Facebook marketplace find ✨ a little sanding, st Facebook marketplace find ✨ a little sanding, staining and little dowels and now it’s stunning! 🤎
Here are the steps to achieve black (or any color Here are the steps to achieve black (or any color you desire) sleek steam radiators 🖤. For more details visit paintingbythepenny.com 
Things you’ll need: 
•Gloves
•Mask/Respirator
•Wire Brush
•TSP cleaner
•Sanding sponge/fine steel wool
•Vacuum
•Painter’s plastic & masking paper
•Rustoleum Metal Primer (High heat primer preferred) 
• @rustoleum High Heat Black Spray Paint
•Can Gun (to make it easier on your hands)
• A helping hand to move the super heavy radiators
We saved over $8,000 dollars doing these radiators We saved over $8,000 dollars doing these radiators ourselves!!! We only hired someone to sandblast them but took care of the rest! 
It took some time and lots of heavy lifting but they turned out amazing! Worth all the hard work, especially after saving so much money!
These radiators though?🖤🤤 Find a step by st These radiators though?🖤🤤
Find a step by step guide on How to Paint a Radiator and the thousands of dollars we were able to save with the DIY(ish) approach we took on the blog paintingbythepenny.com
Getting lots of questions on paint and what finish Getting lots of questions on paint and what finish I use. Here’s my go to…
Ceilings: Flat 
Walls: Satin 
Trim and Doors: Semi-Gloss 
The glossier the finish the easier it is to clean, but also keep in mind that if you have textured walls the glossier the finish the more you’ll see the imperfections. Some people choose a flat finish on their walls for this reason or in rooms they know walls wont get too dirty.
More info on this and other tips on paintingbythepenny.com (link in bio) 
But as always, do whatever makes you happy! ❤️
Refinishing a door is not easy, especially when th Refinishing a door is not easy, especially when there’s 6 layers of paint on it! 🫠
Here’s how we managed to save hundreds by refinishing this door ourselves! 
We used our @ryobitoolsusa orbital sander and planer to get the job done! 
#painteddoor #entrydoor #doorhardware #diy #diyhomeprojects #garagemakeover #garagerenovation #antiquedoor #doordesign #ryobi
This stair transformation has been one of my favor This stair transformation has been one of my favorites so far. 😍 
• I sanded the original handrail and newel post cap using my @surfprepsanding ray sander. Purchased a new handrail from @loweshomeimprovement and stained it all with @minwaxusa stain in the color Early American. 
Love how the wood and paint colors bring an organic feel to the space 🤎
#staircase #paintedstairs #stairrailing #interiordesign #refinishedstairs #loweshomeimprovement #minwaxstain #earlyamerican #surfprepsanding #swcolorlove #accessiblebeige #transformation #beforeandafter
My favorite product to use when I want to hem fabr My favorite product to use when I want to hem fabric. HeatnBond Hem Adhesive, No need to sew! 
My mom was so impressed by this that not only did she take over this project, she made me order two for her 😅. 
All products can be found on my Amazon storefront (link in bio). 
#cafecurtains #kitchencurtains #heatnbond #designtips #kitchendecor #windowtreatment #windowcurtains #windowdecor #tipsandtricks #diy
Did you know that you can order paint at 50% or 75 Did you know that you can order paint at 50% or 75% strength? This is what I did for my trim color! I ordered @sherwinwilliams Accessible beige at 75% strength and it made it a tad bit lighter! 
For more details on this visit paintingbythepenny.com (link in bio) 
#wallpaint #sherwinwilliams #painttips #interiordesign #interiorpaint #painting #paintingtips
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Painting by the Penny

Refinished Furniture, DIY, & Interior Design

DIY Projects, Interior Design · January 30, 2022

How To Stain Unfinished Cabinets

Kitchen with stained white oak cabinets, white subway tiles up wall, stainless steel stove and vent hood, and floating shelf

I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission on. Thank you

White oak kitchens have always been one of my favorites. They are bright, modern, and the cabinets look gorgeous. When we purchased our first rental property I knew I wanted to create a similar look, but for much less. So we purchased these Project Source in-stock unfinished cabinets at Lowe’s and I made it my mission to stain them and give them a white oak kitchen look.

I could have easily painted the cabients but wanted to stain them instead. If you are interested in learning how to paint kitchen cabinets, I did it for a different unit and they turned out great too!

Unfinished cabinet base displayed in store

What you’ll need to stain unfinished cabinets

  • 120grit Sanding sponge
  • Minwax Wood Conditioner
  • Foam Brush and Rag
  • Varathane Golden Oak Stain
  • Minwax Color Wash Transparent Stain (I used Minwax pickling stain but this is whats available now)
  • Minwax water-based polycryclic in Satin
Unfinished cabinets against drywall in kitchen

Remove drawers and cabinet doors

In order to be able to stain your cabinets correctly, remove the doors and drawers. Set up a space and line them up. Make sure you are in a well ventilated room and you wear a mask (I’m not always good with this).

Unfinished cabinet doors laying on black table

I didn’t have a lot of cabinets so I was able to line them up in my living and dining room and had my windows open. You don’t have to stain the actual inside of the cabinets but its recommended to stain the inside of the cabinet doors.

Sand

Give all the cabinet doors and drawer fronts a light sanding. I used a 120g sanding sponge and went over all the surfaces lightly. I then cleaned all the dust off and was ready to apply my first product.

Apply wood conditioner

Apply wood conditioner using a rag. Wood conditioner draws out the grain and helps ensure a more even coat. It prevents the stain from looking blotchy. Allow the wood conditioner to sit for 15min.

Container of Minwax pre stain wood conditioner on black table next to unfinished oak cabinet doors

Stain

Once the wood conditioner is dried, apply your stain. I used Varathane Stain in the color Golden Oak. I applied only one coat using a rag and wiped off the excess.

Apply whitewash pickling

The whitewash pickling I used from Minwax seems like it has a new look. I can’t find the can I used and what’s available right now is Minwax Color Wash Transparent Stain. I have used this product for a different project and loved it!

Container of minwax color wash white wash stain

Initially, I applied the whitewash pickling with a rag but found it applies more even with a foam brush then excess wiped with a damp rag.

In the photo below you can see the cabinet door on the left has the stain and the one on the right has the whitewash pickling.

Unfinished cabinet doors

After applying the whitewash pickling and allowing it to dry, I applied another coat of the Varathane stain.

Protect

To protect the cabinets, apply three coats of Minwax Waterbased Polycrylic. Polycrylic does not stick to itself so sanding in between coats is required. Sand lightly in between coats using the 120grit sanding sponge.

Can of minwax polycrylic on black table

In my opinion, water based polycrylic is better to use because oil based tends to yellow over time. I applied the polycryclic using a brush but you could use foam brushes, that work great too!

Stained cabinet doors on black table next to opened can of polycrylic, brush in ziplock bag, and sanding sponge

Once the polycryclic is all dried, you can place the doors and drawers back on. I purchased these black 5 inch pulls and 10 inch pulls on Amazon for a great deal.

stained kitchen cabinets with black hardware, stainless steel stove, white subway tile up wall and wood shelf

For the end panels of the cabinets, I ended up adding the same toe kicks that are sold separately for the bottom of the cabinets and had them cut to size. I stacked them like shiplap to create a more custom look.

stained kitchen cabinet with sink and black faucet, white subway tile up wall

And there you have it, white oak kitchen cabinets look for less!

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Comments

  1. Jamie Huisenga says

    February 5, 2022 at 8:54 am

    What did you use for the countertop? I just stained unfinished cabinets (from menards) with a different stain combo but with the same results and already installed the same knobs as well. Definitely stealing the idea for the sides of the cabinets. I was wanting to do something fun but affordable!

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      February 5, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      Hi! Ahhh yes its such a good idea! Glad I could help! We used a quartz countertop.

      Reply
  2. Jenny P says

    March 7, 2022 at 9:48 am

    I am in love with this idea! I have been wanting to refinish my oak cabinets for a while but couldn’t bear to paint over wood and wasn’t sure how to make a stain work with the veneer end caps. The toe kicks are genius! Do you think the same process would work if I sanded down the previous finish and then started with your steps? I am guessing it was the original stain from when the house was built in the early 2000s. Do you think sanding would be better than stripping or vice versa? Also, can you please share the brand/color of the flooring you used? We are looking to cover our ceramic tile with luxury vinyl planks. Thanks so much for a beautiful inspiration 😍

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      March 7, 2022 at 4:17 pm

      Thank you so much! For the cabinets I would recommend both stripping and sanding. If they currently have a dark stain I would strip first then sand. If you just want to lighten them a bit you could probably get away with sanding. You could use a sander/deglosser to remove the varnish first then sand lightly. If striping, I would recommend Citristip. It can get messy and sticky but works well to remove paint and varnish.
      The flooring is laminate purchased at Lowe’s it’s Allen and Roth Urbanite Oak.

      Reply
      • Jenny P says

        March 9, 2022 at 12:16 pm

        Thank you again so much for this gorgeous inspiration!

        Reply
  3. Kelley Foess says

    March 31, 2022 at 4:22 pm

    Hello – Your cabinets are beautiful. I’m an avid painter but new to sanding. You used stain and the pickling. I see Varathane has a White Oak color. Did you consider using that or what’s the reason the two step stain and pickling was needed?

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      April 5, 2022 at 2:18 pm

      Hi! Thank you! I used the pickling because I wanted a little bit of white to come through the stain but its not necessary, its just preference. If you find a stain color you really love then go for it and skip the pickling.

      Reply
  4. Megan says

    April 22, 2022 at 10:33 am

    I just went to lowes yesterday and the sale lady said these are terrible quality 🙁 I was so sad as I just love this look. How long have you had and are you thinking they can hold up long term?

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      April 22, 2022 at 10:50 am

      Hi! We’ve had them in our rental unit for over a year and they are still in great condition! We made sure to seal them to protect them and also added soft close hinges so they don’t slam shut. For the price they are great and I would purchase them again.

      Reply
      • Megan says

        April 22, 2022 at 3:44 pm

        Interesting the lady was so hesitant for us to purchase! Thank you for the feedback.

        Reply
        • PJ says

          May 24, 2022 at 1:21 am

          Megan, I received the same treatment at Menards. I asked about the unfinished cabinets and was said oh are you interested in the “Cheap-O-” ones? Then listened to the guy just climb the price ladder showing more and more expensive “quality” options. He was a salesman, even saying he was steering me away from other options that would land him larger commissions when he just didn’t want me to buy the more affordable options (and smaller commissions). I could buy two complete sets of Cheap-O- cabinets with what he wanted me to buy….

          Reply

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About me

Hi! I’m Joanna, a Latina who is passionate about making homes beautiful through furniture, design and DIY! Follow along as I share all my tips and tricks and the behind the scenes. I hope to inspire you as much as you all inspire me!

Instagram

Follow @Paintingbythepenny

Facebook marketplace find ✨ a little sanding, st Facebook marketplace find ✨ a little sanding, staining and little dowels and now it’s stunning! 🤎
Here are the steps to achieve black (or any color Here are the steps to achieve black (or any color you desire) sleek steam radiators 🖤. For more details visit paintingbythepenny.com 
Things you’ll need: 
•Gloves
•Mask/Respirator
•Wire Brush
•TSP cleaner
•Sanding sponge/fine steel wool
•Vacuum
•Painter’s plastic & masking paper
•Rustoleum Metal Primer (High heat primer preferred) 
• @rustoleum High Heat Black Spray Paint
•Can Gun (to make it easier on your hands)
• A helping hand to move the super heavy radiators
We saved over $8,000 dollars doing these radiators We saved over $8,000 dollars doing these radiators ourselves!!! We only hired someone to sandblast them but took care of the rest! 
It took some time and lots of heavy lifting but they turned out amazing! Worth all the hard work, especially after saving so much money!
These radiators though?🖤🤤 Find a step by st These radiators though?🖤🤤
Find a step by step guide on How to Paint a Radiator and the thousands of dollars we were able to save with the DIY(ish) approach we took on the blog paintingbythepenny.com
Getting lots of questions on paint and what finish Getting lots of questions on paint and what finish I use. Here’s my go to…
Ceilings: Flat 
Walls: Satin 
Trim and Doors: Semi-Gloss 
The glossier the finish the easier it is to clean, but also keep in mind that if you have textured walls the glossier the finish the more you’ll see the imperfections. Some people choose a flat finish on their walls for this reason or in rooms they know walls wont get too dirty.
More info on this and other tips on paintingbythepenny.com (link in bio) 
But as always, do whatever makes you happy! ❤️
Refinishing a door is not easy, especially when th Refinishing a door is not easy, especially when there’s 6 layers of paint on it! 🫠
Here’s how we managed to save hundreds by refinishing this door ourselves! 
We used our @ryobitoolsusa orbital sander and planer to get the job done! 
#painteddoor #entrydoor #doorhardware #diy #diyhomeprojects #garagemakeover #garagerenovation #antiquedoor #doordesign #ryobi
This stair transformation has been one of my favor This stair transformation has been one of my favorites so far. 😍 
• I sanded the original handrail and newel post cap using my @surfprepsanding ray sander. Purchased a new handrail from @loweshomeimprovement and stained it all with @minwaxusa stain in the color Early American. 
Love how the wood and paint colors bring an organic feel to the space 🤎
#staircase #paintedstairs #stairrailing #interiordesign #refinishedstairs #loweshomeimprovement #minwaxstain #earlyamerican #surfprepsanding #swcolorlove #accessiblebeige #transformation #beforeandafter
My favorite product to use when I want to hem fabr My favorite product to use when I want to hem fabric. HeatnBond Hem Adhesive, No need to sew! 
My mom was so impressed by this that not only did she take over this project, she made me order two for her 😅. 
All products can be found on my Amazon storefront (link in bio). 
#cafecurtains #kitchencurtains #heatnbond #designtips #kitchendecor #windowtreatment #windowcurtains #windowdecor #tipsandtricks #diy
Did you know that you can order paint at 50% or 75 Did you know that you can order paint at 50% or 75% strength? This is what I did for my trim color! I ordered @sherwinwilliams Accessible beige at 75% strength and it made it a tad bit lighter! 
For more details on this visit paintingbythepenny.com (link in bio) 
#wallpaint #sherwinwilliams #painttips #interiordesign #interiorpaint #painting #paintingtips
2️⃣ easy steps to help you choose paint colors 2️⃣ easy steps to help you choose paint colors for your home! 
•
•
•
•
#1-Find Inspiration online, through decor, or even outside! 
#2-Purchase paint samples (THIS IS A MUST!) Don’t make a decision based on a paint chip or image you see online! 
Inspo image: @anthology_creative_studio 
#interiorpaint #painting #wallpaint #paintsamples #swcolorlove #sherwinwilliams #paintingwalls #inspo
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