How to change cabinet color without sanding and stripping?

I just bought 2 oak cabinets. They dont match all my other cabinets. Is there a way to add a top coat of glaze or something to darken them. I need to do this without sanding or stripping. Is it possible?

Try using a darker color of Bartley's Gel Stain. It is so easy to use. You just wipe it on with a cloth with the grain, then let it dry. Sanding between coats is generally not needed. In my area I've only found Bartley's at a local hardware store, so you may have to search around. It is an excellent product, and well worth it. A quart container of the Gel Varnish cost around $20. It is also available in a pint container.

First, if your new cabinets are unfinished you shouldn't need to sand them. If they have a sealer you may have to sand that off before applying the stain.

The site below has a good color selection guide showing how each color stain affects a particular type of wood (pine, oak, etc.) That should make it easier to decide which stain will best match your existing cabinets. Scroll halfway down the page for the Gel Stain section.

Since you state they are OAK; I certainly want to assume they aren't painted.

I do have a suggestion that requires a bit of effort.

Remove a door from each of the different cabinets (1 new and 1 existing)and take them to a decent paint store. At least in that process you'll not only have the comparisons with you; but perhaps have a professional to advise "IN PERSON" as to options to better match the new to the existing.

No offense to Lowes or HD, but I suggest a store specific to paint/finishes. Beyond that a cabinet shop that also does finishing.


Steven Wolf

accomplished decorative painters could do it..... but i doubt you or i could pull that off.... i think you will just bring more attention to it...

You don't say whether they are stained or painted - if they are stained it will be difficult to get them to match if you apply new stain. However, in either case you can paint over the old surfaces of all of them and have them all look alike. You should use a good primer first, and then add the top-coat.