Refacing Cabinets

• 1). Clean any dirt or grease from the cabinets with a soft cloth and household cleaner. Remove the cabinet doors from the frames with a screwdriver.
  
  
• 2). Sand the cabinets with fine grit sandpaper. Clean cabinet with a tack cloth to remove sanding dust.
  
  
• 3). Measure the side of the cabinet with a measuring tape. Transfer the measurements to the veneer plywood panel. Cut the veneer plywood panel to size using the table saw.
  
  
• 4). Apply construction adhesive to the back of the plywood veneer panel and stick it to the side of the cabinet. When purchasing the plywood veneers, self-stick veneer and new cabinet doors, it is important to make sure they match one another. Nail the panel into place with finish nails, a hammer and a nail set and counter sink the nails. Fill the holes with wood putty.
  
  
• 5). Measure the front strips of the cabinet with the measuring tape. Add an extra 1/2 inch to the width of the measurements and two inches in the length of the measurements. With a pencil, mark the measurements on the self-adhesive veneer.
  
  
• 6). Place a straightedge on measurements that are marked on the self-adhesive veneer. Cut the veneer to size with a utility knife.
  
  
• 7). Set the veneer in place on the cabinet and smooth it downward with your hand or a small wood block. Smooth out any bubbles in the veneer. Trim the veneer to size with a utility knife.
  
  
• 8). Continue to cut, measure and apply veneer to the entire cabinet until it is covered.
  
  
• 9). Install the new cabinet doors with a screwdriver.
  
  

Refinishing Cabinets

• 1). Remove the doors with a screwdriver.
  
  
• 2). Clean the cabinets and doors with a clean cloth and household cleaner to remove grease and dirt.
  
  
• 3). Sand the cabinets and doors with fine grit sandpaper. This will remove the finish from the cabinets. Fill holes or scratches with wood putty and a putty knife. When moving the hardware or using a different hardware for the doors, fill these holes too.
  
  
• 4). Apply wood stain to cabinets and doors with a paintbrush or foam brush. Remove the excess stain with a dry cloth. Let the stain dry per manufacturer directions.
  
  
• 5). Apply polyurethane finish to the cabinetry with a paintbrush. Apply two or three coats of polyurethane, waiting for each coat to dry before applying the next coat. Wait for the cabinetry to dry before reattaching the doors.