I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,


JD

wrote:

I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,


JD

pick up a copy of Bob Flexner's book on finishing.

dave

Oak generally doesn't present any unique staining and finishing problems.
But cabinet doors (raised panel) do have exposed end grain (top and bottom
bevel on the panel and ends of stiles) that tends to stain darker. May want
to use a stain conditioner on those areas first.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,


JD

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

I did several cabinets years before I did any woodworking. Came out fine;
as I recall I just slapped some oil stain on them; no varnish. They still
look fine.

Use an oil based stain not waterborne as the WB types often do not fill
the pores well. JG

" wrote:

I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

JD

wrote:
I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

You do realize that you don't *have* to stain?

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

If there is *one* rule in finishing, it is "practice on scrap" hopefully
there will be a cabinet side that will be put against a wall, or an interior
component on which you can do a test to make sore the finishing schedule you
choose will give you the look you want.

-Steve

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,


JD

wrote:
I have stained a couple of doors and a couple of handrails with
good results, but that is the extent of my experience. I am
considering buying unfinished oak kitchen cabinets, and I am wondering
what could go wrong and how to avoid any problems if I do buy the
cabinets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,


JD

Some of the tricks I use.
Experiment with Gel Stains - Minwax gel seem fine. This is an oil
based thickened stain which does not sink in very far and avoids
blotching which can occur on almost any wood. These stains offer a lot
of control.
Also, if you want to learn more, consider sealing, then staining. You
can seal with sealers from the store or use 1/2# cut shellac.
You can also fill and stain if you want to put the work in. use a wood
filler for the open pores of the oak (colored or not depending if you
want the pores to have a different color).
You can spray your stain if you have a spray system which leads to a
more even stain.
If you use regular stain, be sure to wipe it all off after a few
minutes and don't skimp If you want darker, do the same thing again.
Also, dry brushing can blend irregularly colored areas ( use a a brush
with no stain on it to more surface stain around).
I got more but I guess that's enough.
hope some of that helps.

Mike R.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful replies.

JD