How do I stain kitchen cabinets?

Sonia
by Sonia

hello, I have light color kitchen cabinets so I’m would like to stain them darker color.. I’m planing to use “ minwax wood finish” should I use anything else after ? Thank you so much for ur input

  2 answers
  • Gk Gk on Oct 15, 2019

    Are you using Minwax Polyshades to make your cabinets darker? This is a stain and poly product together so it eliminates doing a final finish coat of poly. It takes several coats but you can go from light to darker. The Minwax Wood FInish is for "unstained" wood. It has to be able to absorb into the wood and if you have any products already on your kitchen cabinets-like a stain with a poly finish over it--this isn't going to work for your cabinets because it won't be able to be absorbed.

  • Sonia Sonia on Oct 15, 2019

    I’m going to lightly sand them before applying the stain. Thank you for your help

    • Gk Gk on Oct 15, 2019

      You will have to do more than lightly sand your cabinets Sonia. You will need to remove ALL of any poly like finish and basically get down to the wood. If you don't remove all of the poly or poly like finish your cabinets will look very unevenly stained as the stain will only absorb where it can reach the wood. If you have any stain that is sitting on top of poly it can't absorb and it will wipe off. If you are going dark over light you might have cabinets that look like a tiger or a leopard. I don't want you to be unhappy with your cabinets once you start this project. The directions will tell you that you have to strip any finishes already on your cabinets for this stain to work for you. You will also have to finish with a coat or two pf poly.

      https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/stains/minwax-wood-finish