Can a veneer medicine cabinet be sanded down and stained darker?
Question:I have an oak veneer medicine cabinet mounted/thin set to the tile on my bathroom wall. I recently replaced the existing vanity with a newer walnut stained one.
Can the medicine cabinet be sanded down and gel stained to the darker walnut color or will I be forced to paint?
I can not remove the medicine cabinet since its cemented to the tile behind it without having to redo the entire wall which I am not ready to take on.
Thoughts, suggestions please?
Answers:
venner is usally only 1/32 inch thick and sometimes 1/64..chances are you will not get the existing stain out of it without a stripper..if you tried to sand that finish out, it is too deeply penetrated and sanding will "burn through" the veneer..yes..even hand sanding will do this..for regardless you have to sand till the old finish is out..near impossible..either use a stripper as i suggested...You can also buy aerosol spray bottles with a co2 charge that you can add any material you want on it...if you go this route..you have to spray it over the old stain in very very light coats..and this is just toning it in..it is not actually penetrating...the drying time will take awhile inbetween coats due to it is a 'surface bonding" and not penetrative..each coat will be darker and darker..do not spray this till it runs or sags..just a fine mist and be patient..I would then buy some spray can clear lacquer to do the finish with..easy on this too..spray in multible fine coats..You do not know the original finish on this cabinet so heavy coats of the lacquer can buckle it..lacquer dries within 15 minutes for recoats..just keep them thin..
Veneer can be sanded, but lightly. It is easy to penetrate the veneer and then your options will be limited. I'd try 120 grit or finer on either a palm sander or a Random Orbit sander. The palm sander will be easier to control in the situation. Try not to over sand, but just sand enough to remove the finish and get a wood surface that can be restained.
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