I have removed the old paint and primer off my laminate kitchen cabinets. I have a beautiful red oak Pergo floor, so I do not want to paint the cabinets. I want to stain them. Now from a test I did , I lightly sanded the laminate cabinet door. Then I put a red oak stain on it and it seems to be taking it. Over time I am not sure if this will all wear off from cleaning, wiping the cabinets. Will some type of polyurathaine ( I know I spelled that wrong) or a sealer work and stick to the stained laminate? The stained color I have acheived is perfect? Can anyone help? or has actully done this?
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What is the laminate made of?
Heidi writes:
Tue, 11/18/2008 - 12:22pm
It certainly sounds like you have started in the right direction though before being able to say what might be best for your needs I need to ask whether or not they are made of wood or are they more of a formica type of material.
If they are a wood laminate then you will need to sand them down almost completely to make sure that all of the wood grain is exposed and able to evenly accept the stain. Also, even though I've never used it before I've been told time and time again to use a wood conditioner on the wood before staining. It will help to even out the various tones in the wood so that your doors and frames all match.
Once the stain has fully dried you will need to urethane any surface that has stain on it. Otherwise any water that gets on it will help leach the color out and not something you want to happen. I've seen the results of not urethaning and you won't be happy with them trust me. (BTW try to pick out a water based urethane it will have less odors and in the end is better for your health.)
You'll need to decide how shiny you want the cabinets because it comes in glossy and like an sateen. I personally prefer the sateen because it looks a bit more contemporary. Just know that whatever sheen you choose, you should consider applying at least 2 coats with light sanding with steel wool in between (and a thorough wipe-down) to make sure that everything is still smooth.
On the other hand if you cabinets are more of a formica type, I've only painted over them but if you have had a decent test it might be worth the try. As for sealing, you probably will still need to seal them but I would ask what you should use at your local paint center.
Hope this helps.
Hug 'n hammers,
Heidi
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