How to Stain Kitchen Cabinets

Follow these 4 Steps to Stain Wood

Olympic Interior stains can be used to stain wood, metal, fiberglass, or composite cabinets. Staining your cabinets will protect the surface and add beauty to your kitchen, or any other room in your home with cabinets. These step-by-step wood staining instructions will help you do the job right the first time.

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Step 1

Choose the Right Stain

Olympic interior stains come in three formulations — Oil-based, Water-based and Gel. Durability, color, drying time, odor and clean-up vary, depending on the one you choose.

For clear wood protection, we provide 3 choices — Polyurethane, Ultra-Clear Polyurethane and SPAR Urethane.

Learn the differences so you can decide which one is right for your project.

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Step 2

Prep Your Surface

Remove the cabinet doors so that they can be stained lying flat.

Examine the wood of the cabinet doors and cabinets:

Fill holes and cracks with a stainable wood filler.
Remove all hardware, if possible. If not, use painter’s tape to protect it from the stain.
Sand all surfaces in the direction of the wood grain.**
- For basic prep use 80 grit-100 grit sandpaper.
- For scratches, dents, or rough edges use 100 grit-120 grit sandpaper.
- For any leftover scratches or loose wood fibers use 220 grit sandpaper.
Vacuum to remove dust.

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**WARNING! If you scrape, sand, or remove old paint, you may release lead dust or fumes. LEAD IS TOXIC. EXPOSURE TO LEAD DUST OR FUMES CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS, SUCH AS BRAIN DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN. PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD ALSO AVOID EXPOSURE. Wear a properly fitted NIOSH-approved respirator and prevent skin contact to control lead exposure. Clean up carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, find out how to protect yourself and your family by contacting the USEPA National Lead Information Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or log on to www.epa.gov/lead.

Step 3

Stain Your Cabinets

Before staining, test in an inconspicuous spot and let it dry, to ensure you get the wood stain color you expected.

Apply stain by rubbing or brushing in the direction of the wood grain
Allow the stain to absorb into the wood (reference the product label)
Remove any unabsorbed stain with a dry cloth
Always wipe in the direction of the wood grain!

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Please refer to the product label, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for detailed safety and application instructions.

Step 4

Protect Your Surface

To ensure the best results:

Do not dip into the can, so as to avoid contaminating the wood surface with dust.
Tap the brush against the container; wiping will leave the brush too dry.
Always apply stain in the direction of the grain.
Apply quick and thin coats.
Too much brushing or wiping could cause problems when dry.
Sand between coats using a 220 grit sandpaper to ensure good adhesion and smooth away imperfections.