@ramlahn - we are going for the exact same looking kitchen as you! Just just had solid white oak #2 flooring installed in my den. First, with some of these, the wood darkens as it would when you get wood wet. I dont like either. And to expect wood to behave like wood behaves, no matter how you try to finish it. I finished them in our garage - tall saw horses and fairly dust free. There is a beautiful stain I saw that is light grayish color that allows the grain to show by Minwax. These E-books cover a wide range of topics and are sure to have you refreshing your space and rethinking how you live in your home! When it comes to the island, its more about whats on your floor, backsplash, countertop those are what will call the shots! Unless you can test that finish or give us the name of it, there is no way for us to know how it would hold up long-term compared to two-part, post-catalyzed, waterborne finishes such as from leading edge companies like Milesi, Renner, ICA, Sayerlack, and a few others that manufacture waterborne coatings known to rival oil-based clear coats in durability testing. The island is 12 feet long and has honey oak cabinets on both sides (the gas cooktop is in the island). I've also been reading about the tannin pull of white oak- I definitely want to avoid yellowing. I have found that sheen diminishes over time and that semi-gloss eventually becomes a satin finish. Others really don't. But due to the floor layout, we had to use the single range/double oven unit with microwave above, and since we mainly use the smaller top oven for most things with just two people here, it's not too inconvenient. I didnt know what to do until I came across your site. To ensure highest satisfaction, we suggest you view an actual sample from your dealer for best color, wood grain and finish representation. Thanks for any thoughts you may have. Almost any waterborne finish that is one-part will underperform in these tests compared to a two-part catalyzed conversion varnish. Kylie, love reading about stained real wood cabinets. Confessions of a Serial DIYer has a great how-to as does my gal Tamara over at Provident Home Design. Can post a better photo later but heres a test i did the other day with the finish we use on all our custom doors including those sized for ikea cabinets. I hear wallpaper is coming back. Thank you so much for your help @ramlahn ! The other test where most of these failed was leaving the wood out in the sun. He agreed that you would want to add white to the first coat. Loba 2K Supra AT in a non-typical cabinetry coating application. If you aren't set up with the complex equipment and needed experience to successfully spray these formulas, then you will either have to hire it done or look for something else. Good luck with your project! (And as an artist, I am pickier than most.) If the countertops were cluttered, this space would have WAY less appeal. @ramlahn - love your kitchen. Let the stain absorb into the wood for about 10 minutes. To view/purchase the above hardware, please visit the links in this blog post here: The Best BUDGET FRIENDLY Hardware to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets. Just beginning to think of new counter tops for my 1992 kitchen with honey oak cathedral cabinets. If you have access to Omnia quartz, check out Monterey :). :-). Youll also want to make sure that you use the same sheen level as you have on your other cabinets as the sheen can affect how the grain looks as well. Seriously though, want to know how? What are your thoughts of adding cabinet black crown mounding with an oak inset, cabinet light rail in black and then black hardware? And oak is really so timeless (its sometimes just the hardware and profile that dates it) and chances are it will look a good lot better than the MDF . Since oak's large pores readily accept stain, the longer you leave the stain on the wood, the darker the final color is. I think it is because it is an oil based finish. There are 7 doors and 3 windows in the room that are all dark wood with dark wood trim. By choosing a few key places to paint you can give your kitchen an updated look and give the oak something to play off of. The Cafe matte white is unique, and not like other GE whites--a bit whiter than the cabinets but blends well with both the Misterio and the cabinetry-- it was impossible to get all the various pieces in one place to check at once, and the lighting varied everywhere we were checking things, which definitely did not help! Finisher's Warehouse offers a color match service. However, when choosing a stain color, you must either match the existing color or go darker; you cannot lighten the wood with stain alone. I thought I would add my experience, as I went a little OCD on the color for our kitchen project of Rift(quarter) cut white oak cabinets/veneer. It is water based, not waterborne, which is a step higher on the level of quality particularly in terms of non-yellowing properties according to some finishes experts. We do have a few nicks here and there after only a year but they are very easy to touch up. I have wainscoting, and though I realize wallpaper seems old fashioned, a pretty modern paper above the wainscoting that goes well with the cabinets, really seems like it could update my kitchen and take the focus off the cabinets. Heres the thing, if you chase kitchen trends, you will always be unhappy because, like clothing trends, they always change. Allow the polyurethane to dry according to the label recommendations. Protect floors, appliances, outlets and countertops with plastic sheeting; secure this with painters tape. Take one of the doors that is a bit more hidden and do a trial run (or go to a building recycling store and get a few doors to play with). I did try the waterbase with the white the solvent guys used, and it did turn yellow. Now green is having a moment in the kitchen, Blizzard fierce or butter soft, white can highlight shapes, unify a room and perform miracles on the cheap, Find out the most popular countertop, flooring, cabinet, backsplash and paint picks among homeowners who are renovating, Neutrals still dominate cabinet color. jmsreader- You'll notice the picture of finished oak posted above is not North American white or red oak. Do you have any hints? After sanding I loved the natural look of the wood including the knots and imperfections. I tried bleach, but I found to color to work best without the wood getting altered. After reading here about Renner being a option, I went to their facility. Kylie, love this website! I got the following and tested them directly on the extra pieces General Finishes Hi Performance Flat (available most places), Modern Master Supreme matte (available most places), Centurion, matte(?) I thought I was doomed to wake up each morning and walk into my new homes oak cabinet kitchen which I dislike to depression. bronze faucet, single large black Blanco undermount sink, Misterio quartz counters, and long wavy brick like handmade glossy white backsplash tiles (about 12'x3") that have interesting slight irregularities and light reflections. I will rethink this. They are made of solid wood and plywoodno particle board, no thin and cheap veneer! So, since this is not a house I plan for short term, and due to windows and sunlight we get in the kitchen, I wanted the least shift over time. Black is HANDS-DOWN the top choice for updating wood cabinets. Would I use the same product or is there something else I should consider? Jasper, IN 47547. http://www.hyggeandwest.com/collections/wallpaper/products/petal-pusher-taupe (Here is the link to the taupe wallpaper if anyone is interested. The finish with 718 is like the natural wood you got from day 1. Again, Im just DYING to clean up that open corner cabinet! To UPDATE this next kitchen without painting the cabinets, I would change the light fixtures for sure, maybe even go down to two and cap off the middle one. And it dries in this darker tone. With an entire house renovation, addition and pool going in I think I should just keep it simple! The problem for the do-it-yourselfer is that most of these two-part coatings dry too quickly to be rolled or brushed on. We cant afford to replace the kitchen cabinets. I do not love my oak colored kitchen cabinets, but the thought of painting all of themugh! Also the fact that oil is present (Woca's ingredients aren't readily listed anywhere that I can find other than the vague "vegetable oil" is used) indicates that finish will end up more or less either yellow or orange/amber in tint, even if it contains colored pigments like white to add a tinted haze. And non would use waterbased. Then must clean, and then next coat. Ive used diamond oil for a handful of other projects - window frames, a white wash ceiling, so I was familiar with the product in advance.I will also say that I was happy with the quality of the Barker doors and would NEVER put ikea boxes with fancy doors in a forever kitchen - its just not going to last. Some will take a two-part finish and fail to mix it in order to make application easier, and then the durability is lost without the hardening agent added.To be quite honest with you, you are in catch-up mode, having contracted production of a cabinetry unit before finalizing your finishing plans, so your options now may be limited if you are stuck with one finishing service that is not open to the newest waterborne coatings and techniques. I love my refreshed kitchen. Nickel is in HOT second place toblack, especially if you want a slightly more modern approach and coordinates well with stainless appliances. He used a bit of white and solvent, and it actually came out nice, and it also did the best in the sun. It's a different variety of oak- European oak. Product photography and illustrations have been reproduced as accurately as print and web technologies permit. I love the mix of old and new! The more colours and metal finishes you add, the more cluttered it can make a room look. Consider greige, blush, distressed blue or one of these other instant-classic cabinet colors, Transitional remains the No. I talked to the contractor and told him that I had to figure out a different finish. Just an update on our kitchen, it was installed January 2019 and just finished with Woca Diamond Oil (incredibly simple process). Houzz Pro: One simple solution for contractors and design pros. I want so badly to have a white oak kitchen and all this info was amazingly helpful but it seems like too much work (and too expensive)! She is co-founder of On Fiction Writing, a website for writers. In the above photo, notice how the new white subway tile backsplash and updated countertop give NEW life to the original oak cabinets MAD LOVE! then make sure you get it all down and flat, and then light sand. MMSupreme was less, but this changed color the most. Some of the best non-yellowing, non-ambering waterbornes around for cabinet work right now are two-part formulas with the addition of a hardener to add durability and chemical resistance coming from Italian coatings research labs like those of Milesi, ICA, ICS-Ilva, and Sayerlack. As for white, if you do one with details/veining, find a bit of a warm veining. And I love the warm tone of the wood, I just cant imagine painting it! Its a print of wood, so never acts like real wood and changes color. Here's a link that might be useful: Loba 2K Supra AT in a non-typical cabinetry coating application. They are from 2008 and in very good shape. But was the Bona Traffic absolutely clear? Love your sink and cabinets. Im in LOVE with this next kitchen with its cherry wood cabinets. Your thoughts. My goal for the white oak was to have a very natural, but rich look. Actually, I like a vintage style so found it easy to work with older cabinets. Our island is maple wanting to get that natural look. You will have enough to do with touch-ups on all the rest of the work to deal with something as big as that. One MasterBrand Cabinets Dr. I am also aware of a few others who post regularly in this Facebook group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/diycabinetrefinishing who offer the service. None of the cheaper brands matched well, IMO, and I tried out MANY side by side before deciding. A Questionnaire, The 12 Best WHOLE HOME Gray & Greige Paint Colours, Check out my E-Design and Online Color Consulting Packages, ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 2018, FULLY UPDATED IN 2021, Love all these ideas! Thanks for the advice! I'm so glad you're here! Exactly! thanks, so much. Acrylic paint tends to keep its color however, brush marks are more prevalent on trim because it dries quickly minimizing "open time" or the time it takes to brush out the strokes. A solid real wood cabinet stands the test of timeu like most others. MasterBrand And by what method did you apply the poly? Theyre solid but UGLY. Yes, we followed the instructions and also used a buffing machine to get it in the grain perhaps not doing the extra buffing and rather just wipe off will give us the shade we are looking for! My husband thinks its amazing, all it really needs is a a deer head. So this took all of them out of the test accept for the Renner. To finish this up, I would replace the yellowed phone jack and put something pretty in the open cabinet, 6 Budget-Friendly Ideas to Update Your HOME, How to Create a Timeless Home 4 Part Series. How you work this in steps is vital to get the right results. Renee Miller began writing professionally in 2008, contributing to websites and the "Community Press" newspaper. it would be very difficult to turn back and do anything else than oil-based finishing on those cabinets in the future. Im thinking I can get a lighter and updated feel by lightening up the walls, doors, and trim. I forgot to mention we have classic lighter oak hardwood floors that also warm up all that white, and my oriental rugs have rich red/gold/black plus pale blue & green touches, so they go with lots of different colors of accessories and hide any dirt well. Terri. I love solid wood! I definitely wouldnt, it will definitely date it I would stick to ALLLL wood with black hardware . The technique and effort required to do this on cabinetry is extreme, and although I have had success, I would never do it again nor recommend it. Thank you for not bashing oak cabinets:) I assume that you have matching filler pieces - I dont need side panels because the vanity is in an alcove. I refreshed my oak kitchen with new quartz counters, backsplash and farm sink. Otherwise, Im 100% guessing and wouldnt even know where to start for you! The use of greenery keeps the accessories in this room well-connected and complementary to the maple cabinets. Even just one in the corner with the blender would make a BIG difference, use a nicer utensil holder with some stainless utensils, add a soft, warm creamy white subway tile. I would say the only things I dislike about the kitchen are minor things regarding the Cafe appliances --you are paying for the looks more than higher quality appliances, IMO. The power of the high priced microwave is only about 950 Watts, so things take longer (and its convection feature is a joke), and the second bottom oven in the range is so low to the floor that I have to literally get on my knees to get things in/out, plus I think the power on the ovens is also on the low side, so things take a bit longer to cook and are not always evenly done, so I rotate things halfway through cooking. I realize your flooring was "select" not #2 and that makes a difference. Weve only had one painter come give an estimate another one is busy for 6 weeks. Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario. We ordered sample cans of the white woca diamond oil. we tried it and it came out much lighter than what you have. It actually takes some work to fill in the grain on oak (which is why most people dont do it). Well, no matter what you do, Id stay away from the chair rail (I mean, I havent seen your home, so this is just my general advice) as they can really date a space. Dying can muddy up the grain of rift sawn and so I decided to pop the grain a bit wi shellac and the give some depth with a neutral topcoat. And the rep was very helpful. And I love oak cabinets, its often about how they are integrated into the room that matters! machine-buff? Thanks! The above photo shows maple cabinets, not oak, but its a GREAT example of a well-updated space, Potential for what you may ask? Uppers white, lowers remaining knotty alder. After thirty years they look as good as new, and stainless steel appliances and an off-white quartz countertop have brought them into the new century nicely. As you work, sand in the direction of the grain using long strokes. It was light and made the room appear larger. The project turned out really well @ramlahn, @Stephanie Myers - i am considering barker unfinished white oak with white woca diamond oil.