Sometimes you may want to modify your kitchen area but you are not able to buy all new cabinets, then the best option to give your kitchen a new appearance is to pickle the cabinets. The pickling process on your oak wood draws special attention to the natural grain of your wood. Pickling is a process by which you can save a lot of money, & also will be satisfied with doing the job yourself. Pickling cabinets or, for that matter, any type of wood, work on open-pored woods like oak and ash.
Step 1: Detach Hardware
First of all, detach the drawer as well as the door hardware from the oak cabinets. Make sure to keep the hardware and screws in baggies so that they will remain organized & used back later.
Step 2: Clean Cabinets
Now, in order to clean the oak cabinets rigorously, make a mixture of 3 tbsp. turpentine, 3 tbsp. linseed oil, and 1 quart boiling water. Make sure to use this mixture even though it's warm, and use rubber gloves in order to protect your hands. If in case the wood is finished, cleanse the surface perfectly with TSP (trisodium phosphate) and warm water. Wash out the surface properly and make it dry completely.
Step 3: Sand Surfaces
Examine the wood for any imperfections. Finishes like pickling stain over dark stain look to enhance imperfections, therefore, it is important to fix the issues before applying it. Sand the surface with the help of 150-grit sandpaper in order to get a soft surface with open pores that tackle the stain well. Now, vacuum the dust away with the help of a shop vac and then using a tack cloth finish the cleaning process.
Step 4: Apply Stain
Apply a sturdy coat of pickling stain with the help of a brush but make sure to apply in the direction of the grain. You can make your own pickling stain by simply combining 1 quart of white latex paint with 2 cups of water in a bucket. The mixture should be thinner as compared to the paint, however, it should not be as thin as water. Allow the pickling stain to dry for at least 10 minutes so that it will have time to enter into the wood.
Step 5: Wipe Away Stain
Next, get rid of the excess stain with the help of a soft, dry cloth. Use long strokes as long as you don't get the desired look. Make sure not to press too hard as a light hand will do the job easily. The more stain you eliminate, the lighter it will look. If in case you want a whiter & less transparent look, repeat steps 3 through 5.
Step 6: Varnish Over Stain
Apply non-yellowing varnish to the wood using a brush, moving in the wood grain direction. This will prevent the pickling finish from being washed away. Allow it to dry for the time that is mentioned on your varnish can.
Step 7: Add Dark Stain
Make a mixture of the dark gel stain & water. It needs to be runny due to the reason that you need to wipe off as much of it as you can. Clean it in the direction of the wood grain with the help of a cloth and instantly cleanse it off with a clean dry cloth. The dark stain will dry swiftly, as a result of it, only do small areas at a time.
Step 8: Apply Final Coat
Finally, apply a final coat of varnish, due to the reason, that it safeguards the look after finishing pickling the cabinets. As soon as the varnish is completely dry, attach the hardware of the cabinet back.