How To Refinish Veneer Cabinets: Proper Procedure Of Refinishing Veneer Kitchen Cabinets

Proper Procedure Of Refinishing Veneer Kitchen Cabinets

A veneer is regarded as a very thin layer of wood that is usually applied to the surface of inexpensive woods. Refinishing veneer cabinets is exactly the same as refinishing solid wood. In order to refinish the veneer kitchen cabinets, go through the step by step procedure mentioned below carefully:

Step 1: Preparation

One of the best ways to refinish the cabinet frames is to do it at the same time when you refinish the doors and drawers. You have to detach the doors as well as the drawers. Position the hinges, door handles, drawer pulls as well as the screws in a bowl or plastic zipper bag in order to keep them safe to use them later. Be very careful when you detach the hinges due to the reason that even an exceptional veneer can split, chip, or peel if you treat it harshly.

Step 2: Stripping

Before starting the refinishing process of the veneer cabinets, it is very important to strip off the old finish. Veneers are usually very thin, therefore, sanding off the old finish can be very harmful in a way that it can not be repaired again. Semi-paste or paste strippers are perfect for veneers due to the reason that they are smooth on the wood and extremely easy to control, particularly with vertical cabinet frames. All chemical strippers are destructive, so you need to wear protective gear. Spread the stripper to a small portion of the wood and allow it to sit for the recommended time period. It should sparkle up, presenting the unfastened old finish with it, permitting you to scrape away the old finish. A very gentle sanding with the help of 120-grit to 180-grit sandpaper will help to open the grain on the veneer so it takes the stain or paint better.

Step 3: Repairing

Staining or painting wood veneer is exactly the same as staining or painting any wood, you simply need to fill in any chips or cracks, with the help of a wood filler. Make sure not to get carried away and fill in the screw holes, which is the common mistake that the beginners do. As soon as the wood filler dries, sand it smooth. Sanding is an elegant work when it comes to working with veneers, so make sure not to use a hand sander. Always work in the grain's direction, and use a light touch. Use a little bit of primer to the wood filler so that it takes the stain or paint smoothly.

Step 4: Refinishing

Veneers can be either painted or stained similar to solid wood. Latex paint is considered the best option for kitchens due to the reason that it quickly dries and takes well to numerous cleaning process. Selecting whether to stain or paint veneers is totally dependent on the context of the veneers once they have been stripped. The good quality veneer that is in good context can be stained as well as sealed in order to bring out the natural beauty of the grain. Painting conceals hundreds of defects, so it is ideal for veneers of lesser quality that are showing signs of wear.

Step 5: Sealing

It is totally your own choice whether you wish to apply a sealing top coat to your cabinets or not. Kitchen cabinets get a huge number of wear and tear that are revealed to more smoke, oils as well as grease than wood in other parts of the house, so a sealer is an ideal way to deal with this. Water-based polyurethane is extremely easy to apply, environmentally friendly, and takes well to numerous cleaning processes. Water-based polyurethane usually is applied with a brush & goes on milky and dries clear.