it will only sand the higher spots if it is a raised panel door, I also have a spray room to laquer them. Where in CT do you live?

 

[NEAL BREW]

I am a home contractor and did my own painting/staining for several years. Do not sand only sections. If you want it to look right, strip them down to the bear wood and use the same stain/poly technique on all areas of wood. If you do partial sand and partial stain it problaby wont ever look right.It may seem easy to take a shortcut, but do it right the first time or you will spend more time trying to match the color up. Down here we have a product called "strypeze". Its a goop that you apply and let sit for 15 min, and it strips all of the old stain/varnish off. Then light sanding and its ready to be stained. In the long run it will save you time and energy and will give you a better looking product. Hope this helps.

 

[Drac0nic]

far as it goes, a solution of lye diluted with water works well for finish removal, used it for painted furniture (get crap at yard sales that's been painted by a retard, strip it to wood so it looks good and refinish) as well as varnish. Just play with it a bit, I doubt you'd need anything too strong. it also allows you to get into the grooves. with any stripper test on the back of the cabinet first.

 

[8587GN]

Listen to KLHMMETT. This is the way I had to refinish a job due to the idiot at SW mixing up the stain wrong. Forget poly....the laquers out now, blow ploy away,and dry very fast,with a stronger finish.BTW I`m a cabinet maker

 

[Otto J]

Originally posted by 8587GN
.BTW I`m a cabinet maker

Me too

 

[AsphaltAnihil8r]

Sorry to bud in...
I have a Fence around the house. The panels are about 6" x 3/4" x 6feet tall,ther must be 300 of these that make up the fence around the house,,,most of the paint/stain is peeling off----

What can I do..........please help..

Was thinking to buy a planner and plan each side of its paint
but was thinking(maybe) the planner has to be adjusted for each board--lots of work

OR just buy new,,dont think I could afforrd that at about $6 -$9 aboard

What would you do..

 

[NoNos38]

Originally posted by AsphaltAnihil8r
Sorry to bud in...
I have a Fence around the house. The panels are about 6" x 3/4" x 6feet tall,ther must be 300 of these that make up the fence around the house,,,most of the paint/stain is peeling off----

What can I do..........please help..

Was thinking to buy a planner and plan each side of its paint
but was thinking(maybe) the planner has to be adjusted for each board--lots of work

OR just buy new,,dont think I could afforrd that at about $6 -$9 aboard

What would you do..

I bet the sheets are more like $15.00 $20.00 anymore Lumber priceses went threw the roof the past 6months or so....

Lets say my Framing bill (Construction Lumber) a year ago ran at an average of $18,000. Well, for the same size house or alittle smaller would be some where in the higher
$20,000......


A sheet of ((maple)) is about $90.00 bucks...... Even Knoty Pine is some where in the $80s........... Its just nuts..... You Cabnit guys know what Im talking about...



Matt

 

[8587GN]

NoNos38,I know exactly what your talking about I guess we have to rebuild a toilet-bowl country in the middle east Lumber went through the roof

 

[mark b]

Thanks for the replies gang.

I have several sanders so that's not a problem. I just didn't want to take 18 doors down to bare wood when only 3 are really bad. I know that would be the best way but time is an issue.

I used laquer clear coats on cars of course but have not seen them for "home" use on wood. I guess places like Home Depot continue to market what's popular and profitable for them. Is there a commercial brand of this stuff?


BTW - I live in Milford and I'm working on a place in Bridgeport, so KL...you are right in between!

 

[Otto J]

my shop is in monroe, not far either.if you want to sand and stain them, Bring them down and well seal and laquer them here.
Way easier than brushing or making a mess at home.

 

[mark b]

I may have to take you up on that if I can't finish the house doors and molding this week. The renters come in next Monday.

Thanks!