changing cabnit color - DIY Chatroom

anji · 10-07-2008, 03:39 PM

hi, newbie hre , we just bought a new home that has the cabinets with lighter shade , i always wanted a dark finish, can i change the color of the cabinets that look like natural finish not paint thing? these are i guess oak color and we want something like expresso or cherry .. any thing else i can do to improve the look of this kitchen and cabinets , thanks for the help.

**thekctermite** · 10-07-2008, 04:56 PM

You can change their color with fairly good results. You can't re-stain though. First, the existing clear coat polyurethane needs to be lightly roughed up to allow the new finish to adhere. I'd use #OOOO steel wool. Be sure to use a tack rag to clean off all surfaces after roughing, and don't handle the panels with your hands too much (skin oil).

I've had reasonably good results with Minwax Polyshades, which is a colored polyurethane. They make it in all sorts of shades. The existing color of the cabinets would still show, but you can darken it or make it more red or whatever by adding a coat (or two or three) of polyshades.

Try a small spot on the back of a door before committing.

Allison1888 · 10-07-2008, 06:48 PM

Yes, last post gave you all the details you need, but thought I'd toss in my two cents. It is a lot of work and I think your kitchen looks very nice as is. Consider living with it for 6 months and see if you still want to change the color -- I'm afraid it will make the room too dark.

**thekctermite** · 10-07-2008, 11:41 PM

And don't let me make it sound too easy. There's an incredible amount of work involved in doing what I described, and it will take a long time.

ConstantChange · 10-12-2008, 12:48 PM

Here is what I would do to improve this kitchen...

Replace the white appliances with stainless steel.
Do a full tile back splash.
Paint/stain the center island a darker brown/black to give it some contrast with the other cabinets.
Use the same baseboard trim you have on the walls to trim the center island.