best way to refresh/refinish old oak kitchen cabinets

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

We have nice but dated oak cabinets with that standard 1980-ish orange-yellow finish. We are doing a kitchen revamp, and we can't afford to replace the cabinets. Apparently even refinishing them will be very expensive. So, are resigned to having to spend at least "moderately" (well, really a ton, but relatively speaking, I mean). What are our options for refinishing or otherwise cleaning these up? (I know painting is one, but that would be the last resort). Thanks!

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Comments (5)

darbuka
4 years ago
It would help if you posted pics of the kitchen.
User
4 years ago
Painting is 20x easier than stripping and staining. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaintingKitchenCabinetsforProfit/
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jeff
Original Author
4 years ago
It's a last resort. Painting nice oak ... also, most of our house is wood. painting would look bad.
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Then look at full replacement. Average costs to professionally opaque finish cabinets is 8-11K. Most cabinet finishers will not touch a restain project unless they tone it darker with a tinted top coat. And 95%of them don’t do that.
jeff thanked User
klem1
4 years ago
"IF" you have more than a little experience with stains and clear coats and have the desire to advance to another level,I might be able to help. If you are only looking for the easiest way of doing something with the cabinets,I'll leave it to others who trod that path.
jeff thanked klem1