Remodeling cabinets/home DIY
August 6, 2011 8:38 PM Subscribe
Remodelling Tips/Sites and Videos for Newbie
We have just bought a house that need some remodeling to be done. Most of it is cosmetic and here is a list
Painting
Refinishing/or re-staining the cabinets in the Bathrooms/Laundry rooms
Removing old counter top in the bathrooms
Setting up curtains
Can you all recommend good DIY sites with Videos which help?
My largest concern is the re-staining cabinets (we have old cabinets in all bathrooms and I would like to change the look somehow. painting and putting veneer is not an option)
Questions-
-how do you know if it is wood or just veneer?
-how do you stain wood? or re-stain wood. right now it is a dull light color. are there any step by step instructions on removing old stains and staining with new finish?
Thank you very much for your replies, right now a bit confused about whether this should be handled by Pros or is it DIY project
We have just bought a house that need some remodeling to be done. Most of it is cosmetic and here is a list
Painting
Refinishing/or re-staining the cabinets in the Bathrooms/Laundry rooms
Removing old counter top in the bathrooms
Setting up curtains
Can you all recommend good DIY sites with Videos which help?
My largest concern is the re-staining cabinets (we have old cabinets in all bathrooms and I would like to change the look somehow. painting and putting veneer is not an option)
Questions-
-how do you know if it is wood or just veneer?
-how do you stain wood? or re-stain wood. right now it is a dull light color. are there any step by step instructions on removing old stains and staining with new finish?
Thank you very much for your replies, right now a bit confused about whether this should be handled by Pros or is it DIY project
Another possibility for the cabinets is Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformation which should work with wood or veneer. I haven't used it but a coworker was considering it (because it doesn't require sanding) and I read this Retro Renovation blog post recently.
posted by bluesapphires at 7:25 AM on August 7, 2011
posted by bluesapphires at 7:25 AM on August 7, 2011
DIY network also has a ton of how-to videos online: http://www.diynetwork.com/video-library/videos/index.html
With enough time and patience just about anything in the home can be considered DIY. The question is how much specific knowledge do you have the time to learn in order to properly do a given task? Anyone can do drywall, but getting it perfect takes practice. Same thing for plumbing, but getting it wrong can be a VERY expensive mistake to correct. Electricity is easy but will kill you or set the place on fire if you do it wrong.
I hate painting and I stink at refinishing. I hate the tedium of painting and can never seem to get refinished surfaces to look how I'd like. So I pay someone else to do these.
Telling the difference between veneer and solid wood can be as easy as looking at the edges. Solid wood will have a grain along the edges that matches the surfaces. As in, the grain lines on the front will have exactly matching lines on the edges. If they don't match then it's very likely to be veneer (a really high-end piece might go through the trouble of matching this). It could be a wood veneer but may also be a plastic laminate. A wood veneer you could lightly sand and re-stain. Not something you can do on plastic, sanding that would likely just fade it to lighter, no-grain plastic. Another way to check is to look at the back edges. Veneer is usually only applied to surfaces you can see.
TSP and a blue scrubbie kitchen sponge are you friends when it comes to de-gunking furniture in preparation for refinishing. Try to find real TSP, check a small, local hardware store.
Counter tops are relatively easy to replace. Most are usually screwed down to the cabinetry from below. Look around inside the cabinet and remove any screws going up into the counter top. There may also be some glue or caulk involved. Be mindful you'll have to remove/replace the plumbing, both the drain and the supply lines. Make sure to shut off both the supply valves under the sink AND the main shut-off. And be watchful when you turn them back on, check for leaks. Even tiny ones can lead to big damage.
Hanging curtains need not be complicated but you do have to use the right fasteners and install them properly. Going into wood is different than into drywall, or plaster.
posted by wkearney99 at 7:53 AM on August 7, 2011
With enough time and patience just about anything in the home can be considered DIY. The question is how much specific knowledge do you have the time to learn in order to properly do a given task? Anyone can do drywall, but getting it perfect takes practice. Same thing for plumbing, but getting it wrong can be a VERY expensive mistake to correct. Electricity is easy but will kill you or set the place on fire if you do it wrong.
I hate painting and I stink at refinishing. I hate the tedium of painting and can never seem to get refinished surfaces to look how I'd like. So I pay someone else to do these.
Telling the difference between veneer and solid wood can be as easy as looking at the edges. Solid wood will have a grain along the edges that matches the surfaces. As in, the grain lines on the front will have exactly matching lines on the edges. If they don't match then it's very likely to be veneer (a really high-end piece might go through the trouble of matching this). It could be a wood veneer but may also be a plastic laminate. A wood veneer you could lightly sand and re-stain. Not something you can do on plastic, sanding that would likely just fade it to lighter, no-grain plastic. Another way to check is to look at the back edges. Veneer is usually only applied to surfaces you can see.
TSP and a blue scrubbie kitchen sponge are you friends when it comes to de-gunking furniture in preparation for refinishing. Try to find real TSP, check a small, local hardware store.
Counter tops are relatively easy to replace. Most are usually screwed down to the cabinetry from below. Look around inside the cabinet and remove any screws going up into the counter top. There may also be some glue or caulk involved. Be mindful you'll have to remove/replace the plumbing, both the drain and the supply lines. Make sure to shut off both the supply valves under the sink AND the main shut-off. And be watchful when you turn them back on, check for leaks. Even tiny ones can lead to big damage.
Hanging curtains need not be complicated but you do have to use the right fasteners and install them properly. Going into wood is different than into drywall, or plaster.
posted by wkearney99 at 7:53 AM on August 7, 2011
I've heard baaaaad things about those rustoleum transformation kits. We just stripped and refinished our table and 6 chairs. First get zip strip and some HEAVY duty nitrile gloves to go along w/ it. Follow the directions on the can. When removing the zip strip use a paint scraper and then finish removing it w/ a rough steel wool (#2 or higher). Once everything is dried up you get to sanding. Go buy a nice orbital sander along w/ some medium grit and fine grit sandpapers. Sand til it's baby bottom smooth and there is no stain or paint left (unless you're staining it darker than it was then it's not as big of a deal to get every last bit of it). Next, wipe it down with an after finish that is a zip strip remover and cleaner. You're now ready to stain. Get a ton of old rags. Rub stain on w/ one rag then wipe off all excess stain w/ the other rag after a few minutes (again, follow the recommendations for time on the can of stain). Once you have the stain on wait for it to dry then apply your polyurethane or other sort of finish (make sure you pick gloss, semi-gloss or satin and you're conscious of what each will look like.) Apply at least two coats. After each coat rub across the surface w/ very fine steel wool (#000 or lower). After two or three finishes you should be done. Don't use the steel wool on the last finish of course. Just be prepared for a TON of work but it's all worth it in the end. Also, i guess i forgot to mention you'll need a vacuum for every step of the sanding. Dust and dirt are your enemy.
posted by no bueno at 12:50 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by no bueno at 12:50 PM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
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For your cabinets in the bathrooms, you can remove the doors and send them to a place that refinishes furniture to be "dipped and stripped" if you want to re-stain them. This is the technique I plan to use in my kitchen. You will have to do the boxes yourself.
If you have oak cabinets that you just want to paint, clean everything with TSP substitute. Remove doors and sand everything with fine grit sandpaper and sanding blocks. Fill any gouges/dents. Sand again. Wipe down and vacuum up dust. Prime with "high build primer." Sand again. Paint. You may need 2 coats of primer if your cabinets have a strong, deep grain.
Look at the back of your cabinet doors. Does it look like wood, or is it cheap plasticky stuff? On my cabinets the doors are solid wood but the boxes are veneer over plywood.
I like Joe Fusco's videos on YouTube for carpentry stuff. Sadly, he died so his personal web site is no longer up. It had great info too.
posted by Ostara at 10:30 PM on August 6, 2011