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STAINING AND
VARNISHING RED
OAK KITCHEN CABINETS
Believe
it or not there are some folk out there who do not
appreciate the beauty and the richness of red oak wood and there are
some people out there who really don't appreciate oak wood at all. But
I'm not one of them and over the years I have come to love and revere
oak wood in general and particularly red oak wood. In this article I
am going to give you a step by step guide to help you stain and varnish
your red oak cabinets.
I will be focusing on new cabinets but the same
procedures are in order for existing red oak cabinets with the
exception being that all existing coatings on your cabinets must be
completely removed before you can restain them. Once again, I cannot
stress this point enough: all previous coatings;stains, urethane,
paints and primers must be totally removed from your cabinets before
you
can begin your restaining and revarnishing system.
When it comes to cabinetry I simply love to stain and varnish them each
and every opportunity I get. I really enjoy taking my time and savoring
every moment of it. From preparation to staining and varnishing to
completion, I truly enjoy this special task and I guess it is because
of my love for wood. Whether it's cheery, cypress, mahogany, birch,
pine, red oak, white oak, walnut, pecan, or any other species; I love
wood! In my opinion wood is in a class of its own and nothing else even
comes remotely close.
But sometimes wood needs a little something extra
to bring out its beauty and charm--its grace and stateliness. And that
is why we stain and varnish it to help bring out its natural elegance
and splendor.
If you're looking to give your kitchen a new and interesting look then
by all means you should consider giving your kitchen cabinets a
complete makeover. Some makeovers do little to transform your kitchen
into an exciting and lovable place to gather for food and fun, but
giving your kitchen cabinets a completely new look will definitely make
a statement.
And beautiful red oak cabinets neatly stained and
carefully varnished will not only make a beautiful impression but they
will also extend a warm and gracious invitation to all your family and
friends. So join me as we get ready to travel one of my favorite roads.
PREPARATION:
GIVING IT ALL YOU GOT
When it comes to most home
improvement
projects preparation is usually
the key to a successful ending and when it comes to staining and
varnishing your red oak cabinets this is the most important aspect of
the project. First of all you should remove all fingerprints, grease,
oil stains and every thing else from your cabinets; I prefer
using
alcohol, denatured alcohol if available, and thoroughly wiping the
cabinets down.
Note:
Unlike
new
kitchen cabinets, old or existing kitchen cabinets should be first
washed down with a quality cleaning solution and degreaser like
trisodium phosphate (TSP) before the prepartation starts in earnest.
Be sure and wipe every square inch real good making
sure you remove anything that could prevent the stain from penetrating
into the wood. Do not use mineral spirits to clean your cabinets
because it will only clog the pores of the wood and prevent the stain
from penetrating into the wood.
I sometimes use lacquer thinner to
clean cabinets before I stain as opposed to denatured alcohol, but
lacquer has a very, very pungent odor and it can be extremely
dangerous, so I don't recommend its use for the young novice; instead
stick with denatured alcohol and by all means use it with caution as
well all protective gear needed.
Once the cabinets have been thoroughly cleaned and all dirt, grease,
grime, oil and other unwanted surfactants have been completely removed,
you are now ready to proceed to the next step. When staining and
varnishing your cabinets it is best to remove your cabinet doors and
lay them out on a work bench or work table and address them separately,
at least that's how I like to do it.
Sometimes that is not an option
and I just have to work with them still attached to the boxes or
cabinets. But I really prefer to work on them in a different area
because
it makes it so much easier to reach difficult places that are in the
back of the cabinets and hard to reach areas that are directly behind
the doors and so on. Take my word for it and you will see just how more
convenient it is to work with the doors off.
Now that the doors are off and the cabinets/doors are cleaned and ready
to go begin by applying a quality wood conditioner on the
cabinets/doors liberally and then brushing it vigorously into the wood.
The reason for this step is to help avoid blotches when you begin
staining; wood absorbs stain differently and you can easily end up with
a lot of blotches if you aren't careful and the best way to help avoid
such
a disaster is to apply a good wood conditioner before you stain. Apply
the wood conditioner and allow it time to dry (follow manufacturers'
instructions) and then proceed to apply the stain.
STAINING
APPLICATION
Whatever stain you decide to use remember that red oak is extremely
versatile when it comes to receiving stains. Whether you decide to go
with the traditional golden oak stain or you decide to be more daring
and use a red mahogany or a dark walnut; you might want to use a cherry
stain like I did for one of my clients...and they really loved it. But
whatever choice you make just be sure that it is a quality product made
by a highly reputable manufacturer not some cheap product that comes
with a ridiculously low price.
It will be well worth your while to
invest in a quality white china bristle brush for staining and
varnishing and a real good quality stain and varnish as well. And even
the rag cloths
you will be using for wiping stain and removing excess stain should be
a good quality cotton rag that does not have any lint.
When it comes to stain application there are several ways and
approaches you can take:
(a)
Wiping--wiping stain on using
a cotton lint free rag is an option
that many people use. Wiping the stain into the wood with even and
methodical wipes can yield very good results; however, I prefer
applying the stain with a white china bristle brush and after waiting
fifteen to thirty minutes I then proceed to wipe off the excess with a
fine cotton rag that's lint free.
For example, I often use my T shirts
for this purpose. I will get an old T shirt and turn it over and cut
out the backside of the shirt; usually it is clean and unsoiled. You
can also purchase a box of cotton rags that are clean and lint free.
As I stated I like to brush in the stain, let it sit from fifteen to
thirty minutes and then wipe off the excess with a clean cotton lint
free rag.
(b)
Brushing--brushing on the
stain is a choice that is held by many.
In fact, although I prefer using a white china bristle brush, some
people prefer using a black natural bristle brush and there are some
who prefer synthetic bristle brush to apply stain. My point is
this,whatever feels comfortable to you--use it. There are no set rules
that you must abide by and no one is an absolute authority on how to
apply stain so find what's comfortable for you and work from there.
After all, it's really all about you and what's good for you.
I
have
been staining and varnishing doors, cabinets, walls and all of that for
almost a quarter of a century, but what feels right to me may not feel
right for you, so take the time and find out what you like to use and
by all means enjoy.
(c) Spraying--using
a spray system to stain your kitchen cabinets is an
option too and there are several systems out there that are available
for use, but be warned because spraying comes with a number of big
risks. If you are a novice and unfamiliar with spraying systems I
recommend that you be very careful treading these waters because
disaster is only a step away! I think spraying should be left to the
experienced and the professionals who are very familiar with the
equipment and know how to avoid disaster.
BRUSHING
ON THE STAIN
As I mention above I prefer brushing on the stain thoroughly and
allowing it to penetrate into the wood, after which, I allow it to
remain on the wood undisturbed for about fifteen to thirty minutes at
the longest. The longer you allow the stain to just sit on the wood the
darker it will look and the harder it will be to remove the excess too.
So be
careful not to allow the stain to just sit there on the wood too long
before wiping it off--okay?
Work in small sections to avoid leaving the
stain on the wood too long before wiping it off. Now the idea is not to
wipe the stain off completely but to remove the excess stain that is
just sitting on the wood, especially horizontal surfaces where stain
can quickly accumulate and form a little puddle. Be sure to avoid this
scenario by not overly applying the stain and by not wiping up the
excess when it happens.
The key is to be watchful and observant and
always at the ready to remedy any problem(s). Unless you are a master
craftsman with almost a half a century of experience under your belt
you are going to make mistakes, but if you are observant you can
rectify practically all the mistakes you make and still have a
beautiful job that's well done and satisfying if you stay alert and
avoid mental lapses.
VARNISHING
With your cabinets/doors evenly and uniformly stained now is the time
to begin varnishing. It doesn't matter what stain you chose to use on
your cabinets, varnish will simply bring them to life like you wouldn't
believe. Yes I love varnish because of the richness and impressive look
it gives to wood...all wood. Man, it really does bring to life those
cabinets and give them an elegant look that's unique and down right
beautiful.
Personally, I like to use a clear satin finished
polyurethane that's quick drying. I have been using this product by
min-wax for many years and I still haven't had a complaint yet. There
are many other products available that are made by many different
manufacturers that comes highly recommended, so be open and look around
at all your choices and be sure to do your home work.
 
When it comes to varnishing I simply use the same technique as I do
when I'm staining. I brush methodically and uniformly all the while
distributing a generous amount of varnish all over the wood. I do my
best not to apply to much varnish but when I do I just clean my brush
off of the excess varnish simply by tapping the brush against the
inside of
the can (varnish).
Sometimes I'll transfer the extra varnish to a spot that does not have
enough varnish or I'll put it back into the
bucket--whatever.
You see this is certainly not rocket science but it does take a
concerted effort on your part to do a great job and a great job you
will do if you put your heart into it.
So in closing I just want to encourage you to put your best foot
forward and do a good job that you can be proud of in every sense. And
remember to follow all safety rules and precautions. Always wear the
appropriate protective gear to avoid injuries or worst. Bon Voyage.
If you are currently residing in the Shreveport/Bossier City/Minden
area
feel free to give us at American
Painting and
Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
a call regarding your next kitchen cabinet staining and varnishing
project. We are also interior
residential (house) painters
as
well as exterior
residential (house) painters
plus drywall
(sheetrock) finishers: drywall
(sheetrock)
repair contractors; drywall
(sheetrock)
texture contractors and plaster
restoration and plaster repair contractors.
And for all your historic
home restoration and repairs,
and popcorn ceiling
removal service be
sure to give us a call. Thanks, Don.
| American
Painting and
Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
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Louisiana, Plain
Dealing Louisiana, Webster
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Simsboro Louisiana, Grambling Louisiana, and Ruston Louisiana.
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author. Thank you kindly.
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Disclaimer:
The author of this article assumes no responsibility for any and all
injuries that might occur from implementing any of the procedures
mention in this article or any other article written by him. Please
call a certified and establish contractor in your area.
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