I just finished stripping and clear coating a full set of oak cabinets with satin varathane (water based).

The sanding and stripping was a BEAR of a job. Wouldn't do it again.

If you're selling, I'm voting paint.

At the very least, update the hardware (handles), but I'd also paint. You can do a white kitchen since the backsplash is already grey, but I'd defer to my interior designer wife on that one.

Thanks. I've got a buddy that refinishes furniture as a hobby, so he's going to have a look. I suspect he's also going to say "paint." The problem is we have light floors and a ...pinkish color counter. Not sure that white is going to look right with that.

Gray is probably a better option for you than white.  Still neutral, but you avoid the 10 shades that almost but don't quite match problem we have going on in the upstairs bathroom until I get around to painting it. 

Quote from: CosmicCowboy on June 16, 2014, 02:56:59 PM

Thanks. I've got a buddy that refinishes furniture as a hobby, so he's going to have a look. I suspect he's also going to say "paint." The problem is we have light floors and a ...pinkish color counter. Not sure that white is going to look right with that.

Gray is probably a better option for you than white.  Still neutral, but you avoid the 10 shades that almost but don't quite match problem we have going on in the upstairs bathroom until I get around to painting it. 

Actually, my buddy came over, took one look at the cabinets, and then said, "Well these aren't bad at all." Then he dragged me to Home Depot and we picked up ...I think it's called Danish oil and a sanding block. After a couple applications of this the cabinets look a hell of a lot better. Not perfect; they looked used but not beat up. I think a coat of polyurethan would make them look almost new.

Ahhh... Yes I was. Cool hardware goes a long way... so many people have a hard time seeing what isn't there when shopping for a new home and inexpensive updates like that tend to go a long way.

Good luck!

- Dan

Robbie, if you want to come down and re-do my kitchen that'd be fabulous!

Oh dude, I'm all reno-d out for awhile.

Also did the bathroom and painted the ENTIRE upstairs including ceilings, doors, trim, closets, etc. All new plugins, switches, and lighting.

Started last august, worked until the end of February, full kitchen gut and bathroom gut. (While working full time, 7 on 7 off, days/nights)

The cabinet doors were the last thing waiting to be done, sitting in the garage, silently mocking me.

But, in the end, I won.


Did I mention that the used cabinets were only $300??? And they were already removed, I just had to load them in a trailer, and haul them home.

BTW, it's a rental, so that's why it wasn't done all new and full price. Had to polish the turd on this job.