Steps To Refinish Bathroom Vanity Cabinets
Wood Vanity Cabinets give a natural and warm look to any bathroom but due to normal wear, age, and humidity, vanity cabinets may look dull and require refinishing to add extra years to its life. The steps to follow in order to refinish bathroom vanity cabinets are as follows:
- Remove Doors, Drawers & Handles:
The first step will be to remove doors, drawers, and knobs or handles attached to the bathroom vanity cabinets with suitable tools. The user needs to place the hardware in a plastic zipper to safeguard them for future use. Also, the user needs to place the doors and drawers on a flat surface with drop cloth placed beneath them. It has been recommended to work in the well-ventilated area because some paints, stains, and strippers may contain strong fumes. - Apply Chemical Stripper:
The second step will be to apply chemical stripper over the drawers, doors, and vanity cabinets by using a natural bristle paintbrush. It has been recommended by the experts to use paste stripper as it is easier to work with and it will not run when applied on to the vertical faces of the cabinets. After applying the stripper, the user needs to wait as per label instructions. - Scrape Old Finish:
After that, the user needs to scrape the old finish off the vanity cabinets, doors, and drawers. It has been recommended to work in sections and be careful not to gouge the wood vanity. Once the old finish is scraped off, the user needs to wipe down the wood with shop cloth in order to remove the traces of the stripper left on the wood. - Sand The Wood:
The next step will be to sand the drawers, doors, and vanity cabinets by using 180-grit sandpaper. The step will help the user in removing the traces of the old finish and will also open the wood grain that will allow the wood to take the primer and stain easily. The user needs to sand the wood in the direction of the grain without applying too much pressure. The sanding dust should be wiped down using tack cloths. - Apply Wood Primer:
Once the dust is removed, the user needs to apply a coat of primer on the vanity cabinets, doors, and drawers. The step helps the top coat to adhere well on to the wood. Once the primer is applied, the user needs to let it dry overnight or follow the instructions on the label. - Apply Stain Or Paint:
The next step will be to apply a coat of stain over the vanity cabinets, doors, and drawers using a stain sponge that is barely dampened with stain. The step helps the user to have more control over his work and after 2-3 minutes, the user needs to wipe the excess stain from the wood using a shop cloth. The coat of paint can be applied with a brush by working in the direction of the wood grain. Once the first coat of stain or paint dries completely, the user needs to sand it lightly before applying the second coat of paint. - Apply Sealer:
Once the second coat of paint or stain dries completely, the user needs to apply water-resistant urethane sealer over it with a brush or spray. The sealer protects the cabinets from routine splashes and spills of water. The sealer takes around 24 hours to dry completely. - Reattach Doors, Drawers & Handles:
As soon as the sealer dries, the user needs to reattach doors, drawers and handles or knobs back to the vanity cabinets correctly as they were removed.