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wenchgc

Remove baked on finish on cabinets

wenchgc
9 years ago

My husband mistakenly bought natural cherry cabinets because he remembered the originals were natural. twelve years ago!! I have tried several things to remove the finish - stripper, sanding, etc. and I'm not getting there.
Has anyone done this or can give me suggestions on how to get these cabinets at least close to color??
I would appreciate any suggestions.

Comments (3)

  • JAAune
    9 years ago

    I'd have originally suggested leaving them in a sunny area for a few days to see if they darkened enough to be acceptable. It sounds like you're beyond that stage by now. It's also possible the finish has UV inhibitors that would have drastically slowed the darkening effect.

    You're dealing with factory coatings which means they probably used catalyzed finishes that are almost impervious to chemicals available to the typical homeowner.

    The easiest solution is likely shellac toner (shellac with dye added for color). The cabinets would first need to be sanded with p320 sandpaper then sprayed with light coats of the toner. Once the color matches and the toner is dry, everything gets topcoated with a clear finish.

    However, the toner solution is not ideal because you won't be able to replicate the durable factory finish. Everything will be more prone to scratches or damage from steam, food, oil and water. Also, toner works best for slight color shifts. Major changes will "muddy" the appearance of the wood grain.

  • bobismyuncle
    9 years ago

    I agree with JAAune's comments.

    However, some of those finishes do not accept any sort of top coat over them. It will peel right off.

    You might try aircraft paint stripper. Not saying it will work, but it's stronger than most anything else you can buy.

    I've had to strip some of these "wonder finishes" and it was not fun. Stripping was required because they could not be repaired because nothing else would stick to them. You gain durability and lose repairability.

  • jeff-1010
    9 years ago

    also try marine grade liquid no wash stripper. the cat. lacquers today are nearly bullet prof, and in stripping this stuff, even the pro's learn new levels of disgust.
    if you want to try the stripper again ...score the finish with 80-120grt paper. apply the stripper , don't be shy with it, work it on and into the finish and cover it with news paper and plastic tarp. don't peek under the hood for at least 1/2hr. find a plastic body putty knife and try to scrape away this brew like you would burned cheese. it works for me.