Cabinet Staining

Empire Cabinet Staining Process

With a trusted staining specialist on your team, you don’t need to know how to stain kitchen cabinets. But some customers like to know what to expect.

Before staining

The best scenario to stain cabinetry or any millwork is to start with previously unfinished surfaces. If your current cabinetry is painted, we do not recommend stripping to obtain a natural grain appearance. If your current cabinetry is stained, Empire can to re-stain or clear-coat after assessment. Sometimes all your cabinets need is a fresh clear-coat to recondition and extend longevity.

Not every cabinet group can be re-stained. Empire brings one of your doors back to our lab to perform a sample test, once you accept our proposal. The reason for varying success is due to how the wood grain absorbed the first clear-coat or stain application. Wood is porous and does not evenly absorb. When sanding to prepare the surface for fresh stain or clear-coat application, this can reveal blotchiness inherent to the wood grain due to the original finish process. If your sample test reveals potential issues, we will recommend against staining. Instead, painting would be the suggested finish option.

We remove cabinet doors and drawer fronts and finish them at Empire’s Delafield workshop. A light sanding abrades the surface and ensures proper stain or clear-coat adhesion. This does not entail heavy sanding or “stripping.” If cabinetry or millwork is new, it will be a quicker process than removing an existing clear-coat.

Step 2: Stain and seal

Empire applies two coats of toned Sherwin Williams Sher-Wood Catalyzed Lacquer (pre-catalyzed) if darkening an existing stain. This is followed by one coat of clear Sherwin Williams pre-catalyzed lacquer to seal the exterior of cabinet boxes and both sides of doors and drawer fronts off-site. Each project varies slightly, and your Empire estimator will recommend the appropriate products and process for your vision.