Over time, kitchen cabinets may take a beating from all kinds of things. Scuffs and bumps cause deep scratches and scrapes. Water and food spills cause unattractive stains. And after several years of regular usage, the original cabinet finish gradually wears down, rendering the wood looking old and dull. Whether you’re restoring a brand new kitchen or reliving your kitchen from its earlier days, a little TLC is in order with kitchen cabinets.

If you’re thinking of refinishing kitchen cabinets yourself, the first thing to do is to determine what kind of wood and stain to buy, then how much to spend. There are three different kinds of wood used in refinishing: mineral, soft, or hard. If you’re not sure which to buy, ask for assistance at your local hardware store. Kitchen Cabinets Sacramento has professionals who can give you some pointers on the best way to go about it. There are also books available on the subject of refinishing cabinets, or at your local bookstore.

If you’re planning on simply replacing kitchen cabinets wood planks with new ones, your first step will be to sand them, wash them thoroughly, and then stain them. A penetrating and solvent-free wood stain will give your cabinets a clean, smooth finish. Be sure to get a recommendation from a pro before using a penetrating varnish on wooden planks or stoves.

If you want to completely replace the kitchen cabinets, you’ll have to remove the doors and frame. If you’re doing a reface, you may need to strip off the old handles and doorstops. Once this is done, take out or loosen all the hardware, including any hanging wires or cabinet pulls. Your goal here is to create as open a cabinetry layout as possible without compromising accessibility.

The next step in cabinet restoration is to do some basic cleaning and paint. Depending on how badly damaged your cupboards are, you may have to strip off the whole piece of wood. Cleaning the cabinets will help remove all the water and dirt that’s been embedded in the wood. This preparation work will also allow you to apply the best type of stain for your project. Once this is over, use wood glue and put tape to repair any visible cracks.

Many homeowners go for the option of totally replacing kitchen cabinets with new ones. If your cabinets are in good shape but just need a little TLC, there are other options available to you. For instance, you could purchase new doors and hardware to create the illusion of a brand-new set of cabinets. In many cases, all you need to do is remove the doors and hinges, paint them, and add new doors. Although this will do a good job of giving your cabinets a fresh look, it is probably not worth it if you’re looking to save money.

If your cabinets need a more serious overhaul, consider having the doors and hinges repainted. You can choose to use an existing finish in the doors or paint a new stain for an old look. While it may be cheaper to paint instead of having the doors and hinges repainted, it may also be less time-consuming. However, if you choose to have the doors and hinges re-painted, be sure to get quality products. It is better to spend a little extra money and get a quality finish than to simply skimp and ruin your cabinets for months.

Even when you decide to get everything done by yourself, you’ll still need to get a free estimate from a professional contractor. This will ensure that you get quality products for your project and it will also tell you how much they will cost. Sometimes paying a little more for a set of doors that are perfect for your home isn’t a bad idea. In the end, it could be cheaper to replace your cabinets than to try to refurbish them and try to do things like painting them that are too complicated for you to accomplish on your own.