Swing Paints Message Board

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mary 5/12/2003 19:19:00	Subject: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I have dark stained Oak cabinets in my kitchen (I think the stain color is called dark walnut). In the areas where you thouch the cabinets, you can easily see the signs of tear and wear since the stain is loosing color and it's becoming light. I am now trying to fix the probelm without haviong to go through the trouble of stripping the wood.... I though about sanding the surface lightly and re-applying the same stain, mostly to the areas where it's needed, and then apply a clear coat. I am planning to use a gel stain. Does anyone know it this can work? Any suggestions? Also, with the gel stain, is it necessary to apply plenty on the surface and wipe the extra? Or could you apply less and work it our with a brush, and skip the wiping? Any input is hightly appreciated!
Mark 5/13/2003 06:52:39	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: The problem with applying a gel stain over an existing finish (you probably have a lacquer stain on your kitchen cabinets) is that it does not adhere very well. It would be better to use a product that is both stain and varnish - the stain will give you the colour you want and the varnish will help it to stick. Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish is one such product. It is a gel varnish and stain combination that can be applied onto bare wood, or onto previously finished wood, plastic or metal. It is very important, especially in a kitchen environment, to thoroughly clean the surface prior to applying a new finish. The oils and greases from cooking will adhere to the lacquer on the cabinets - making a poor substrate for a new finish. Use a good quality Furniture Cleaner or a TSP solution (is there is no bare wood showing) to prepare the surface. Sand lightly using 180-220 grit sandpaper and remove the dust using a tack cloth (or slightly damp cloth). You can now apply the Stain'n Varnish to your cabinets. It is available in 22 colours (Dark Walnut is one) so you will be able to match up your colour.
vanitha 7/29/2003 16:06:44	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: iam building a new house and I have oak cabinets in my kicthen,it has to many paterns(Grains) on cabinets. Ididn't like it. Can i reduce grain patterns by repaint the cabinets after my closing.
Mark 7/30/2003 08:25:51	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Applying any paint or semi-transparent stain will hide the underlying grain of the wood.
Starr 12/30/2003 15:08:35	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I have oak cabinets stained Golden Oak (minWax) I believe they have one coat of light satin polyurethane. I want to stain them red mohagony. I have sanded with a very fine sand paper on a small area and tested the stain. I brushed the stain on and when i wiped it most of the color was lost. I brusehd again and let it stand overnight, it still looked wet, I wiped it down and most of the color was lost. What do I need to do to keep the dark stain?
Starr 12/30/2003 15:09:02	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I have oak cabinets stained Golden Oak (minWax) I believe they have one coat of light satin polyurethane. I want to stain them red mohagony. I have sanded with a very fine sand paper on a small area and tested the stain. I brushed the stain on and when i wiped it most of the color was lost. I brusehd again and let it stand overnight, it still looked wet, I wiped it down and most of the color was lost. What do I need to do to keep the dark stain?
Starr 12/30/2003 15:09:06	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I have oak cabinets stained Golden Oak (minWax) I believe they have one coat of light satin polyurethane. I want to stain them red mohagony. I have sanded with a very fine sand paper on a small area and tested the stain. I brushed the stain on and when i wiped it most of the color was lost. I brusehd again and let it stand overnight, it still looked wet, I wiped it down and most of the color was lost. What do I need to do to keep the dark stain?
Mark 12/30/2003 16:43:07	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: You cannot stain on top of a finish - the stain will not penetrate into the wood. You can strip off the polyurethane, sand well and apply a stain. Alternatively, you can use a product such as Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish, which can be applied over existing finishes without the need to remove them first.
STARR 12/30/2003 19:43:59	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: THANK YOU!But of course I have further questions. What type of paper should I sand with? What do I do specifically, sand, clean with TSP then stain? Alternatively, If I use the Stain & Varnish that you suggest (where do I buy it as well) Is there any prep work? Do I apply directly on the cabinets as they are now? Which method would you recommend..which will be most durable and look best? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!
Mark 12/30/2003 21:19:01	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: In order to stain you will first have to use a paint remover to strip off the polyurethane. After the polyurethane has been stripped off you will have to sand (120-150 grit) in order to open up the wood grain to accept stain. Afterwards, you will have to reapply a finish The preparation for Stain'n Varnish is to wash the cabinets thoroughly with TSP and sand lightly with 180 grit sandpaper. You do not have to remove the existing finish, or apply any other finish on top of the Stain'n Varnish. Using Stain'n Varnish is certainly a lot less work as there is no stripping involved. Stain'n Varnish or staining and varnishing will both achieve the same durability. It is hard to say which technique looks better, staining or using Stain'n Varnish. Stain'n Varnish is certainly a lot more forgiving and easier to achieve a uniform colour.
starr 12/30/2003 23:07:35	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Okay sounds like the stain n varnish is the way to go. Where do I get it? I looked at Home Depot but couldn't find it there. Any suggestions?
Mark 12/31/2003 09:15:58	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Where are you located?
starr 12/31/2003 12:56:34	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am in Long Beach, CA 90806
Mark 12/31/2003 15:22:38	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: You must order off of our web site.
starr 1/04/2004 19:22:51	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Thanks Again for your help! I have sanded ALL of the cabinets...ugh what a job! WHAT A MESS! But I did stain them yesterday and they look beautiful. I stained them a red mohogany. I wanted them fairly dark so I did not wipe them very much at all after staining them with a brush. Today they still remain sort of tacky. I have wiped them a little bit. Any ideas why they are still tacky? Will it take longer to dry since I didn't wipe much? Can I go ahead and use a polyurethane now or should I keep waiting for it to dry? HELP!!!
Mark 1/04/2004 20:00:02	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Wait at least 24 hours AFTER they are completely dry to the touch before applying any finish.
christine 1/05/2004 12:37:33	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am located in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Can you please advise if there is a place I can get the stain and varnish or do I need to order it online as well? and if so can you please provide the direct link as I came in this discussion on a google serach.
Mark 1/05/2004 19:39:30	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: That product can either be ordered online www.swingpaints.com/770_799.htm or at the Woodworks Show in Springfield, MA January 16-18. Write us first to let us know what you will want to ensure that we have it at the show.
starr 1/05/2004 20:39:37	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Mark, Some parts are drying and others are not. Like I said I applied it very heavy and didn't wipe much except drips. What Should I do to the areas that haven't completely dried. I applied the stain on Saturday night/Sunday morning. It has been about 2 days now.
Mark 1/06/2004 06:46:28	RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: The only way that a stain will not dry, even if an excessively heavy coat is applied, is if there was not bare wood underneath (e.g., finish, wax, polish, etc.). Since you are in Long Beach heat and humidity should not be a problem. You should wait a few more days and see what happens. If it is still tacky I would suggest you use a rag dampened in paint thinner or mineral spirits to remove the excess stain. You might end up back at the original wood colour. If this is the case, resand the wood and then stain again. One the big advantages of a varnish stain (Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish) is that it can be applied over existing finishes - the old finish does not have to be sanded or stripped off.
Mary Alice 2/14/2004 21:35:02	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am re-staining my kitchen cabinets and I noticed on the varnish can it says to leave a wet edge. Exactly what do they mean by "wet edge" Thank you for you help.
Mary Alice 2/14/2004 21:39:44	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am re-staining my kitchen cabinets and I noticed on the varnish can it says to leave a wet edge. Exactly what do they mean by "wet edge" Thank you for you help.
Mark 2/22/2004 16:38:29	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Hopefully you are done your project by now. A wet edge means that your next brush stroke is adjacent to a coat that was just previously applied (still wet). If you try to apply a coat next to one that has begun to tack up it will leave a mess.
mary alice 2/22/2004 18:17:07	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Thank you for your help, I kind of thought it was something like that but wasn't sure. My project is coming along fine so far. Thanks again.
melissa 2/29/2004 23:15:49	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: We just paid someone to re-finish our kitchen cabinets. From med. golden oak to cherry. They put 2 coats of polyurathane over them, but the finish (stain color) seems to be scratching off very easily. Is this normal? Would applying your bowling alley finish stop this from happening? If so, where would I buy it? I'm in Southern California. One more question, they only lightly sanded the cabinets, should they have completely taken the old color off first, then re-stained?
Mark 3/01/2004 06:22:33	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: If the original surface was thoroughly cleaned and sanded, the new finish should adhere properly. There is no need to completely remove the original finish. If the new finish is scratching off, more than likely the problem is in the preparation and not in the finish. The only way to really test this theory is to apply the new finish to a new surface and test if the finish scratches easily. Although you can apply Circa 1850 Bowling Alley Polyurethane to your cabinets to provide a harder, more durable finish, if the problem is with the preparation the polyurethane will eventually come off as well.
starr 3/07/2004 00:03:52	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Hello again, I have an outdoor gate that has a water sealer/deck stain on it. I ordered your circa 1850 in deep cherry. What do I need to do to prepare the gate before applying the new stain and varnish? Also, I would like to use the stain n varnish on my front door also which is stained and has polyurethane on top of the stain. What is the prep for the stain n varnish in this situation?
Mark 3/08/2004 08:08:32	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: All surfaces should be washed with TSP and warm water to remove all dirt, etc. The surface should also be well sanded and all loose finish and wood removed. Pay particular attention to the surface with water sealer. These tend to be wax or silicone. The sealers must be completely removed or Stain'n Varnish will not adhere. Since the surfaces were previously sealed, the first coat of Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish will not penetrate into the wood and it will require several coats to modify the existing colour.
Marie-Claude 4/12/2004 21:05:23	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Hi! I am planning to finish our new pine kitchen cabinets and I need advice. We wanted to use oil-based product because we like its mate finish, and I thought the maintenance would be less problematic: no yellowing, scratches can be sanded, when the finish worns out just put another layer of oil, etc....Do you agree with my ''theory'' ? If so, what product to you recommend ? I am more at ease with a wipe than with a brush, and I want to stain the wood too.
Mark 4/13/2004 06:30:45	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: While oil finishes give a nice hand rubbed finish, I think you will be disappointed in the lack of durability and inability to properly clean. Kitchens tend to generate a lot of grease and oils from cooking. These will get on the cabinets and will be very hard to clean. As well, oil finishes will yellow your pine (pine will yellow on its own to some extent) faster than other finishes. If you ar more at ease with a wipe on finish and still want that hand-rubbed look, I suggest you try Circa 1850 Antique "Danish" Oil. It goes on like an oil finish, is easily repaired, but has the durability of a varnish added in.
Lyle 4/27/2004 10:57:19	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I currently have "pickled oak" cabinets of the early 90's and I would like to restain them a medium brown color. I've been reading about the stain 'n varnish above, and that route seems to be the simplest. Do you see any reason why that would not be the case? Should the stain 'n varnish appear the same on the veneers used on the cabinet frames?
Mark 4/27/2004 12:23:24	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: If both the cabinets and frames have an existing finish, Stain'n Varnish will produce the same effect on both.
John 5/24/2004 14:28:10	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Dear Mary, I suspect this note is much, much too late for your cabinets to benefit from, but let me share an amazing discovery with you that might help with future wood "tinting" projects. I have discovered that you can safely use Minwax Water-Based Wood Stain (Decorator Tint Formula) available at Rona & The Home Despot over some oil finished woods! The results I achieved were beautiful on a brand new custom finished bookcase (that was supposed to match our other furniture & didn't!), plus old, old finished & oiled wood panelling. The panelling finish now looks even better than before, a lovely satin sheen. I'm not entirely sure how this works, so it is extremely important to test by applying small amount with a rag onto an inconspicuous part of the item, buff, then let dry for a full day & check the result. I suspect that the water based stain is absorbed through the pores in the old finish. I doubt this would work over urethane finishes which practically have no pores, but it does appear to work over some satin lacquers, like my bookcase. Also, I suspect it works best on more porous woods. My guess is that the water based stain cannot dissolve the old oil based stain & finish so no damage occurs, then the water evaporates leaving the tint behind. I can't guess how it improved the finish on my panelling, except that it might act as a wash. I was even able to use a foam brush on my panelling after I decided the process worked. Minor buffing improves the finish. I would be interested to hear any opinions on the actual process that is going on, & what other finishes people discover this works over. Best regards, John Calgary
Mark 5/24/2004 19:55:56	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: All stains contain some fixing agent to prevent the stain from rubbing off if no topcoat is applied. Water-based stains are actually very dilute paints (that is, pigments in a dilute acrylic base). The colour may be nice, but the transparency is usually quite poor. Most water-based stains look muddy. Of course you will also have apply a top-coat to ensure that the stain stays on the wood. Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish used only high quality transparent oxide pigments. That means that even with 2 or 3 coats of the product you can still see the beautiful grain of the wood. No topcoat is required as Stain'n Varnish contains a durable varnish that is resistant to heat, water and alcohol.
John 5/25/2004 00:34:43	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Mark, Thanks for your input. This might explain the improved finish on the panelling if the stain has remained on the surface, but I don't think the stain remained on the surface of the bookcase. Time will tell, at least it appears to have fixed the colour mismatch. Is there any harm in leaving it this way? What exactly is varnish, is it a natural substance or synthetic. Even your Stain'n Varnish product actually contains urethane according to your website, so the product name is somewhat misleading. Once it's applied, how is it cared for? I've used your Antique Oil, which your website claims to contain "real" varnish, but I don't like the high sheen it gives & I'm nervous about taking steel wool to it as you've recommended in another thread. It seems the more one attempts to clean or finish wood, the worse looking it becomes! I know this is getting off topic for this thread, but all the cleaners we've tried change the finish or leave build-up, including the Circa 1850 Furniture Cleaner which cleans but also seems to leave the wood hazy, then requiring refinishing somehow. We simply want to clean & nourish our furniture so that it looks like it did when it left the factory, but nothing on the market seems to work entirely satisfactorily. Regards, John
Mark 5/25/2004 07:11:16	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Applying a stain over an existing finish is not really recommended as the pigments don't really have anything to adhere to. Eventually, if no finish is applied over the stain, it will just fall away. Since some of the acrylic binder has fixed itself to the wood, you will achieve a slight shine. Varnish is what one gets when an oil is cooked. Think of it as the bread that is made from flour. Just as bread is made from many different types of grains (rye bread, wheat bread, corn bread, etc.), varnishes can be cooked from different types of oils (tung oil, linseed oil, safflower oil, etc.). Varnishes can also be made from other resins: acrylic, alkyd, nitrocellulose, phenolic, polyester, polyurethane, vinyl, etc. Michael Dressner (author of many finishing books) uses an even broader description, "Varnish simply means a liquid that forms a film - which is what a coating and finish mean, too". So varnishes can be made from either natural or synthetic. I hate this terminology since everything we obtain from the earth is natural, even crude oil, since it was made naturally. Similarly, most of what we use is also synthetic since we must alter it in some way to obtain what we need - by crushing, pressing, cooking, etc. Getting back, urethane is a type of resin and it is used to create the varnish that is used in Stain'n Varnish. This varnish is very resistant to water and alcohol, as well as heat. Therefore, all that is really ever needed is slightly damp cloth to remove any dirt, fingerprints, etc. Once a year, a good cleaning with Circa 1850 Furniture Cleaner will remove any grime. Antique Oil is simply a blend of a varnish with an oil to produce varnish that is easy to apply with a cloth. And don't be afraid to change the gloss on a finish - that's what the professionals do all the time. It is a lot harder to go from satin to gloss than from gloss to satin. A very light buffing with steel wool or very fine sandpaper will quickly take the sheen off of any finish. Circa 1850 Furniture Cleaner will not affect most finishes. The only real exception that I know of is some lacquers, especially old ones, that can sometimes get streaky. If a silicone polish is used, the cleaner may not be strong enough to completely remove the polish. In that case, while the polish is still damp with Cleaner, a quick rinse with ammonia is all that is needed to remove the silicone polish (found in Pledge, Orange Glo, etc.) If you want to clean and nourish the wood you will have to use a polish. The ones without silicone are the best. Either Lemon Oil or Cream Polish will clean and polish the wood. However, polishes are not finnishes and they will require reapplication every so often.
Penny 5/26/2004 10:01:40	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Help! We are building a house and last night got a sample of our kitchen and livingroom cabinets because we are going to pick out flooring today. The cabinet color isn't anything close to the color of our dining room table & hutch or bookshelves. In talking to the cabinet maker this morning, he said the cabinets are already made and "boxed." They plan to install them within the next few days. So, I am looking into using Stain n'Varnish to fix the color. The cabinets are a "natural oak color" (even though we told him we wanted golden oak), so they are much lighter and somewhat reddish. How far does a quart of the Stain n'Varnish go? And the polyurethane? I'm trying to figure out how much it's going to cost for us to change the color. They said they might be able to do something--at least lightly sand the cabinets for us...So much for trying to match wood flooring to the cabinets. I guess we'll just have to go with some neutral flooring instead. :0(
Mark 5/26/2004 11:32:21	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: You should be able to achieve a fairly good match with one coat of Stain'n Varnish over the top of your sanded cabinets. You can expect one litre to cover approximately 100 sq ft (9 sq m). You will not need to put any polyurethane on top of the Stain'n Varnish as this finish is durable enough for kitchens.
martha 9/20/2004 23:17:06	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: We have a 19 year old house with a honey or golden oak finish. It looks orangish! I want to go lighter to a nice light oak. Do I need to sand down to the wood or just paint on your Stain 'n Varnish? What colors does it come in?
Mark 9/21/2004 06:30:25	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: It would be very difficult to use Stain'n Varnish to get a lightly shade, unless you are willing to apply many coats and completlely hide the grain of the wood. The best way to get to the light oak colour would be to either sand the wood to remove the stain or to strip it off if the colour is in the finish. You will find that over time oak will turn a pale orange all by itself, so even with a new finish you may end up exactly where you started.
Elizabeth 10/17/2004 00:44:31	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am so happy to have found this site. You have already answered many of my questions. Just have a few more...sorry. I recently purchased a home and all the cabinets are in that dark brown stain that seemed so popular 20 years ago. I want to put a wall oven into the build-in origionally created for a fridge. This will mean new wood facing. My question: Can I use the same stain colour, Circa 1850 Stain'n varnish, on the cabinets and new wood, and have it come out the same colour? Also, I know you say that you don't need to use Polyurethane after but as the house is open concept and the kitchen can be seen from the frount of the house, I really want them to shine. Any ideas?
Mark 10/17/2004 16:49:20	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: When I am attempting to match new wood to old, I usually using one colour or Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish to stain the new wood to match the old wood. I then use the Stain'n Varnish that onto both the new wood and old wood to get the final colour. I have found that this technique works best. You can certainly apply a coat of Circa 1850 Bowling Alley Polyurethane - Gloss onto the wood that has been finished with Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish.
Lynn 10/21/2004 19:05:59	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Our kitchen cabinets are 5 years old (washed oak),I would like to darken the finish, is there a simple way?
Mark 10/22/2004 06:55:06	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: After cleaning and lightly sanding the surface, you can apply Stain'n Varnish directly over the top of the existing finish.
Larry 10/23/2004 11:34:18	finishing a old radio cabinet Message: I have a old radio cabinet that I am refinishing. It has veneer on the sides(mahgony) which is a little dark. I have completely stripped the stand which now is a light mahgoney color. I have stained a sample on a scrap of wood with a dark mahogany stain and it does'nt come out the same color as the cabinet. If I stain the sides with it the stand will be a lighter color,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HELP
Mark 10/23/2004 11:46:24	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Matching woods using stains is an art. You may have to mix two or three different colours to get the one that you want.
Lynn 10/24/2004 22:48:52	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: where can I buy the stain'n varnish, I live in Mesa Arizona 85207, thanks
Lynn 10/24/2004 22:51:44	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: where can I buy the stain'n varnish, I live in Mesa Arizona 85207, thanks
Lynn 10/24/2004 22:52:49	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: where can I buy the stain'n varnish, I live in Mesa Arizona 85207, thanks
Mark 10/25/2004 06:30:43	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Stain'n Varnish is available for purchase on this web site.
jeanie 10/25/2004 15:48:12	Polyurethane and countertops Message: I have sanded my kitchen counter top, applied 2 coats of Kilz and 2 coats of oil based paint. I have applied three thin layers of minwax spar urethane and one thick coat. It is beautiful.. Today was the first day to use it after an eleven day process. My husband dropped a salt shaker and the finish chipped to the kilz. I assume I don't have enough poly. Should I keep applying more or should I get the bowling alley polyurethane and how thick should it be applied? Help! I have heard folks say that this works. The countertop is absolutely perfect with my cabinets and floors. Thank you. Jeanie
jeanie 10/25/2004 16:23:05	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Mark, Where can one find the bowling alley polyurethane in North Carolina, Towns of Henderson or Wake Forest or Raleigh area? Thanks
Mark 10/25/2004 20:08:11	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Spar varnishes are not really the ideal finish for a kitchen counter. They are far too soft. Spar varnishes (really good ones, that is) are ideal for exterior use because they are very flexible and will not chip or peel. You should never really apply any finish "thick". Finishes are designed to be applied thinly so that they can cure properly. It is always best to apply several thin coats as opposed to one thick coat. You should be using a good quality floor finish for the best resistance to scratches, dents and spills. Unfortunatly, Bowling Alley Polyurethane is not sold at any retail shops in NC - although it is available by mail through the web site.
jeanie 10/25/2004 22:17:04	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Mark, Thank you for responding to my questions. Can I apply the bowling alley polyurethane over the spar urethane that I have already done? I will order it immediately if you think it will work. If not, do you think I can put other polyurethane over the spar? Jeanie
Mark 10/26/2004 06:33:05	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Yes, you can apply Bowling Alley Polyurethane over the existing spar varnish. You must make sure that the surface is clean and well sanded prior to applying the new finish.
cyndi 11/16/2004 16:31:02	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am thinking of staining my oak kitchen cabinets and oak railings on our stairs. Is there any danger from the dust created by sanding the wood? I have small children that are at home. I was reading on the minwax can about the dangers of releasing lead from scraping/sanding old paint. The suggestion was to wear a particular mask, however, this seems unreasonable for the children that are around) Can paint be applied to finished oak using a primer first? Does painting over oak cabinets/railing look appropriate?
Mark 11/16/2004 17:25:30	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Wood dust can irritate some people - I usually wear a dust mask when doing any sanding. Old paint should never be sanded off if there is possibility of lead paint. Chemical stripping is the recommended method. You can paint over the existing cabinets or use a varnish stain (such as Stain'n Varnish) to change the colour. Painting will require a primer and will completely make the grain of the wood.
Lynn 11/29/2004 19:24:54	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: My cabinets are coming out beautiful.Stain and Varnish is a remarkable product. One problem that I am having is the cabinets had some small damaged areas. I treated these areas with a pickeled oak stain via an artist brush before I used your product, but the darker damaged wood still is visible. Any suggestions?, thanks
Mark 11/30/2004 07:51:50	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: There are a number of ways to treat this problem. The first would be to completely remove the finish in these areas, sand to remove the dark, damaged areas and apply a clear coat prior to the Stain'n Varnish. This will limit the penetration of the stain and give you a lighter tone. The second option is to copy the damaged areas onto other areas of the cabinet. The damage only looks bad because you know what it is and it is localized. If you add dark areas (you can use your artistic talents again) to other locations it may look like it was part of the natural beauty of the wood.
Vic 12/07/2004 23:30:20	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Not sure what this website is exactly, but considering having oak kitchen cabinets refinished, any recommendations in the Long Beach, Orange county areas?
Yolanda 1/02/2005 13:43:36	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I am purchasing a new house and it has Oak cabinets which I do not like. I want to stain them a darker color. Can I apply right over the finish or do I have to clean, sand, and then stain?
Mark 1/03/2005 06:52:21	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: You can apply Circa 1850 Stain'n Varnish directly over the existing finish. However, you will still need to clean the surface. You should also lightly sand the finish to ensure adequate adhesion. You do not have to completely sand off the existing finish.
Paulette Bretan 1/12/2005 22:16:54	staining new Kitchen Cabinets Message: We are building a new house and have purchased unfinished, alderwood cabinets for the kitchen, bathrooms & hallway. We are staining the cabinets with an oil-base American Pecan stain. Lacquer has been recommended as a spray-on finish. What do you recommend?
Sara Rangen 1/13/2005 12:30:19	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I have red oak cabinets that I have stripped and sanded. When sanded they are a nice light colour that I would love to keep, but I have tried three separate finishes and each turns the wood to the dark colour we started out with before stripping. I have tried using a clear urethane varnish, a clear gloss polyurethane and then finally tried minwax gel stain in honey maple!! Its getting expensive trying different products that all darken my nice sanded light cabinets. Is there a product I am missing or am I out of luck thinking I can keep the light colour when my cabinets are finished? Thanks
Mark 1/13/2005 14:40:56	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Paulette - don't waste your time with a lacquer. It is a smelly, flammable liquid that tends to chip and get gummy over time. A good quality polyurethane is a much better suggestion for kitchen cabinets. You can spray some polyurethanes (Circa 1850 Bowling Alley). Sara - the only way to try to keep the wood light is to use a water-based varnish.
Paulette 1/15/2005 14:33:58	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Thank you for your quick response about Circa 1850 Bowling Alley. I have several questions. 1. Will I get a good-looking finish if I brush the finish on? 2. How many coats should I apply to the kitchen cabinets? 3. Do I have to sand before applying additional coats?
Yvette 1/16/2005 13:10:22	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Hi, Yesterday I purchased your product stain and varnish to refinish my light oak kitchen cupboards which I want to finish in a dark mahogany color. I washed my cabinets with TSP and slightly sanded them down with 150 grit sand paper. I have applied one coat of Mahogany color stain and varnish. I waited 18 hours they seemed to be dry (just very slightly tacky). I passed a steelwool 000 over them and gave them a second coat. While applying a second coat there are 3 spots that appeared on one of the door's. It looks as though the first coat would not have been dry enough at those 3 spots and when I applied the second it removed the first coat. How can I go about repairing these spots before I continue. My intentions were to apply 4 coats total start with 2 coats of the Mahogany color, then apply 1 coat of dark waltnut to give depth to the color and finish of with a fourth coat of mahogany. I also want to finish with one coat of your antique paste varnish (I like the look that it gives). Firstly could you please let me know how to repair the 3 spots and secondly what do you think of the color choices. Do you think that applying the dark walnut as a third coat will add depth to the color? Looking forward to hear from you.
Mark 1/17/2005 09:00:34	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Paulette, Brushing on Circa 1850 Bowling Alley Polyurethane would be the way to go. Use a good quality pure bristle brush for best results. You should apply 2-3 coats onto the cabinets, sanding lightly with 400 sandpaper or 0000 steel wool between coats. Yvette, I would think that the washing with TSP did not adequately remove some of the cooking grease that will adhere to kitchen surfaces. It is best to use a solvent cleaner such as Furniture Cleaner prior to reapplying finishes in the kitchen. As you noticed, the varnish did not dry and therefore was removed with application of the second coat. Since you only have those three spots you may not want to strip off the finish from the entire door - so let's try some things first. Using some mineral spirits or paint thinner, use a rag to remove the Stain'n Varnish from the spots (it should come off fairly easily). You should be able to get right down to the original surface. If that is so, you can simply reapply Stain'n Varnish onto these spots and blend them into the adjoining area. If that does not work, you will have to remove the door, strip off the finish, sand and reapply the finish. I think the walnut will look good on top of the mahogany. It will add some nice rich brown tones to the wood.
soni baltimore 1/18/2005 16:10:14	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: I've hired someone who said they could restain my kitchen cabinets. they are 14 yrs old and pickled in color. He tried using a stain (after using a chemical to take off finish and sanding) The stain would not adhere. He then used a Minwax gel and that just laid on top and didn't look like a stain. After reading all these questions, it looks like the Circa 1850 Stain n Varnish could do the trick. Where do i purchase it in Boca Ratonk Fl. thank you Soni
mark 1/18/2005 16:39:24	RE: RE-staining Kitchen Cabinets Message: Sorry Soni, but Stain'n Varnish is not sold in any stores near you. I'll make you a deal, though. If you send me a full rack of ribs from Tom's I will send you all the Stain'n Varnish that you need to do your job.