Vintage cabinets are entirely different in look style and functionality from the modern ones. They look just amazing in a remodeled kitchen. Finding such cabinets is expensive and a bit tricky. If you find one luckily, it still needs to be restored. The entire process of restoration is innovative and fun-filled. All you need to invest some quality time to get the desired output.
Tips to restore vintage cabinets
If you can properly follow the steps, your investment will be worthwhile. And your kitchen will look awesome.
- Cleaning – At first, you need to clean the cabinets after you bring it to the home. Cleaning before restoration is essential. The vintage kitchen cabinets might contain years of dirt and grease. It would be better to get the work done outdoors. You can use normal soap water and a scrub brush to clean the cabinets including the countertop. A quality liquid detergent helps to remove grease. Oftentimes, the countertops are covered with tiles. This being the case, you have to clean the tiles as well.
- Sanding – Let the cabinets get completely dry before you move on further. Remove the varnish cover from the wood. Fine grit sandpaper would be a good tool to do it. Rub the surface lightly to eliminate the varnish. If there is any flaw in the wood, you need to remove it as well. For sanding the drawers and doors, remove them from the main unit. Otherwise, you can’t sand them properly. This applies to white kitchen cabinets as well. Once the sanding is done, take a damp rag to remove the dust. Now your cabinet is ready for new varnish.
- Varnishing – If you’re sure that the dust has been removed from the cabinets completely, use varnish. You can also apply a good quality polyurethane finish on the wooden surface. Varnish gives a conventional finish. But polyurethane gives a tougher finish. Don’t apply only one thick coat of finish on the wooden surface. It needs 2 to 3 thin layers of varnish. Paint the finish onto the surface and let it sit for some time until it becomes dry. Now apply the next coat. Usually, it doesn’t need to apply more than 2 coats of finish. Still, applying a final coat is always good for additional protection.
- Countertop – With antique white kitchen cabinets, you may need to replace the grout of the tile countertop. It is obvious that the tile will be crumbled after so many years. It will look bad as well. Use a grout cleaner to apply on the grout of the cabinets. You can see the state of the grout. The easiest way is to replace it entirely, either by using a colour or white to contrast with the tiles. Don’t forget to apply grout seal every year on the countertop. This is needed as there will be ample liquid on the countertop.
Rejuvenating old vintage cabinets is not a big deal. All you need to follow the aforesaid steps correctly.