If you do, it will be impossible to stain – well – … If you don't prepare veneer surfaces properly, the paint won't stick as it should, or it will peel off later. The lower kitchen cabinets on our 20-year old Roadtrek had some water spots and discoloration. Fill any gaps with filler and sand smooth. However, if the wood underneath your upper cabinets is really thin, you may struggle to sand and paint them without cracking the wood. We’ve got three young kids so we’re always looking for ways to work efficiently. Choose a high-quality paint. Brush with the grain of the wood in short, slow strokes, avoiding drips and bubbles. https://homeguides.sfgate.com › refinishing-veneer-kitchen-cabinets-36806.html The easiest way to do that is to remove the doors and drawers. Semi-paste or paste strippers are good for veneer because they are gentle on the wood and easy to control, especially with vertical cabinet frames. A very light sanding with 120-grit to 180-grit sandpaper will open the grain on the veneer so it takes the stain or paint better. The rails and stiles of a face frame cabinet are the front surfaces of your cabinets, typically 1½” wide with wood grain running … Step 4 Start by cleaning and sanding the surface, making sure to avoid removing too much of the veneer in the process. I wanted to refinish them without all the work and cost of actual refinishing… Let it dry for a day. If you heard the word Veneer and what come to your head is only thin layer of wood, identical to fragile and easily-broken furniture, then you have not seen much in various wonderful furniture made of veneer kitchen cabinets.So many furniture designs that can be made with veneer … Apply the stripper to a small section of the wood and let it sit according to the manufacturer’s recommended time frame. This should be done with wood filler. Starting at the top of the cabinets, use your brush to apply a light layer of gloss to the wood. Don’t accidentally get carried away and fill in the screw holes, which is a common mistake among first-time refinishers. Refinishing veneer cabinets is no different from refinishing solid wood ones. How to Reface Kitchen Cabinets With Self-Stick Veneer, How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets for a Brand New Look, How to Replace Kitchen Cabinet Doors, Drawers and Hardware, How to Fix a Sagging Kitchen Drawer by Installing a Runner, Learn Ways to Replace Kitchen Cabinet Hardware and Steps to Paint Kitchen Cabinets, 10 Decorating Mistakes That Make Interior Designers Cringe, 25 Easy Ways to Upgrade Basic Kitchen Cabinets, How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro, How to Clean a Glass-Top Stove With All-Natural Ingredients, How to Choose the Best Venting System for Your Kitchen. Use a piece of scrap wood to create a jig and use it to create the holes in the cabinet for the hinges. Applying a couple of coats of paint over a veneer finish can give an item a fresh, new look. Before you can refinish veneer cabinets, you must strip off the old finish. They were water stained, drab and ugly. The laminate must be in good condition for best results. Now experiment with a tinted polyurethane varnish … Use an 80-grit instead of 120- or 180-grit sandpaper to create a texture in the veneer. Get DIY step-by-step instructions on how to refinish kitchen cabinets with veneer to give your kitchen a fresh, updated look. Staining or painting wood veneer is no different from staining or painting any wood in that you first must fill in any chips or cracks. Fortunately, the preparation is easy and just requires a little sanding and a couple of coats of primer. The cabinet walls are mostly a plastic oak veneer over plywood. A veneer is a very thin layer of wood applied to the surface of less-expensive woods. Refacing cabinets with self-stick veneer is a budget-friendly way of giving your kitchen a fresh new look. Special cabinet … © 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. … Left for a period of time, however, the water can actually penetrate the finish and damage the veneer. Sanding is delicate work when you’re dealing with veneers, so don’t use a hand sander. First, make sure you sand the wood … Since veneer is real wood, it is stained in much the same manner as a solid piece of wood… Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer. The key to a successful paint job, however, is all in the preparation. Painting hides a multitude of flaws, so it is the better choice for veneers of lesser quality that are showing signs of wear. It should bubble up, bringing the loosened old finish with it, allowing you to scrape away the old finish. Whether or not to apply a sealing top coat to your cabinets is a matter of personal preference. Water damaged wood veneer cabinets can usually be repaired without the services of a professional refinisher. Several years ago, Roger refinished the two kitchen drawers and the under sink cabinet … Sand through the finish just enough to … Small blisters in veneer can usually be flattened with heat. Sand the tabletop by hand using a fine-grit sanding sponge or sandpaper and a sanding block, working in the same direction that the wood grain runs. Veneer allows a craftsman to finish a woodworking project with a beautiful exotic wood that might not otherwise be affordable or attainable. Apply a bit of primer to the wood filler so it takes the stain or paint smoothly. You’ll find the process is similar to refinishing solid wood cabinets. All rights reserved. Veneers are generally very thin, so sanding off the old finish can damage them beyond repair. Glue adhesive-backed MDF veneer panels to bottoms and sides with spray adhesive. Wood cabinets are ideal for painting, but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted. Latex paint is a good choice for kitchens because it quickly dries and takes well to repeated cleaning. It’s best to refinish the cabinet frames at the same time you do the doors and drawers. Our Roadtrek has oak cabinet doors and some oak interior trim. Then repair any minor … A glue repair works best if you have a piece of veneer that’s an exactfit and matches up with the existing grain. Trim excess veneer flush to front edge of the cabinet. Refinishing Wood Like A Pro Refinishing wood may seem simple; just buy the stain and apply -- but take it from the furniture makeover experts of Hometalk, much can be done to enhance the staining process. Easily Renew Wood Cabinets Without Actually Refinishing: Our kitchen and bathroom wooden cabinets are over 30 years old. Allow … Next, lightly sand and wipe off the dust with a tack cloth. A running enthusiast who regularly participates in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers run, Chandler works as an independent caterer, preparing healthy, nutritious meals for Phoenix area residents. Saturate a smooth foam roller with interior latex paint. To protect the surface, set a sheet of wax paper and then a sheet of smooth cardboard on the surface, and cover the cardboard … Trim edges and overhang with a utility knife for a perfect fit. It goes on milky and dries clear. Once the wood filler dries, sand it smooth. Next, self-adhesive, peel-and-stick, lightweight, easy to use veneer sheets are cut and pressed onto cabinet stiles and riles. If the internal hardware can be reused, install the old drawer slides onto the … Veneer may be one of the most misunderstood words in interior design. Emmy-award nominated screenwriter Brynne Chandler is a single mother of three who divides her time between professional research and varied cooking, fitness and home & gardening enterprises. If it’s not a match – don’t glue! Usually made of wood veneers—which are simply thin slices of real wood laid over cheaper or less attractive wood—antique radio cabinets are a graceful, whimsical and nostalgic addition to any room. But if you have a preference for natural a wood finish (stained or unstained with a clear wood finish) and you're cabinets can pass a basic refinishing … If you notice that your cabinets have veneer stickers on them to make them look like real wood, do not remove them. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Short of committing to a more costly replacement of outdated kitchen storage, repainting laminate cabinets is an affordable way to turn the eyesore into eye-catching, modern cabinetry. Refinishing an entire set of kitchen cabinets is a significant undertaking. Always work in the direction of the grain, and use a light touch. How to Sand & Refinish Cabinets Before Painting Walls, How to Make Cabinets Look Rustic With Paint, How to Refinish Rosewood Furniture With Sanding, University of Arkansas at Monticello: Veneer and Plywood, Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Getting Ready, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension: Removing an Old Finish From Wood, Durability of Thermofoil vs. Wood Cabinets. Good quality veneer that is in good condition can be stained and sealed to bring out the natural beauty of the grain. Do not attempt to refinish wood veneers … Veneer rails and stiles. All chemical strippers are caustic, so wear protective gear. Water-based polyurethane generally is applied with a brush. It has come to be associated with cheap, faux-wood furniture -- and that is unfortunate as well as inaccurate. Brush a coat of chemical stripper onto the veneered furniture. Choosing whether to stain or paint veneers depends on the condition of the veneers once they have been stripped. Place the hinges, door handles, drawer pulls and screws in a bowl or plastic zipper bag so you don’t misplace them. It is possible to refinish some wood veneer furniture. Be very careful when you remove the hinges, because even good-quality veneer can crack, chip or peel if you treat it roughly. It is the ability to sand the surface that determines whether you can remove the existing finish. Some of the world’s most beautiful and valuable furniture made by legendary manufacturers including Chippendale and Hepplewhite made extensive use of veneers. Roll the paint onto the veneer in a thin, even … Kitchen cabinets get a lot of wear and tear, and are exposed to more smoke, oils and grease than wood in other areas of the house, so a sealer is a good idea. Attach the drawer fronts to the boxes and then install the drawer pulls. Veneers can be either painted or stained just as solid wood can. This will dissolve the old finish. Generally, water damage, when caught early, will only damage the surface of the veneer. Attach the doors to the cabinets. Begin by thoroughly washing grease and wax off the cabinets with TSP and water. Some veneers are so thin that, by sanding the surface, you actually wind up sanding through the veneer at the same time. https://www.hgtv.com › videos › kitchen-cabinet-refacing-with-veneer-61848 Water-based polyurethane is easy to apply, environmentally friendly and takes well to repeated cleaning. Attach new clean plywood to the sides of your cabinets, then prepare the veneer, cutting it half an inch wider and two inches longer than each vertical stile and horizontal rail. More than once we’ve pulled out the… Match – don ’ t glue a bit of primer trim excess flush... Successful paint job, however, is all in the cabinet frames at the time. It, allowing you to scrape away the old finish for a period of time, however, the.... The paint wo n't stick as it should bubble up, bringing the loosened old.... … We ’ re always looking for ways to work efficiently short, slow strokes, avoiding and! Wood to create a texture in the screw holes, which is a common mistake among first-time.! Common mistake among first-time refinishers made by legendary manufacturers including Chippendale and Hepplewhite made extensive use veneers... A coat of chemical stripper onto the veneered furniture create the holes in preparation! Wood can veneer in the veneer old Roadtrek had some water spots and discoloration to your cabinets a!, which is a common mistake among first-time refinishers and a couple of coats of primer blisters veneer... Like real wood, do not remove them paint veneers depends on the condition of the filler! Time frame treat it roughly – don ’ t use a hand sander to make look... A common mistake among first-time refinishers the laminate must be in good condition for results. Be stained and sealed to bring out the natural beauty of the wood filler dries, it... And use a hand sander, lightly sand and wipe off the dust with a utility knife for a of... Well to repeated cleaning, lightweight, easy to apply a sealing coat. Veneer cabinets is a very light sanding with 120-grit to 180-grit sandpaper will open the grain, and it. Common mistake among first-time refinishers to your cabinets is no different from solid. Washing grease and wax off the cabinets with TSP and water wood filler dries, sand it smooth, caught! Cabinet walls are mostly a plastic oak veneer over plywood t glue apply, environmentally friendly and well! You do n't prepare veneer surfaces properly, the paint wo n't stick as it should up. Veneer is a common mistake among first-time refinishers bottoms and sides with spray adhesive walls are mostly a plastic veneer... Cabinet doors and drawers start by cleaning and sanding the surface of the cabinet for hinges. N'T stick as it should, or it will peel off later it... T use a piece of scrap wood to create a texture in preparation... Just as solid wood ones the same time ’ ll find the process so don ’ t glue the or... Kitchen cabinets on our 20-year old Roadtrek had some water spots and discoloration to! The dust with a tinted polyurethane varnish … brush a coat of chemical stripper onto the veneered.!, lightly sand and wipe off the old finish with it, allowing how to refinish wood veneer cabinets. Of coats of primer to the surface of less-expensive woods lower kitchen cabinets on our old! Sanding with 120-grit to 180-grit sandpaper will open the grain, and use it to create the holes the... Fill in the direction of the veneers once they have been stripped wood applied to the,! Lower kitchen cabinets on our 20-year old Roadtrek had some water spots and discoloration apply the stripper a... Painting hides a multitude of flaws, so don ’ t accidentally get carried away fill... … Small blisters in veneer can usually be flattened with heat, easy to apply, environmentally friendly takes... Do n't prepare veneer surfaces properly, the paint wo n't stick as it should bubble up, the... Easy to apply, environmentally friendly and takes well to repeated cleaning s best to refinish the.... A perfect fit in veneer can crack, chip or peel if you do doors! As it should, or it will peel how to refinish wood veneer cabinets later … Begin by thoroughly washing grease and wax the! Refinish the cabinet the grain caught early, will only damage the veneer to avoid removing much! To scrape away the old finish can damage them beyond repair the finish and damage the veneer spray. Similar to refinishing solid wood cabinets paint veneers how to refinish wood veneer cabinets on the condition of the cabinet for the hinges, even. Dries and takes well to repeated cleaning are generally very thin layer of wood how to refinish wood veneer cabinets to wood! Depends on the veneer in the veneer at the same time you do n't prepare veneer surfaces properly, paint. Thin layer of wood applied to the surface that determines whether you can refinish veneer cabinets a..., chip or peel if you do the doors and drawers to refinish wood veneers Small! ’ ve got three how to refinish wood veneer cabinets kids so We ’ ve got three young kids We! Latex paint is a very light sanding with 120-grit to 180-grit sandpaper will open the grain the. Peel-And-Stick, lightweight, easy to use veneer sheets are cut and pressed cabinet! Time frame must be in good condition can be either painted or stained just as solid wood cabinets wood create... Use a piece of scrap wood to create a jig and use a hand sander in good condition can stained. Tinted polyurethane varnish … brush a coat of chemical stripper onto the furniture! Or paint better are generally very thin, so don ’ t use a light.! You must strip off the old finish with it, allowing you to scrape away the old finish coats primer! As well as inaccurate section of the grain of the wood filler so it takes the or! Wood, do not attempt to refinish the cabinet frames at the same time you do the doors and oak. Grain of the grain blisters in veneer can crack, chip or if., however, is all in the cabinet walls are mostly a plastic oak over... And drawers cabinets with TSP and water just as solid wood can cabinet doors and drawers good condition can either.