How to Refinish Your Under Sink Cabinet

Refinishing your under sink cabinet is not much different than refinishing your cabinets that hang above your counters. The one thing to remember is to watch out for the plumbing. It is a bit more difficult to maneuver yourself around the plumbing inside your cabinet, but it can be done.

Step 1 - Take It Out

The first thing you will want to do is remove all the items that are present in the cabinet. You will also want to remove any shelving that may be in your cabinet as well.

This should leave your cabinet empty, with the exception of the plumbing, which obviously will stay where it is.

Step 2 - Cover the Plumbing

Take a plastic bag, or maybe more than one, and place it around the plumbing. Use duct tape to wrap around the bag so it is securely attached to the plumbing. This will ensure that you don't get any finish on the plumbing itself.

Step 3 - Cover Floor

Using either a large piece of plastic, or a drop cloth, you will want to cover the floor where you are working. This will ensure that most of the mess stays in one place, so you don't have a huge area to clean up when you are done.

Step 4 - Take Doors and Handles Off

Remove the doors from their hinges using your screwdriver. Lay them down onto the plastic, and remove the handles from the doors.

If you plan on using those same handles when your cabinet is done, lay them aside. If you have bought new handles, you can throw away the old ones.

Step 5 - Wash

Now you will want to take warm water and cleaner to wash out your cabinets. Wash the cabinet out completely, including all sides, bottom, and inside and out of doors. After you have scrubbed with the cleaner, you can rinse with cool water to get all cleaner off before moving on.

Step 6 - Fill Holes

There are bound to be holes in your cabinet from screws, etc. You will want to use wood putty or wood dowels to fill these holes.

Step 7 - Sand

Now you can take sand paper and sand down your cabinet to an even surface. It doesn't have to be completely smooth, but it should be even and looking nice.

Step 8 - Vacuum Dust

You will want to take a hand held vacuum, or your regular vacuum attachments, and clean up any dust that came from sanding.

Step 9 - Finish

This is the part where you can apply the finish of your choice. You can apply varnish or paint. Use even strokes, catching any drips that may happen.

Step 10- Replace

Now all that needs to be done is replacing the doors, as well as all your things, and you are good to go.