- 1). Remove the hardware from the cabinets with a Philips screwdriver, including all door pulls and hinges. Store the screws and hardware where you can easily find them. Place doors in a horizontal position in your chosen well-ventilated work area. Set drawers upright for access to the front panel of the drawer.
- 2). Put on your gloves and clean all the surfaces you will be staining with a trisodium phosphate cleaner. Apply with a clean cloth or sponge. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry completely.
- 3). Hand sand the surface of the cabinets with 150-grit sandpaper. Wrap a wood block with 180-grit sandpaper and use it to remove stubborn stains or marred areas. Wipe off any dust or debris with a tack cloth.
- 4). Clean the surface of the cabinets again with a liquid deglosser. Saturate clean cloths with the deglosser and apply them to the surface of the cabinets. Let the cabinets dry completely for at least one hour. Ventilate properly during this application; the deglosser has a potent odor.
- 5). Apply the gel stain using a high quality brush, sponge applicator or clean white cloth. Work in the direction of the wood grain and apply a thin coat. Work by pulling the brush or other tool in one direction toward you. This ensures an even application. Remove globs of stain with a cloth or the brush. Allow the first coat to dry for 24 hours, then apply a second coat in the same manner and allow to dry.
- 6). Apply one coat of a clear polyurethane sealer to the cabinet doors. Allow to dry completely. Follow up with another coat if desired.
- 7). Reattach hardware to the cabinet doors and reinstall the doors and drawers onto the frame.
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