How to apply Polyurethane to stained Replacement Cabinet Doors

cabinetdoors.com/blog/how-a-do-it-yourselfer-ca…
This video will demonstrate how to apply Minwax Polyurethane to the replacement kitchen cabinet door which we stained in the prior video.

Stained cabinet doors are porous and will absorb polyurethane. We’ll apply a thin, very light first coat of Minwax Polyurethane. This light coat will soak into the door and also dry significantly faster than a heavier coat.

This first light coat should be applied with a fine natural-bristle brush. The natural-bristle brush will produce a finer finish than the foam brush, but at a higher cost.

Many professional finishers use diluted polyurethane for the first coat, but simply taking care to apply a light coat of un-diluted Poly will work well too.

Brushing should be in the direction of the replacement cabinet door’s grain using gentle, overlapping brush strokes.

The desired amount of Poly on each coat will become evident in a short time. Too little Poly will produce dry spots, which can be seen by looking at the finish from differing angles, to change the light reflection.

A coat of Poly that is too heavy will produce runs. The sweet spot is right between the two extremes.

After each coat of polyurethane has dried, very lightly sand the surface of the cabinet door (in the direction of the wood grain) with sandpaper of 220 to 400 grit. You are only removing tiny bubbles or bumps, so be very careful and very lightly pass the sandpaper over the surface once or twice. You don’t want to sand through your newly applied Poly.

After sanding remove any dust or sanding residue with a clean cloth.

Now you are ready for your second coat. This will be applied in the same manner as the prior coat except a little thicker. Polyurethane is somewhat self-leveling, so cabinet doors finished while lying flat will have an advantage of this self-leveling flow.

If you intend to apply a third coat then complete the light sanding and wiping process again. If this will be your last coat, then allow the Poly to set for about 48 hours and hang your new replacement cabinet doors.

cabinetdoors.com
Manufacturer of custom cabinet doors in hundreds of styles and 14 wood types.

We have been making unfinished cabinet doors since 1980.

We utilize modern computerized machinery and have made over 10 million cabinet doors for new homes in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

We make both Mitered and Traditional Cope & Stick cabinet doors for new homes and re-modelers, as well as home-owners.

We make replacement cabinet doors in both arched and square designs and in over 300 different door styles.