Refinishing cabinets to freshen up factory laquer finish??

[George Farra]

Hi Everyone

Its been a while since I've posted. So happy to familiar users and a thriving community.

We are redoing bathrooms in my house and I want to reuse the existing cabinets. They are maple with a factory sprayed laquer finish. They are in good shape but can use a cleaning. I want to apply a fresh finish on them so they appear like new again.

What are my DIY in home options? Wifey does not want to stain them or paint them. She likes the maple, so I am looking for a clear finish.

Thank you, George

[Robert Engel]

I would wash them with detergent and water.

Top coat with a waterbased clear coat. Probably polyacrylic.

I'll be watching this one ;-)

[Art Mann]

I refinished our lacquered kitchen cabinets by meticulous cleaning followed by a fresh coat of solvent based spray lacquer. They turned out really well. I would be hesitant to use a water based product. Solvent based lacquer will "burn in" and become part of the original finish, even after 30 years. Water based materials won't. If you do use a water based material, at least test it and see how it will look and how well it sticks before committing to it.

[Wayne Lomman]

Art is spot on here. Clean and re apply solvent borne lacquer and they will look like new with no bonding issues. Simple and reliable and been done for decades. Cheers

[Jim Becker]

The OP seemed to indicate that he wants a "DIY in-home" solution...and solvent based lacquer isn't the best choice for "DYI in-home" for safety reasons. I would also select a water borne product for that reason.

[John TenEyck]

Are you doing this in place? No way I'd spray NC lacquer, but I might try brushing lacquer. Wear a organics respirator, open a nearby window - and don't smoke or flip a light switch!

If you decide to go with a WB finish, I'd spray it with rattle can shellac first to create a good bond between the two.

John

[George Farra]

Thanks everyone for your input. As I thought more about this project, the draws and doors hide the cabinet frames and I dont have to worry about any sides to the cabinets as they are installed in between walls.

So I can remove all doors and draw fronts and work outside rather than inside my house. Now that I have figured that out, I'm thinking my best answer is laquer from a spray can, sprayed outside on a nice fair weather day.

If I go that route, is there any prep work that I need to do to the doors and draw fronts? Clean them up with mineral spirits and steel wool??

Thank you, George

[Robert Engel]

Your choice, but I will also steer you away from lacquer. Definitely inside, but something bothers me about spraying that outside, too.

I think there are non-lacquer finishes you can apply over lacquer, which is what I would go with. If you go that route there are some inexpensive hand held electric sprayers that do a pretty good job. No experience with Wagner, but Graco does well.

As far as prep, I would not use mineral spirits unless you plan on washing them with soap and water afterwards because interfere with a non-oil based top coat.

I would just give them a good cleaning with TSP or soapy water, let dry thoroughly and a light sanding with 320 or 400 grit. Depends on now much detail there is on the doors you may need contour sanding pads.

[Steve Schoene]

I would add a thorough wipe down with a solvent, with my choice being naphtha as generally being cleaner and less oily than most paint thinners, It gets contaminates that the soapy water doesn't get. By the way don't get carried away with soap so it can be fully rinsed off. I assume these are fairly old cabinets so you are sure the finish is lacquer and not some catalyzed finish such as conversion varnish. Such coatings are more problematic to overcoat. A test would be in order.

[George Farra]

Thanks everyone,

As I read more about lacquer I am more inclined to stay away from it even if I am working outside. So I am back to my original question.

The cabinets are about 20 years old but they are in great shape. They are maple and have a clear finished which I assumed was lacquer.

I think I am going to clean them with mild soap/water and quick wipe down with naptha as suggested to prep them.

Going to experiment with one of the doors as they are finished on the inside too......so, after cleaning, do a light scuff with a scotchbrite pad, then use dewaxed shellac followed by a satin sheened wipe on oil based varnish such as Arm-R-Seal or Waterlox??

These are bathroom cabinets. General finishes has alot of videos on their website doing makeovers on cabinet doors and most of them use thier High Performance water based sealer.

Thoughts on my new approach???

Thank you, George

[Jim Morgan]

Be careful using oil-based finishes inside cabinets - the odor from the solvent(s) may linger longer than you like.