How To Remove Varnish From Cabinets

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Painting your cabinets can give them a fresh look, but if the cabinets have already been stained, yous'll have to practise a little prep to go the paint to adhere. Starting time, you'll need to strip the stain off of your cabinet surfaces before applying primer and paint. One time you've done that, use a primer or putty to prep your wood for painting, so utilize your topcoat. Remember to always take the proper safety precautions past wearing a dust mask or respirator when working with oil-based paints and primers!

1
Remove all appliances and containers from your countertop. Earlier you do annihilation, remove everything from your countertops to make cleaning, stripping, and painting easier. If there is a table or any other piece of furniture in the area, move information technology to a unlike office of your house to avoid bumping into things while y'all're working around the room.^[1]
- If you lot haven't already, y'all may desire to empty the cabinets, as well.
2
Clean your cabinets by wiping them downwards with a damp material. Put a little flake of warm water on a clean cloth and wring out the excess water. Rub every exterior department of your cabinets to remove any dust, dirt, or crud. Add 1-2 drops of mild dish lather to the material if you have trouble cleaning any peculiarly dirty areas.^[2]
- For cabinets that are above a stove or microwave, you may need to apply a degreaser to remove oil or grease. Spray greasy areas with your degreaser or cleaning agent and scrub aggressively with a thick sponge.
- Don't forget to clean the areas where the doors overlap on summit of the frame.
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3

Wipe your cabinets dry and let them air out. Use a clean cloth to rub your cabinets dry out. Rub in the direction of the grain to avoid missing indentations in the wood. One time every chiffonier surface is dry, open a window and allow the cabinets air out for 3-4 hours.^[3]

Tip: Even if you lot think your cabinets are dry after you've wiped them down, you should even so let your cabinets air dry. You don't want to trap whatever wet in your wood.
4
Remove and label every door and drawer. Use a flathead or Philips-head screwdriver to remove every bracket and screw attaching your doors to the frame. Lift every drawer out of its slot and set up all of your pieces bated. Label each drawer and door later on you remove it by putting a slice of tape on information technology and writing its location on the back. This manner, when it comes to reinstalling the drawers and doors, you won't need to worry nigh trying to discover the right space for each door or drawer.^[4]
- On the label, you can describe each piece's location or utilize an organizational characterization. For case, you could write, "third door, top" or assign each row and column a letter and number, making the summit left cabinet "A1" and the chiffonier below information technology "B1."
- You can depict a diagram and utilize numbers to label your cabinets if yous adopt.
- You can cull to do this before you clean your cabinets, but it could brand cleaning more difficult since you'll have to brace each door and drawer confronting something to wipe it.
5
Lay drop cloths down on your countertop and flooring. Prepare out one drop material on pinnacle of your counters and ane driblet fabric on the flooring along your toe kicking or baseboard. This will prevent primer, wood grit, or pigment from getting on your counters or kitchen flooring.
- A toe boot refers to the wood or plastic barrier at the bottom of your cabinets. It is designed to prevent structural damage to the woods from accidental kicks or spills.
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1
Put on a grit mask or respirator and a thick pair of gloves. The fumes in most stripping agents, lacquer thinners, and primers are lung irritants. Forestall damage to your lungs past wearing a thick dust mask or respirator. Clothing a pair of thick gloves to avoid getting stripping agent on your skin.^[five]
- Open up a window if you haven't already. The ventilation volition forbid fumes from edifice upward in your kitchen.
2
Utilise a gel or liquid stripping amanuensis to your cabinets with a natural brush. Woods stripper can be purchased at a local hardware store or online. Select a stripper designed for cabinets past reading the characterization carefully. Fill a paint tray with your stripping agent and apply it to every stained department with a natural brush. Wait 15-xxx minutes to give your stripping agent time to swallow into the varnish or stain.^[6]
- There are different stripping agents for fence posts, outside walls, and delicate furniture. Select a stripper that is designed for cabinets or wood furniture.
- For each chiffonier door or drawer, do each step with your removable pieces prepare on meridian of a fix of sawhorses or a stable work surface.
Alert: You can utilize a estrus gun to melt the varnish or stain, but this can be dangerous and may burn down the cabinets. Unless yous take feel using a rut gun, it's best to stick to traditional stripping methods.
three
Set a saucepan or pan underneath the area that you're going to scrape. When you scrape the stripper away, the agent that yous applied will pool up in the management that you scrape. To catch information technology as information technology drips off, keep a bucket or pan underneath each section that you're scraping.^[7]
- Motility the bucket or pan with you as you lot work from surface area to expanse.
4
Scrape the varnish or stain away with a scraper or putty knife. Hold your putty knife or scraper at a 20-45 degree angle and use the sharp edge of a scraper or putty knife to scrape off the stripping agent. Printing the blade of the scraper or putty knife downward into the wood past putting your index finger on summit of the blade and pressing down. Scrape in the direction of the wood grain.^[eight]
- Don't worry if yous wear away a layer of wood every bit you're doing this, you need to sand the cabinets anyway and this will make the process easier.
5
Use lacquer thinner and steel wool to scrub the cabinets. Lacquer thinner is a solvent that dissolves pigment, varnish, and other chemicals. Employ a lacquer thinner designed for cleaning or stripping and dip some steel wool in it. Scrub your cabinets in the management of the forest grain to remove the stripping agent. Scrub each section until y'all see no stripping amanuensis remaining on the wood.^[9]
- Use your bucket or pan to catch the stripping agent drips every bit y'all apply it.
- You can utilise a sponge if you're worried about damaging your cabinets.
- Don't use a lacquer thinner designed for thinning paint. The residuum will make it hard to achieve a clean paint job. Avoid lacquers that are oil-based also, as they can be difficult to sand away.
- You tin buy lacquer thinner online or at your local hardware store.
6

Wipe your cabinets dry with paper towels or a clean cloth. Remove the lacquer by rubbing your cabinets dry. You can use paper towels or a clean cloth to rub every section downward. After you lot've removed the bulk of the lacquer, let your cabinets air dry for 6-12 hours.^[10]
7
Sand your cabinets using a 220-grit sandpaper or extra-fine sponge. Use 220-grit sandpaper sheets or an extra-fine sanding sponge to remove the summit layer of wood. This will allow the primer to soak into the grain of your wood. Sand each section of your cabinets lightly past using back-and-forth strokes in the management of the grain.^[11]
- Yous tin sand with a coarser sandpaper if you don't run into any wood grit coming off of your sanding sponge or sheet.
8

Vacuum the debris and wipe your cabinets with a dry cloth. Use a vacuum with a hose attachment to remove wood dust from each section of your cabinets by running the hose 0.5–two inches (1.3–five.i cm) away from the wood. After vacuuming, wipe your cabinets down with a dry cloth to remove whatever remaining splinters, dust, or droppings.^[12]

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ane
Tape any edges that yous want to keep dry using painter's tape. Use painter'south record to cover whatever areas that you desire to keep dry, such as the walls side by side to your cabinet or the backsplash to a higher place your counters. Pull out a length of painter's record and press the edge flush against a surface. Pull out the remainder of the length of tape and printing it into the surface to smooth it out.^[13]
- Painter's tape isn't perfect. If you get a lot of paint on it, information technology can drain through. Apply information technology as a guide, not a perfect safe measure.
2
Pour ³⁄₄ gallon (2.8 L) of oil-based primer or putty into a paint tray. Mix your primer or putty with a mixing stick earlier pouring it. Apply an oil-based primer for woods with a tighter grain, similar ruby or maple. Apply an oil-based brushing putty for thicker-grain woods, like oak, ash, or mahogany. Pour your priming cloth into the paint endeavour slowly, and wipe off any drips with your brush or a spare rag.^[14]
- Wear a grit mask or respirator if y'all're using oil-based primer. The fumes tin be a lung irritant.
Tip: Use a paint tray with hooks for hanging it off of a ledge if you're going to be using a ladder to paint the upper cabinets. This way y'all won't need to become up and downwardly the ladder every time that you want to reload your brush or roller.
iii
Utilize your primer to each cabinet and door with a roller and brush. Use a nylon-polyester brush to paint edges and trim effectually each door. Work in the direction of the forest grain, and use dorsum-and-forth strokes to embrace each section.^[15] For flatter panels or surfaces, employ a 6 in (xv cm) foam roller to apply your primer.^[sixteen]
- Yous tin can choose whether or not you lot're going to paint the inside of your cabinet doors. If you lot do, look for each side to dry before flipping them over to paint the other side.
4
Prime your cabinet frames and look for them to dry out. Use the same roller and brush to cover your cabinet frames. Starting time with the trim and paint around the top and bottom of your cabinets. Use a foam roller to cover the flat sections of your cabinets. Await 12-24 hours later on applying your primer to ensure that it dries properly.^[17]
- You lot don't demand to apply the brush to paint the thin panels in between doors. You can roll the face of each console to make things piece of cake.
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1
Sand your cabinets again with 220 dust sandpaper. Utilise a fine-grain sponge or sandpaper to sand your primed surfaces.^[18] This will ensure that any thick layers of primer volition be removed while making it easier for the paint to soak into your woods grain.^[19]
- Wipe your cabinets clean and vacuum them again to prepare your cabinets for painting.
- If you used a putty to prime your cabinets, y'all may need to use a sandpaper with a grit between 100-150.
two
Choose a latex or oil-based gloss paint for your topcoat. Select a color that you lot want and choose a latex paint if you lot want a uniform stop. If you like the look of brushstrokes and desire some texture, use an oil-based paint. Opt for a gloss or semi-gloss paint to prevent oil or grease from sticking to your cabinets.^[20]
- If y'all don't paint the insides, line them with drawer liners to go along the woods condom.
Warning: If you're painting the insides of your cabinets, cull an eggshell finish in the same colour as your exterior paint. Gloss and semi-gloss paint will stick to your dishware.
3
Pour ³⁄₄ gallon (ii.viii L) of your paint into a clean paint tray. Employ a flathead screwdriver to pry the summit off of your tin of pigment. Mix the paint with a mixing stick until the colour is fifty-fifty and uniform. Slowly pour it into a fresh paint tray past holding the handle and tilting the tin. Utilize your brush or a make clean rag to wipe any drips off of your pigment can.^[21]
- If y'all're using a latex paint, you don't accept to wear a dust mask. The fumes can be kind of strong if you're working in a poorly-ventilated area though.
4
Apply paint to the drawers and doors using a brush and roller. Use an angled sash brush to paint the edges and trim of each drawer and door. Apply a make clean, six in (15 cm) foam roller to cover larger, flatter surfaces. Paint in the direction of the wood grain. Wait 6-12 hours before painting the other side of each piece if you want to pigment both sides.^[22]
- Get a high-quality brush and roller. You don't want to leave streaks or gaps in the grain because you opted for a cheaper brush.
5

Pigment the cabinet frames with the same brush and roller. Use the aforementioned brush and roller to ensure that your pigment'southward texture is the same on your drawers, doors, and frame. Apply pigment to the trim effectually the walls and edges offset, and use your foam roller to apply pigment to the flat panels in your cabinet frame. Keep your brush strokes consistent and work in the management of the grain to keep your topcoat uniform.^[23]
6
Look 24-36 hours to let the pigment dry and remove your record. Allow your paint air dry out for at least 24 hours before treatment anything. If your paint isn't consequent or you desire a deeper color, apply a second layer of paint and look an boosted 24 hours. After your paint has dried, remove your painter's record by carefully and slowly peeling it off.^[24]
- You're going to be handling your cabinets pretty heavily when you install your doors and drawers. It is best if y'all can manage to wait longer earlier reinstalling the doors and drawers.
7

Reinstall your doors and drawers and clean upwardly. Use a flathead or Phillips-caput screwdriver to reinstall each cabinet with the proper bracket. Use your labels or corresponding diagrams to friction match each drawer and door in the proper location. Once everything is back where it belongs, lift up your drib cloths and milkshake them outside or over a trash bin to remove the debris. Sweep your floors with a broom and put everything back to savor your new cabinets!^[25]

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Add New Question

Question

Can you pain over stained cabinets without sanding?

Sam Adams is the owner of Cherry Design + Build, a residential design and construction firm, which has been operating in the Greater Seattle Area for over thirteen years. A former architect, Sam is at present a full-service contractor, specializing in residential remodels and additions.

Professional Contractor

Adept Answer

No, it'due south just not going to piece of work. I hateful, information technology may piece of work temporarily, but that paint is going to commencement peeling off and flaking once it dries. You really have to get in there with the sandpaper if you lot want to paint your cabinets.
Question

Exercise I have to utilize primer?

Sam Adams is the possessor of Cherry-red Design + Build, a residential blueprint and construction business firm, which has been operating in the Greater Seattle Surface area for over 13 years. A former architect, Sam is at present a full-service contractor, specializing in residential remodels and additions.

Professional Contractor

Expert Reply

The steps here are going to exist pretty unnegotiable, and the primer is mandatory if you want a make clean, uniform terminate.
Question

This seems like a lot of piece of work. Is in that location anything else I can do to give my cabinets a little love and breathe new life into them?

Sam Adams is the owner of Ruddy Blueprint + Build, a residential pattern and construction firm, which has been operating in the Greater Seattle Area for over 13 years. A one-time architect, Sam is now a full-service contractor, specializing in residential remodels and additions.

Professional Contractor

Expert Answer

Yes! If painting seems like a ton of work for yous (and to be fair, it is a lot of work), then just replace the doors. They usually get beat upward on over fourth dimension, and new doors will give your cabinets a fresh expect.

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Things You'll Need

Driblet material
Water
Cloths
Grit mask or respirator
Thick gloves
Stripping agent
Putty pocketknife or scraper
Lacquer thinner
Steel wool
Bucket or pan
Ladder (optional)
Painter'south tape
Paint tray
Brush
Sandpaper
Vacuum
Oil-based primer or putty
Foam roller
Nylon-polyester brush
Sash brush
Paint
Broom

References

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