To paint cabinets without sanding, it's necessary to properly wash, degloss, and prime the surfaces before applying the paint. Three materials (tri-sodium phosphate, liquid sander/deglosser, and bonding primer) help you do this.
Although you don't have to sand cabinets in order to refinish or restain them, the cabinets will look newer and you will get better results if you sand or strip them.
While yes, you can avoid completely sanding and stripping an old stain finish off of your kitchen cabinets, you will need to do some light sanding as part of this project. So be wary of any tutorials that suggest otherwise.
It's almost always better to strip than to sand. To begin with, except in cases where the old finish is flaking off, it's a lot more work to sand than to strip using a paint-and-varnish remover.
Unlike cabinet refacing which replaces the doors and drawer fronts with new materials, refinishing transforms the current doors and drawers via repainting or restaining them.
Your best bet is probably an orbital sander. You could hand sand your cabinet, but it will take a lot of elbow grease. You may even want to use both. An orbital sander can make quick work of the bulk of the cabinet door, but a sanding block or sanding sponge can help you cover any grooves or tight spots by hand.
For most kitchen cabinets, the stain color people love is the darker color cherry stain. Anything on the darker side of the color palette is popular. Natural finishes are the popular kitchen cabinet stain color for oak. Espresso color stains are popular for maple kitchen cabinets.
Removal is Not Always Necessary
While it's never a bad idea to sand and strip old stain, doing so can certainly be time-consuming and challenging. In some cases, you can get away with leaving the previous coat as it is, as long as you perform the other necessary preparation steps, such as sanding and power washing.
Unless your cabinets are raw wood, the existing finish must be removed before you can apply the new stain coat.
Vinegar. If your cabinets have a thicker, stickier residue on them, you may need something acidic like vinegar to cut through it. Mix one part distilled white vinegar with two parts warm water in a spray bottle, and then mist it onto the cabinet surface.
Depending on your project, you will not need to remove old stain before restaining. If you want to darken the stain on your wood project, then removing the existing stain is not necessary!
I have passed up so many awesome treasures, because I didn't want to take on the process of refinishing wood. I have found the perfect solution WITHOUT sanding or stripping!! General Finishes carries a line of gel stains that can be applied over finished wood.
Using most gel stains, you can darken wood furniture, or stay the same color, without sanding off the old stain. But, I usually use General Finishes Gel Stain because the finish always looks beautiful. Don't forget to Save or Share these steps for how to stain wood without sanding.
White is still the most popular kitchen cabinet color in 2023 and beyond. However, we are seeing a shift towards warmer and more natural tones. We cover the best colors for cabinets from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams like Simply White, Dove White, and Chantilly Lace.
Most real estate agents will tell sellers that neutral colors will appeal to the widest audience. While white is a very popular color for kitchen cabinets, other neutrals like gray, black, and beige are also good. Stained wood cabinets have an appeal, especially if they are of high quality.
Reassuring Neutrals
Blank Canvas by Behr is Behr's Color of the Year, which their paint experts expect to flourish in kitchen designs. "Neutrals like white, cream, gray, and greige are trending in 2023," says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr Paint Company.
The risk you run with not sanding is that your new paint job will chip almost immediately after it's dried. For most experts, like Dan McRorie of Fitzwater Interiors, creating a smooth, even surface is the single most important part of the project—even if you're going from a stain to a color.
Proper cleaning, deglossing, and using good-quality cabinet paint are key to painting cabinets without sanding. What happens if you don't sand cabinets before painting? If you don't sand cabinets before painting, at worst the paint will chip or peel. At best, the paint will remain solid and durable for years.