stain for plywood cabinets

This is probably more appropriate for the woodworking group, but I'll cast my line out and see what happens.

The finish on my cabinets is a badly worn varnish. I say varnish because its a flaky yellowish crystaline substance from the 1960's over plywood. After removing the varnish from the cabinet boards I notice that the cabinet isn't a natural wood color so I'm assuming it was stained. My question is what kind of a finish would be best for wood like this?

It's not like its raw plywood or something, it has a nice hard smooth finish so being unfamiliar with plywood construction I can only assume its a hardwood laminate or similar material.

I guess my question is, if I restain it, do I need to apply varnish to seal or are there better alternatives? What if I like the original color and simply want to seal/complete the finish from weathering (hands, kitchen smoke, traffic, etc..)

I'm used to working with linseed oil, I use it to refinish my gunstocks, but something tells me I don't want something that flammable in the kitchen.

Reply to
Eigenvector
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Linseed oil would not be flammable once cured,but is still a poor choice for a kitchen. I'd go with a polyurethane as it is easy to clean.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Reply to
DZIN

I second that. They make low VOC poly so it won't stink up the house. My kitchen is all either stainless or poly over wood (including the countertops) They are bulletproof and everything comes off with a wet sponge.

As for the stain, try a small out of the way spot but I bet the only way you get a decent result is to strip it completety. Be aware if it is a hardwood overlay you will be down to the base wood in about a silly millimeter so sand carefully. In the end you might end up with a laminate on it.

Reply to
gfretwell

Some suggestions...

Use a good quality, full gloss, oil based poly. Apply with a good foam brush -- the Wooster's sold at Lowes are excellent and very inexpensive. Stir (don't shake) the poly and thin it with mineral spirits if that helps.

Apply about 4 coats, waiting about 24 hours for each one to dry. Sand *very* lightly between coats with 400 grit.

After the final coat wait a few days for a full cure. Then, if you want to knock down the plastic-like look, rub the new finish with 0000 steel wool and some good quality wax. It will make it silky smooth but not glossy.

If you're careful and patient, you'll have a really professional looking finish. I used this protocol on some beaten-up kitchen cabinets and the final result was simply wonderful. The striping/sanding is a pain but everything else is pretty quick and easy to do right.

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

Card scraper did the job for me last set of kitchen cabinet fronts I was paid to strip. Prepare to file the edge every 2 minutes (no hook needed), but even then, it's faster than anything short of a hot lye bath.

Reply to
Father Haskell

Use poly or alkyd enamel paint. Prob with linseed is it takes about a year to fully cure, during which time it'll absorb whatever cooking fumes you have floating about your kitchen.

Reply to
Father Haskell

| > I'm used to working with linseed oil, I use it to refinish my gunstocks, | > but something tells me I don't want something that flammable in the | > kitchen. | | Linseed oil would not be flammable once cured,but is still a poor choice for | a kitchen. I'd go with a polyurethane as it is easy to clean. |

is that boiled linseed oil? is poly made for food preperation areas? is poly alcohol and chemical resistant?

I would reccomend a laquer based clearcoat instead of poly. or a paste wax rubbed on by hand.

Reply to
3G

Yes, it is the type used for finishing. The OP is familir with it.

Of course it is safe. Any finish sold in the US is considered food safe once cured. Poly is found in millions of kitchens. If yo are talking about commercial food preperation, that is a whole other set of regulations. Most homowners do't put the hamburers on cabiten door when prepping.

Any chemical typically found in a kitchen.

It can work, but there are no many good brush on lacquers as compared to polyurethane. The last thing I'd recommend in a kitchen is hand rubbed paste wax. It may look good, but it is not going to hold up well with the grease splatters and splashes that happen in kitchens.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

| > is that boiled linseed oil? | | Yes, it is the type used for finishing. The OP is familir with it. | | | > is poly made for food preperation areas? | | Of course it is safe. Any finish sold in the US is considered food safe once | cured.

but poly is not KMCA certified for food preperation areas.

Poly is found in millions of kitchens. If yo are talking about | commercial food preperation, that is a whole other set of regulations. Most | homowners do't put the hamburers on cabiten door when prepping.

what about the glasses that are upside down in the cabinet, on the poly covered shelf?

| | | > is poly alcohol and chemical resistant? | | Any chemical typically found in a kitchen.

poly leaves water stains easily hand rubbed urethane gel is water and alcohol resistant.

10 times better than poly.

| | >

| > I would reccomend a laquer based clearcoat instead of poly. | > or a paste wax rubbed on by hand. | | It can work, but there are no many good brush on lacquers as compared to | polyurethane.

The last thing I'd recommend in a kitchen is hand rubbed | paste wax. It may look good, but

it is not going to hold up well with the | grease splatters and splashes that happen in kitchens.

and you recommend linseed oil?

the best finish by far is a hand rubbed urethane gel

after testing different finishes (laquer, poly, water based poly, urethane gel) for 1 year. the urethane gel is the only one that lasted through all the seasons in N.E. the test pcs. were outside all year through sun, rain, snow,etc.

and just for the record the poly sample pc. finished last. the water and UV damage was awful.

the laquered sample had minor water blisters. and the urethane gel sample was like new still.

| |

Reply to
3G

So what? This is a residential kitchen and the same rules do not apply. There are many things used every day at home that are not allowed in a commercial kitchen. Start with wood handles on knives. Billions of them in use every day. I don't use my cabinet doors for preparing my food. What cookbook do you follow that does?

What about them? Do you have evidence of cured poly putting chemicals onto the rim of glasses? Have people died from this? If you are worried, put down shelf paper.

I have no water stains on my cabinets. YMMV., but we dry the dishes before putting them away. WTF is different about your hand rubbed poly anyway? Most all polyurethanes have similar chemical bases so perhaps you can tel us more about this material you use. Brands? Types?

No, I did not. Problems with reading comprehension?

I keep my kitchen cabinets inside, not out. They have had polyurethane on them for 29 years now, re-coated about 5 or 6 years ago. Still look pretty good. Is there something better? Perhaps, but 30 years + is good enough for me. Maybe in another few I'll replace the cabinets. So far, they have not been rained on so your testing methods don't mean much to me. If it snowed in my kitchen, my wife would bitch about it.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Well I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it. I've already refinished my test piece in Poly and now it's drying for a few days.

I'm not planning on eating from these things. I'm sure there are better finishes out there, but my crappy john isn't worth that much effort - maybe after I inherit all that black walnut and basswood my step father has stored in his shop.

Reply to
Eigenvector

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