Refinishing bathroom cabinets with new stain or new paint is an inexpensive and cost-effective way of updating the appearance of the entire bathroom. Take a critical look at your cabinet door style; you may be able to remove gaudy older molding or add framing around the outside edges to completely change the physical appearance of the cabinets. At the very least you will want to also update your cabinet hardware. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Clean your cabinets a day or two before you plan to paint them. Remove everything from inside the cabinets. Vacuum out their interior. Check for water leaks in older pipes or wood rot. Scrub the cabinets inside and out using soap and water and a nylon bristle brush. Dry the wood immediately. You are trying to remove greasy stains from old products. Leave the doors and drawers open to dry completely
2. Remove the doors and drawers from the cabinets and take them to your well-ventilated workspace (such as in a garage). Remove all hardware.
3. Sand your cabinet doors and drawer faces using an orbital sander. If you are restaining you will need to completely remove the old stain or finish. If you are repainting you will want to remove the finish. Fill holes, dents or damage. Remove excess molding. Use wood filler and sand off any excess after the filler dries.
4. Stain your cabinet doors on the inside first. If you only stain the outside the door may warp. Apply stain with a disposable brush and wipe off excess stain in the direction of the wood grain using rags. The longer the stain stays on the wood, the darker the stain will get.
5. Place plastic sheeting on your bathroom floor and tape off walls and the ceiling where stain or paint may contact other surfaces. Tape off hinges. Sand and stain your cabinets in your bathroom.
6. Stain the outside of your cabinet doors and drawers and allow the stain to dry completely. Most stains will dry within 24 hours. Apply clear coat that is compatible with the type or brand of stain you have used. Finish your cabinet the same way.
7. Replace your cabinet hardware and rehang your cabinet doors and drawers. If you are painting your cabinets, you will need to prime first and allow four hours for the primer to dry, then apply one or more finish coats of paint. Again allow four hours between coats and be sure to paint the inside of your cabinet doors to prevent warping.
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