Blog in Review - Refinishing Oak Cabinet Was a Hit

In this series, I'm reviewing a few of the projects I've done - with brutal honesty about whether they worked out. 
There have been some hits & some misses.

Refinishing the wood on my bathroom cabinet was a "Hit". I actually started reviewing this post as a "Miss", but after an experiment I changed my mind. 

I have LOVED the new finish on my cabinet {and it has worn really well}. But, after doing some reading, I got the impression that the method I used may have been a miss. 
I sanded the old finish off before applying the new stain. I learned later that - depending on the stain - this is not necessary. The sanding was A LOT of work! So I was disappointed if it was an unneeded step. 

The inside surface of the doors was still the old finish, so I experimented by applying the same stain - without sanding this time. It was a very different experience. I lost count of how many coats I applied & still did not get quite the same deep color. I also felt the finish was more uneven . . .

(L) New method - no sanding, (R) Old method - mucho sanding!

MY CONCLUSION: There still may be stains that don't require sanding, but with the product I used, I'm glad I used the old-fashioned method. 

{CLICK HERE} to see the original post with more information!