Home Services Guidelines and Best Practices
Cabinet Refinishing
Cabinet Refinishing guidelines, FAQs and unit pricing information
January 2017
Are you looking for independent, trustworthy advice about Cabinet Refinishing? Do you need to understand common installation options? If your project calls for Cabinet Refinishing work, the following guidelines and best practices will help you understand: Is a subcontractor really necessary for Cabinet Refinishing work? Will a permit be required? What are common problem areas? How much will Cabinet Refinishing labor cost? What are the important Cabinet Refinishing quality checks that should be included in the work requirements?
Cabinet Refinishing - Frequently Asked Questions
| What is a fair price for Cabinet Refinishing? | Costs vary with project size, job quality and time of year. For typical Cabinet Refinishing expect to pay between $5.33 to $6.66 per square foot. Additional fees are typically charged for small projects or rush jobs. |
| Is a permit needed for Cabinet Refinishing work? | Design approval and permits from your local building department are not required for Cabinet Refinishing. If your home is subject to homeowner association (HOA) covenants, you should verify that your Cabinet Refinishing project complies with association guidelines. |
| Is it worth using a professional to perform Cabinet Refinishing work? | The appearance, functionality and useful life of the wood stain may be compromised by poor installation. Hire the service provider carefully and tie payment milestones to appropriate quality checks (use the list below). |
| Is Cabinet Refinishing something that I can do myself? | The typical Cabinet Refinishing project involves tasks that are best performed by experienced professionals. Good quality Cabinet Refinishing requires considerable experience, skill and attention to detail. Do it yourself mistakes are noticeable, may be difficulty to remedy and may actually reduce the market value of the project and your home. |
| How many days are typically required to complete the Cabinet Refinishing work? | This work can be completed in 2 to 4 days. |
Cabinet Refinishing - Options, Quality Checks and Important Details
Use the list below to document your expectations for level of detail and finish quality for Cabinet Refinishing. Make sure that relevant information is included in any written contracts or work orders on your project. Before any Cabinet Refinishing work begins, review the checklist with the service provider. Tie payments to satisfactory completion of this checklist.
- The layout, location, style and finish appearance of ALL materials used in Cabinet Refinishing will be approved by owner, before any work begins
- There will be no gap of more than 1/16 inch wide where the varnish | polyurethane meets adjacent surfaces; a gap (in no cases wider that 1/16 inch) can be hidden by: __scribing __a smooth bead of caulk __ appropriately finished molding
- No varnish | polyurethane or clean up residue will be left on adjacent finished surfaces, trim plates, fixtures or grilles
- The varnish | polyurethane finish will be free of drips, runs, brush marks, roller marks and dust
- Nail holes will be filled with a suitable putty, leveled and sanded smooth before final finishing, so as to be undetectable through the finished surface
- The varnish | polyurethane finish will have uniform color depth and appearance in all lighting conditions
- All varnish | polyurethane edges at surface edges and trim intersections are sharp and crisp, forming a clean, straight line
- Adjacent surfaces, materials and fixtures will be protected from stray 0; any 0 clean up will be performed by safe, non-destructive means, only after owner approves of clean up method
- The varnish | polyurethane surface and surface finish will be free of surface defects, irregularities and any physical damage
- There will be no wood stain on hardware, trim plates or fittings; attached hardware and fittings should be removed prior to wood stain application, whenever possible
Cabinet Refinishing - Work Milestones and Project Reminders
The following list summarizes work tasks commonly performed during Cabinet Refinishing. These tasks help ensure proper completion of the wood stain work and compliance with common manufacturer and vendor warranty requirements. Make sure that either you or your service provider takes responsibility for each of these tasks. All service provider task responsiblities should be clearly called out in the written contract or work orders.
- Complete written contract, including scope of work, quality checks, warranty, timing and payment terms; ensure that contract is signed before work begins
- Review material choices for Cabinet Refinishing with the homeowner before work begins - consider toxic exposure, allergic risks and environmental factors; purchase construction materials only after approval
- Select, specify and order wood stain; verify that type, grade, finish, size, color, any options, and quantity are clearly identified in the order; make sure that delivery date, terms and damage provisions are included in the order
- Prepare area for safe, efficient work; move items that restrict work access or are vulnerable to damage; cover and protect items that cannot be moved
- Carefully remove fixtures, fittings, finish plates, grilles, knobs, pulls and trim that will be reinstalled later; label and safely store these items for later use
- Fill holes, cracks, gaps with compatible patching material; finish patch to match surrounding surface shape, texture and color
- Clean, sand and remove dust from surface to be finished
- Apply a smooth, even coat/layer of sanding sealer
- Apply a smooth, even coat of wood stain
- Apply 2 smooth, even coats of varnish | polyurethane to all exposed surfaces, with a light sanding and dust removal before each coat
- Reinstall pre-existing fixtures, fittings, finish plates, knobs, pulls, grilles and trim
- Inspect Cabinet Refinishing and verify that all quality requirements and punch list items are completed correctly
- Save and label extra wood stain for future repairs; make sure that manufacturer, model, color, lot and any other identifying information is noted on the label
