Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing in San Rafael, CA Near Me

Refinishing restores the surface of your existing doors, drawer fronts, and frames instead of replacing them. The process generally starts with removing grease and built-up residue, followed by sanding or de-glossing, repairing small dings and worn edges, and then applying stain, toner, or a protective clear coat. It suits cabinets in San Rafael, CA that are well built and have a door style you still like, but whose finish has faded, yellowed, or worn through around handles, the sink, and the range. In this sense refinishing means keeping the look of the wood; if you want an opaque color instead, cabinet painting is usually the closer fit.
Results depend heavily on preparation and the finish system used. Solid hardwood and veneered wood cabinets take refinishing well, while laminate and thermofoil surfaces usually cannot be stripped and re-stained. Wood species, the condition of the old finish, and how far you want to change the color all affect the process, since moving to a lighter tone is harder than moving to a darker one. Doors and drawer fronts are typically removed and finished separately from the boxes, so plan for the kitchen to be partly out of use for a few days. Related options include staining and restaining, wood cabinet restoration, and new hardware to finish the update.