Get matched with top cabinet refacers and refinishers in Lexington, MS

Cabinet refinishing takes an average of two to three days. The process includes setting up and removing cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware, followed by cleaning, stripping, and sanding cabinets. You or your pro will have to address issues like chips, stains, or splits before applying paint or stain. Then the final stage includes painting or staining, reassembling cabinets, and cleaning up.

Yes, sanding cabinets before you stain them helps the new stain better adhere to the surface. If you’re adding a darker stain to previously stained wood, you only have to sand them lightly enough to remove any finish and rough up the wood to improve adhesion. On the other hand, if you’re trying to stain wood that is a darker color or that has paint on it, you need to sand down to the original wood, or the color will show through the new stain.

When deciding between stripping or sanding kitchen cabinets, the short answer is it depends on the condition of your cabinets and your end goal for them. If the cabinets are in fairly good condition and don’t have several layers of paint on them, sanding is a good option. On the other hand, older cabinets with more blemishes or marks will benefit from paint stripping, since it will give any future finishes a clean slate.

Refinishing cabinets requires a significant commitment, so even a professional will take between 40 and 120 hours on average to complete a cabinet refinishing project. In most cases, you’re looking at a week or more of work, although this depends on the number of cabinets you have and how many laborers will be working on the project. Whether you’re refinishing cabinets in your kitchen, bathroom, or office, you should plan on the room being at least partially out of commission for one to two weeks. DIY refinishing will usually take a month or two, depending on your expediency.