My 14 year old cherry kitchen cabinets are looking a little dull. The lip of the raised panel is looking grey, rather than the rich cherry color. I don't need to do a major refinishing job and I don't want to damage the wood, but would like to know if I should use fine steel wool , fine sandpaper or something else on them before I urethane them. Also, what's the best product to use to clean the cabinets before starting this project?

Okay, being in the cleaning biz, I hope that I can help on the cleaning issue... first off, use liquid gold or Lemon oil on them... if that doesn't work, then they might be damaged beyond repair... I'd just replace the doors of the cabinents, we did this with my mom's old house, was cheaper and more quick! Hope I've helped.

Okay, being in the refinishing business, I take great exception to the answer above.

For one thing, you only use Liquid Gold or lemon oil on a finish if it is an oil finish. Using them does help to replenish that look and finish of oil finishes. If the finish is anything other than oil, all they do is help to collect dust because you are just putting a dust collector on the existing finish!

Replacing the cabinets is not cheaper and more quick! You might be able to rejuvenate the finish without stripping and just doing a little sanding and apply a finish in order to accomplish your goal.

If you are going to be using anything on the cabinets in order to put a finish on them, you don't want to be putting anything on the finish or bare wood, if there is any as the finish may be worn away at certain spots, that contains any oil or wax from a polish or substance used for everyday cleaning, etc. If you use polishes or Liquid Gold and do want to apply an additional hard finish, then you set yourself up for the hard finish to fish-eye, blotch, check, not adhere properly and peel, have circular voids, pock marks, craters, or separation in the coating etc.

The surface of the finish or wood needs to be as clean as possible. Being clean prior to putting any finish on it means that it will be free of any residue whatsoever, other then the finish that is presently on it. If you do add anything to the finish or wood, prior to putting a finish type coat on it, it should only be stain or chemicals used to combat some of the finish problems that I have mentioned in the paragraph above.

I don't know what kind of finish that you already have on the cabinets. It would be good to know that in order to give you the best recommendation as to how to proceed and what to use.

I have had much success in rejuvenating finishes using a product such as Deft lacquer. One of the ways that it comes is in a spray can. All you need to do is a little fine sanding and then spray it on. I like to use the semi-gloss, as that is the easiest to touch up. Ideally, if you are using lacquer, you should be using one with a high solids content. But, that requires a spray gun and also a compressor. If you do decide to use something like Deft lacquer, you might not even have to take the doors off the cabinets in order to do the job!

I would not use fine or 0000 steel wool prior to putting a finish on. The steel wool usually contains some oil that might cause some of the problems with the new finish that I have already mentioned. If you want to put a urethane on you cabinets, that should be fine for a kitchen. Just be sure that you have sanded down far enough to get rid of any residue of anything other than the original finish that is on them if it is anything other than an oil finish. But, it would help to know what kind of finish is already on the cabinets.

Again, I don't know what kind of finish that you already have on the cabinets. It does make a difference in giving advice to you.

Dear rcjay,

I am just wondering if you received a response from the company yet and what it was.

No, I have not! I emailed KraftMaid on Friday and received an automated reply that they would respond on Monday and here it is Wednesday and nothing! I may just call the Kitchen supply company I purchased them from to see if they can help. I'm not very familiar with this website and how to use it so feel free to get back to me again in a few days. Hopefully, I'll have their recommendation by then.