How to Apply Gel Stain to Cabinets
- 1). Remove cabinet doors from the cabinet by unscrewing their hinges. Unscrew the cabinet handles. Pull shelves out of cabinets if they will also be stained.
- 2). Apply trisodium phosphate to a clean rag and wipe down cabinets and cabinet doors if they were used in a kitchen. This degreases the wood to prepare it for sanding.
- 3). Sand the cabinet and cabinet doors, using 20- to 30-grit sandpaper, to remove any existing finish. Sand the cabinet and cabinet doors, using 100- to 150-grit sandpaper, to smooth the surface after removing existing finish. If the wood has already been sanded and was purchased as "unfinished furniture," no sanding is necessary.
- 4). Dip the paintbrush into the gel stain. Apply the gel stain to the cabinet, using sweeping, back-and-forth motions until the entire surface has been covered. Apply the gel stain to the cabinet doors, using the same method. Allow the gel stain to dry for 24 hours.
- 5). Apply a thin coat of polyurethane to the stained surfaces to protect your finish, using a paintbrush. Allow the polyurethane to dry for the amount of time indicated on the can.
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