the wall boards are 1/4" plywood that the guys ripped down from a large sheet. They used a spacer like you would with tile when they put it up.

soibean, the faucet is by Rubinet. I am very happy with it. My tastes run to modern but my house is older (built in 1859) so I put a few modern things in here and there but didn't feel I could go too far with it. My plumber liked the faucet too - said it was easy to install, etc. Linking to the faucet below. Mine is the Matthew Quinn

Here is a link that might be useful: Rubinet

and here is a view of the remote control TV lift I hid behind one of the wall cabinets - as a consequence this cabinet is deep enough for glasses mugs small plates, but not bigger plates.

As promised over on kit forum -

Here's pics of master bath done last yr.

Rittenhouse subways and "no name" 1" hex w/a matte glaze - I searched everywhere for those! I think AMerican Olean does carry them - I found them at a local tile place for hmm I think 5$ sq ft

Mapei silver for grout

I would steer clear of any white grout - just a beast to keep clean over time

I had nearly enough room to fit a 5'6" tub but went for the niche instead - storage is an issue esp w/console sink

this was a chest of drawers I re-did & put glass knobs & carrara top on

Bill V was a HUGE help!

So much so - that he encouraged me to do my 1st tile job w/leftover tile

Good Luck!

Most of the other ones have 1" wheels, which is the minimum I prefer to go with.

Don't be shy about discarding the studs that come with the kit if you get the door kit. You want straight with good grain. I've seen a few kit studs in my day that ended up as firewood.

If you look at the professional photos, you can see that the windows are super-bright and overexposed, but white furniture is white and perfectly exposed. Now look at windows in the amateur photos and you'll see that the windows are not as overexposed but white furniture is greyish.

It's not that hard to get similar results at home with your point and shoot camera, although usually you'll need a tripod. Try this if you have a point and shoot but no tripod - set your camera on a table or counter and snap a photo of the interior that includes a window. Then disable your flash and set your exposure compensation for +2 and try again. Try again at +4. You'll generally see that the photos with exposure compensation look much better and give that coveted bright and airy feeling.

Cabinets: Custom White Shaker
Paint: Cabinets - Benjamin Moore Simply White
Wall - Benjamin Moore Piedmont Gray
Faucet: Kraus
Counters: Black Pearl Granite
Fridge: GE Profile
Stove: JennAir
Backsplash: Carrara Random

Red = tags that you type in
Teal = paste the url in for the page you want to link
Green = the text that will appear as your link. Like this "Name of the Link" below.

I also did up one for posting pictures. The red is the tags you post in. The black is the image direct link.

Details:

Ikea Tidaholm cupboards, professionally sprayed in Cloud White with alot of customization. Unfortunately, these have since been discontinued.

AEG Electrolux 36" freestanding stove. Bought for less then half price because someone bought it, used it once and returned it because they decided they wanted gas. We don't have gas and recently put in Geo Thermal heating/air conditioning. Wasn't in the budget to bring in propane. Stove was so reasonable that if we decide to do so later we can.

Liebherr 30" freestanding refrigerator. Purchased for half price because it had a dent dent in the bottom half. Bought a new door so it was good as new, until they delivered it and dented the top half. They replaced the door. Neither will be installed until house is complete (just in case).

Ikea farmhouse sink and dishwasher. I'm actually very pleased that it works as well as it does.

Perrin and Rohl Aquatine faucet in polished nickel.

Island and Jam cupboard - Special Order from Camlen Furniture in Quebec. Purchased with hand planed top in pine and may or not replace with marble. Will live with it for a while.

10" random length pine floors. All hand finished and dinged and finshed with Waterlox. This alone took us several weeks. We love the finish.

Honed Absolute Black granite. Bought the kitchen at Ikea's 20% off sale. Rather then cash back you get Ikea gift certificates. Used these and another $1300.

Faber Inca Pro hood

Light fixture- Sescolite, Burlington, Ontario

Finished kitchen, $19 thousand including all the small stuff.

I would like to thank the GW community. I found you when most decisions had already been made but early enough to make some positive changes based on the vast amount of information shared on this site. I didn't ask for much advise but I can assure you that I read everything written on the subjects that I researched on this site and then some. I do not have the incredible knowledge that so many of you do who share so willingly to those who ask but have from time to time tried to help out on the very few subjects I know a little about. I have taken much more than I have been able to give. I am grateful to have had a place that I could frequent with people who share the same desire to have a kitchen of their dreams no matter their budget. And to those who think their day will never come, keep the faith. I never thought that I would get here. After seeing so many unbelievable kitchens, big and small, elaborate and understated, new and updated thanks for looking at mine.

My husband is an experienced wood worker and a great finish carpenter, but doesn't do it for a living. He told me he used a 1/2" round over bit on the first pass on the edge and then an Ogee router bit for the second pass. I can get the model number of the bits if anyone needs them after he gets home from work. The sink hole was harder and took some time to get right.
To finish the countertops I first sealed them with Benite. Then I applied two coats of stain, the first with a brush that turned out all blotchy and then I flooded the surface with stain and hand wiped with a rag. I attempted to "streak" the surface so the wood would look more like the higher end wood countertops I've seen. I sort of faux finished them, I guess.

Then I did three coats of Waterlox original with a foam brush. They looked amazing, just way too shiny for my taste. I lightly sanded in between coats.

Then the nightmare began. I did a coat of Waterlox Satin with a foam brush. The countertop was splotchy and there were bumps in it. I posted on GW about my troubles. I finally got the surface right after another two coats of Satin, another coat of Original and then a two more coats of Satin. The final two coats were applied with a lambswood applicator. So there are a grand total of 10 coats of Waterlox on the counters. They feel great and don't look plastic-y close up.

Here are some photos of the sink hole (before and after) and another photo of the countertop that is installed.

As for seams, each countertop is 6 feet long which a stock size Numerar, so there aren't any seams. I have these countertops for my laundry room also that form an "L". I'm not sure how my husband will handle the seam in there, probably biscuit join and glue them so the seam will be tight.

Thanks again for the nice responses!

For pathway:
About 2 months before I found the brick, we installed the same path with gravel (which we hated and replaced with the brick). The gravel was the leveler. We dug out half of the gravel, and put a layer of sand on top. We then placed the bricks in pattern. The cracks were filled in with sand, swept in with a broom, and hosed down. The process was repeated until cracks were full.

Edging:

We dug a trench for the edging. We kept having to tweak to make less precise, as I discussed in previous post. A 4-5" layer of Quickcrete was placed in bottom of trench. We then laid the brick, and filled gaps with Quickcrete. No leveling or anything. Very slapdash.

Grills on gates:

This was a challenge. I knew what I wanted. Couldn't find it locally - and wasn't sure correct search terms for looking on EBAY. Then, I stumbled on the magic words: Architectural Trivet. I got both for like $20 each on EABY. Here is my front gate:

Bungalobliss

Clive Christian

Pointclick home kitchen blog

Straub

There were many frantic/crazy postings on my end, and everyone's feedback helped so much. Shanghaimom in particular helped me so much and was so patient, and also boxerpups, kateskurous, rhome410, dianalo, aokat15, and many many others patiently offered sage advice and insight. If I never acknowledged this in the threads, please know that you kept me sane and I so appreciated it. There are some details to be finished (I plan to trim in the fridge a bit tighter on top) but for the most part, we're done.

So here is the old kitchen:

And now the new:

The details:
We have a 1926 stucco house in Minneapolis, and really wanted to honor the time period and details and have it be congruent with the rest of the house. I call this my "new old kitchen." So, we went for a cottage feel with some industrial, contemporary finishes. I devoured details in peoples posts when I was planning, so I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Counters: Reclaimed elm from an 1860s Wisconsin barn, finished with Waterlox. From Minomin Resawn Timbers in Hugo, MN. These guys are awesome, and the counters are breathtaking.

Appliances: LG counterdepth French Door fridge (love it), gas range, and steam dishwasher, with Faber hood in Diamante

Lights: Barn Light Electric radial flute pendant in galvanized above the penninsula; Sinclair white enamel pendant above sink. I love these!

Cabinets: Custom, painted in "Mourning Dove," a Martha Stewart color mixed in Sherwin Williams oil laquer

Floor: Marmoleum Click in Walnut and Silver Birch

Sink/faucet: Kohler "Cursive" undermount farmhouse sink in Earthen White, Vinnata faucet in Vibrant Stainless

Pulls and Knobs: Restoration Hardware 1.25" Aubrey Knobs, and 6" Ephram pulls in ORB

Stainless Wine Glass Rack and Spice Shelves from Pottery Barn online.

Wall Color: BM Monterey White in eggshell

Beadboard walls and ceiling, shelves, and crown: BM Simply White in Semigloss

Curtains: Ogee Ikat in Clay/Oregano from West Elm

Stools: Overstock 24" Tabouret Metal stools

before

sanded

finished

Since the DH was job hunting during the whole reno, I ended doing almost everything in this kitchen myself with the help of two of my friends (also ladies who had never done any kind of construction) so it was a huge learning experience from start to finish!

The first three pics are before and the rest are afters :) Originally it was a dining room attached to a galley kitchen which we expanded into a larger eat-in kitchen and moved the dining room to our sunroom.

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

From house

We redid our oak and tile kitchen with black paint and marble. It was a mix of DIY (I painted our cabinets) and help - the marble was installed and fabricated by someone else, obviously. We pulled out the tile ourselves, both counter and floor, and installed the appliances ourselves. Our kitchen remodel in total cost just under $10,000. I've blogged about it in detail if anyone is interested.

Before and After pictures.

How I made my kitchen choices.

My best shot at a how-to on painting kitchen cabinets yourself.

A complete source list as best I remember.

Here's a few pictures:

Great forum, good luck with everyone on their current endeavors.

Warmly,
Rebekah

I won this vintage Frederick Cooper lamp on eBay a few weeks ago for the opening bid price of $55. The seller had not mentioned that it was a Cooper lamp in his title, but in small print in the auction. The shade is one I had here.

I wrote the F Cooper company, and they told me that the lamp was made in the 1990s for a show, and didn't go into their regular line, so it may be one-of-a-kind.

Since I am using blue accessories in the living room now,

I wanted to make some WTs that have that color in them, but also go well with the rest of the pieces in the room. Long story, but I remember (thanks to an email from 'Chijim' of this board!) that I have some fabric I got very inexpensively on eBay years ago, and hadn't used!

I draped it over a rod in the LR Wed. PM, and really liked what I saw.

The fabric is 108" wide and heavy, so tough to work with on my 5 1/2 ft kitchen island, but I have made one panel, although it's not hemmed yet. I tried a new style for me - back tab panels - which look pleated, but are made by sewing tabs to the back of the top, rather than up from the top edge, as I didn't want tab tops. Could that 'found fabric' go any better with the colors in the room? Yippeee!

I live on a small river which forms my irregular property line. I have many perennial beds...here are a few. This photo was taken in the spring, so not much is in bloom.

You enter through this 6' x 6' porch. 99% of furnishings, wall paper , chandy in here are from eBay.

.

I added this half bath years ago. The only bathrooms in the house when I bought it were upstairs and a 'rustic' one in the cellar!


I made the vanity from an old bureau that I bought for $100. Top is a remnant of Delicatus granite. Again, most accessories are from eBay.

Again, it's a modest home, and I remodeled the kitchen in the early 90's! It had a large wood stove in the kitchen when I bought it, 24" of counter space, and dark plywood cabinets. This remodel still works well for me today.

As you see from the above pic, some of the rooms still have their original, and beautiful (IMO) radiators. The house is primary heated with oil, but it also has electric heat, a gas fireplace in the LR that I put in, and the old kitchen wood stove is in the cellar now. I can use whatever is least expensive at the time, and won't freeze.

The back of the LR isn't that 'country, any more, and now looks more like this. The vintage secretary is the largest item I have ever bought on eBay. Hunting toile on the re-covered (but not by me) love seat is also from eBay.

I make all my own window treatments, and this is what is in the kitchen for the summer. A Pierre Deux 'Geraine' bargain from eBay.

Whatever fabric I use for the kitchen WTs, I also shirr on dowels that I mounted inside the glass doors, and use them to cover cook books etc, on the pantry wall in the kitchen.

Whew, I'll take a break and post a few more, if you want to see any....

I think one reason it did go reasonbly fast, though, is that I had approximately 90% of the materials on hand. I had the chicken wire left over from another project, ditto the fabric and tassel trim, primer, drywall mud, sandpaper, brushes, glaze etc. All I had to buy was the cabinet and wall paint, the nailhead trim, and a few supplies. That helps, as the shopping and "pulling together" of the look is what takes the most time. Actually painting a small room like that doesn't take much time at all.

I will say, though, that the most difficult part of the whole project was working that @$%&! chicken wire. That stuff is a royal pain in the carcass. It came in a big ol' roll, and every time I tried to unroll it to measure it to fit, it wanted to roll back up. The edges are *sharp*, and I poked myself once and bled all over the floor. Seriously. I've not ever seen that much blood! (Now I can truly say my blood, sweat, and tears went into the facelift! LOL!)

Getting it to fit inside the cabinet door was a royal pain. I could get it in the old recess where the wood panel used to be, but it kept wanting to curl up. I had to re-cut the panels like 4 times to get just the right size, and then I had to figure out a way to keep the chicken wire stationary. I finally used some small window glazing supplies to tack in 2 sides, and then used some small dowel rods to tuck inside to keep the wire in place.

The chicken wire was also a very ugly silver color, so I had to spray paint the panels black to give it the look I wanted.

I tell ya, after that fiasco, I don't know if I'll ever want to use chicken wire again!

Zipdee, I've tried in vain to get the Basset's to do *anything* around the house, other than lay around and be cute. I find their stubby little paws are just useless when it comes to projects......

As far as painting the cabinets, here's what I did:

I sanded everything and wiped it down. Then I painted two coats of the base color Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage (a lovely shade of "Crest Toothpaste" green).

When that dried, I used a glaze from Sherwin Williams in a color called VanDyke Brown, and just brushed it on lightly.

The color was a bit "cooler" than I wanted, so when that dried I glazed it again with a Minwax gel stain in Plantation Walnut. That warmed it up some, as well as giving it a nice even sheen.

Love2weed, I bought the ready-made feet at a builder supply place. They're just glued on. Had to trim them down a bit to get them to fit under the vanity, so the glue's on top.

Eagertopaint, I did make the shower curtain, but don't tell anyone, as I really can't sew, and the back of it is really unprofessional looking! All raw seams and threads, etc. I really need to make some sort of a lining for it!

The wall color was supposed to be a deep pumpkin orange color, but instead it's just an orange-y red. It works, and I'm happy with it, but I think I may have like a little more orange and a little less red. The color is Benjamin Moore "Spiced Pumpkin".

I've tried to compile everything I saved over the past 8 months that I've been on this Forum. Most of it was taken from a write-up by StoneGirl (Natural stone primer/granite 101); other threads and sources were used as well.

So...if the experts could review the information I've compiled below and send me comments (here or via email), I will talk to StarPooh about getting this on the FAQ.

Stone Information, Advice, and Checklists:

In an industry that has no set standards, there are many unscrupulous people trying to palm themselves off as fabricators. There are also a number of people with odd agendas trying to spread ill rumors about natural stone and propagate some very confusing and contradictory information. This is my small attempt at shedding a little light on the subject.

Slab Selection:

On the selection of the actual stone slabs - When you go to the slab yard to choose slabs for your kitchen, there are a few things you need to take note of:

• Surface finish: The finish - be it polished, honed, flamed antiqued, or brushed, should be even. There should be no spots that have obvious machine marks, scratches, or other man made marks. You can judge by the crystal and vein pattern of the stone if the marks you see are man-made or naturally occurring. It is true that not all minerals will finish evenly and if you look at an angle on a polished slab with a larger crystal pattern, you can clearly see this. Tropic Brown would be a good example here. The black spots will not polish near as shiny as the brown ones and this will be very obvious on an unresined slab when looking at an acute angle against the light. The black specks will show as duller marks. The slab will feel smooth and appear shiny if seen from above, though. This effect will not be as pronounced on a resined slab.

  Bottom line when judging the quality of a surface finish: Look for unnatural appearing marks. If there are any on the face of the slab, it is not desirable. They might well be on the extreme edges, but this is normal and a result of the slab manufacturing process.
  

• Mesh backing: Some slabs have a mesh backing. This was done at the plant where the slabs were finished. This backing adds support to brittle materials or materials with excessive veining or fissures. A number of exotic stones will have this. This does not necessarily make the material one of inferior quality, though. Quite often, these slabs will require special care in fabrication and transport, so be prepared for the fabricator to charge accordingly. If you are unsure about the slabs, ask your fabricator what his opinion of the material is.


• Cracks and fissures: Yes - some slabs might have them. One could have quite the discussion on whether that line on the slab could be one or the other, so I'll try to explain it a little.
  • Fissures are naturally occurring features in stone. They will appear as little lines in the surface of the slabs (very visible in a material like Verde Peacock) and could even be of a different color than the majority of the stone (think of those crazed white lines sometimes appearing in Antique Brown). Sometimes they could be fused like in Antique Brown and other times they could be open, as is the case in the Verde Peacock example. They could often also go right through the body of the slab like in Crema Marfil, for instance. If you look at the light reflection across a fissure, you will never see a break - i.e., there will be no change in the plane on either side of a fissure.
  
  
  • A crack on the other hand is a problem... If you look at the slab at an oblique angle in the light, you will note the reflection of the shine on the surface of the stone. A crack will appear as a definite line through the reflection and the reflection will have a different appearance on either side of the line - there will be a break in the plane. Reject slabs like this. One could still work around fissures. Cracks are a whole other can of worms.
  
  
  • Resined slabs: The resin gets applied prior to the slabs being polished. Most of the resin then gets ground off in the polishing process. You should not be able to see just by looking at the surface of a slab whether it was resined or not. If you look at the rough sides of the slab, though, you will see some drippy shiny marks, almost like varnish drips. This should be the only indication that the slab is resined. There should never be a film or layer on the face of the stone. With extremely porous stones, the resining will alleviate, but not totally eliminate absorption issues and sealer could still be required. Lady's dream is an example. This material is always resined, but still absorbs liquids and requires sealer.
  
  
  • Test the material you have selected for absorption issues regardless - it is always best to know what your stone is capable of and to be prepared for any issues that might arise. Some stones indeed do not require sealer - be they resined or not. Baltic Brown would be an example here. It will not absorb one iota of anything, but it is still resined to eliminate a flaking issue.
  
  

Tests (especially for Absolute Black) (using a sample of YOUR slab):

• To verify you have true AB and not dyed: Clean with denatured alcohol and rub marble polishing powder on the face. (Get denatured alcohol at Home Depot in the paint department)


• Lemon Juice or better yet some Muratic Acid: will quickly show if the stone has alot of calcium content and will end up getting etched. This is usually chinese stone, not indian.


• Acetone: The Dying usually is done on the same chinese stone. like the others said, acetone on a rag will reveal any dye that has been applied


• Chips: Using something very hard & metal—hit the granite sharply & hard on edges to see if it chips, breaks, or cracks

Measuring:

• Before the templaters get there...
  
  • Make sure you have a pretty good idea of your faucet layout--where you want the holes drilled for all the fixtures and do a test mock up to make sure you have accounted for sufficient clearances between each fixture.
  
  
  • Be sure you test your faucet for clearances not just between each fixture, but also between the faucet and the wall behind the faucet (if there is one). You need to be sure the handle will function properly.
  
  
  • Make sure that the cabinets are totally level (not out by more than 1/8") before the counter installers come in.
  
  
  • Check how close they should come to a stove and make sure the stove sits up higher than the counter.
  
  
  • Make sure they have the sink/faucet templates to work from.
  
  
  • Make sure have your garbage disposal air switch on hand or know the diameter
  
  
• If you are not putting in a backsplash, tell them


• Double check the template. Make sure that the measurements are reasonable. Measure the opening for the range.


• Seam Placement: Yet another kettle of fish (or can of worms, depending on how you look at it, I guess!) Seam placement is ultimately at the discretion of the fabricator. I know it is not a really popular point of view, but that is just the way it is. There really is more to deciding where the seam would go than just the size of the slab or where the seam would look best in the kitchen.

  Most stone installations will have seams. They are unavoidable in medium or large sized kitchens. One hallmark of a good fabricator is that they will keep the seams to a minimum. It seems that a good book could be written about seams, their quality, and their placement—and still you will have some information that will be omitted! For something as seemingly simple as joining two pieces of stone, seams have evolved into their own universe of complexity far beyond what anybody should have fair cause to expect!
  

• Factors determining seam placement:


• The slab: size, color, veining, structure (fissures, strength of the material an other characteristics of the stone)


• Transport to the job site: Will the fabricated pieces fit on whatever vehicle and A-frames he has available


• Access to the job site: Is the house on stilts? (common in coastal areas) How will the installers get the pieces to where they need to go? Will the tops fit in the service elevator if the apartment is on the 10th floor? Do the installers need to turn tight corners to get to the kitchen? There could be 101 factors that will influence seam placement here alone.


• Placement and size of undermount (or other) cut-outs. Some fabricators like to put seams in undermount sinks, some do not. We, for instance will do it if absolutely necessary, and have done so with great success, but will not do so as general practice. We do like to put seams in the middle of drop-in appliances and cut-outs and this is a great choice for appearances and ease of installation.


• Location of the cabinets: Do the pieces need to go in between tall cabinets with finished sides? Do the pieces need to slide in under appliance garages or other cabinetry? How far do the upper cabinets hang over? Is there enough clearance between the vent hood and other cabinets? Again the possibilities are endless and would depend on each individual kitchen lay-out and - ultimately -


• Install-ability of the fabricated pieces: Will that odd angle hold up to being moved and turned around to get on the peninsula if there is no seam in it? Will the extra large sink cut-out stay intact if we hold the piece flat and at a 45 degree angle to slide it in between those two tall towers? Again, 1,001 combinations of cabinetry and material choices will come into play on this question.

You can ask your fabricator to put a seam at a certain location and most likely he will oblige, but if he disagrees with you, it is not (always) out of spite or laziness. Check on your fabricator's seams by going to actual kitchens he has installed. Do not trust what you see in a showroom as sole testament to your fabricator's ability to do seams.

With modern glues and seaming methods, a seam could successfully be put anywhere in an installation without compromising the strength or integrity of the stone. If a seam is done well, there is - in theory - no "wrong" location for it. A reputable fabricator will also try to keep the number of seams in any installation to a minimum. It is not acceptable, for instance to have a seam in each corner, or at each point where the counter changes direction, like on an angled peninsula.

Long or unusually large pieces are often done if they can fit in the constraints of a slab. Slabs as a rule of thumb will average at about 110"x65". There are bigger slabs and quite often smaller ones too. Check with the fabricator or the slab yard. They will be more than happy to tell you the different sizes of slabs they have available. Note, though, that the larger the slabs, the smaller the selection of possible colors. Slab sizes would depend in part on the capabilities of the quarry, integrity of the material or the capabilities of the machinery at the finishing plant. We have had slabs as wide as 75" and as long as 130" before, but those are monsters and not always readily available.


• Generally, it is not a good idea to seam over a DW because there's no support for the granite, and anything heavy placed at or near the seam would stress the stone, possibly breaking it.


• Rodding is another issue where a tremendous amount of mis-information and scary stories exist: The main purpose for rodding stone would be to add integrity to the material around cut-outs. This is primarily for transport and installation and serves no real purpose once the stone is secured and fully supported on the cabinets. It would also depend on the material. A fabricator would be more likely to rod Ubatuba than he would Black Galaxy, for instance. The flaky and delicate materials prone to fissures would be prime candidates for rodding. Rodding is basically when a fabricator cuts slots in the back of the stone and embeds steel or fiberglass rods with epoxy in the slots in the stone. You will not see this from the top or front of the installation. This is an "insurance policy" created by the fabricator to make sure that the stone tops make it to your cabinets all in one piece


• Edges: The more rounded an edge is, the more stable it would be. Sharp, flat edges are prone to chipping under the right (or rather wrong) circumstances. Demi or full bullnose edges would almost entirely eliminate this issue. A properly milled and polished edge will be stable and durable regardless of the profile, though. My guess at why ogee and stacked edges are not more prevalent would be purely because of cost considerations. Edge pricing is determined by the amount of work needed to create it. The more intricate edge profiles also require an exponentially larger skill set and more time to perfect. The ogee edge is a very elegant edge and can be used to great effect, but could easily look overdone if it is used everywhere. We often advise our clients to combine edges for greater impact - i.e., eased edge on all work surfaces, and ogee on the island to emphasize the cabinetry or unusual shape.
  Edge profiles are largely dependent on what you like and can afford. There is no real pro or con for regular or laminated edges. They all have their place in the design world. Check with your fabricator what their capabilities and pricing are. Look at actual kitchens and ask for references.

Installation:

• Seams:
  

  One hallmark of a good fabricator is that they will keep the seams to a minimum [StoneGirl]

  
  
  • A generic good quality seam should have the following characteristics:
    
    • It should be flat. According to the Marble Institute of America (MIA) a minimal amount of lippage is acceptable (1/32"), but conscientious fabricators all strive for a perfectly flat and smooth joint.
    
    
    • It should be narrow - as in smaller than 1/16". (I think the MIA stipulates no larger than 1/8", but that is pushing it - and only if the fabricator bevels the edges of the seam, almost similar to the edge of a stone tile. This is, thank goodness, not a standard practice any more!)
    
    
    • The color on either side of the seam should match as closely as possible. On regularly patterned stones like Ubatuba for example - there should be no variation. On stones with variation in colors or veins, the match should be made as close as was humanly possible.
    
    
    • Vein direction should flow. The MIA suggests a single direction of vein flow, but it is acceptable IF DISCUSSED WITH THE CLIENT to change vein direction on a seam if no other option is available. This would happen in book matched slabs - you will have a "butterfly" seam in this case. In other cases, the fabricator could put a miter seam in a corner and change vein direction 90 degrees. This is usually done with extremely linear veining like Bamboo Green, for example, but this is something that should be discussed with the fabricator and agreed upon by the client.
    
    
    • The seam on the finished edge of the stone should NOT dip in and create a divot in the edge. When you run your fingers over the edge, you should not be able to feel the location of the seam at all.
    
    
    • The thickness of the slabs on either side of the seam should be equal (or feathered out so that there is no discernible difference)
    
    
    • The glue in the seam should be of a color that matches the stone as closely as possible. Glue joints that are too light or too dark will show up something terrible. The idea behind tinting the glue is to try to make the seam "disappear" or something relatively close to it

• Checklist:
  
  • Check the seams for evenness and smoothness.
  
  
  • Make sure that the seams are neat and clean.
  
  
  • Make sure that the seams are not obvious.
  
  
  • Make sure the seams are butted tight
  
  
  • Make sure that there are no scratches, pits, or cracks
  
  
  • If sealing is necessary (not all granites need to be sealed):
  
  
  • Make sure that the granite has been sealed
  
  
  • If more than one application of sealer was applied, ask how long they waited between applications
  
  
  • Ask which sealer has been used on the granite.
  
  
  • Make sure the sink reveal is consistent all the away around
  
  
  • Check the gap of the granite at the wall junctions.
  
  
  • Check for inconsistent overhangs from the counter edges
  
  
  • Check for chips. These can be filled.
  
  
  • Make sure the top drawers open & close
  
  
  • Make sure that you can open & close your dishwasher
  
  
  • Make sure the stove sits up higher than the counter
  
  
  • Make sure that you have the appropriate clearances for your appliances
  
  
  • Check the edge all around, a good edge should have the following characteristics:
    
    • Shine: The edge polish should match the top polish in depth and clarity. The edge should not be milky, dull, or waxy.
    
    
    • The edge should not have "waves". Eyeball along the edge. A good edge should have a mirror like reflection and be fairly flat. Waves that you can see or feel are not a good thing.
    
    
    • The aris (very top of the edge) should be crisp and straight, even on a bullnose edge. Once again you can see this by eyeballing along the very top end of the edge profile. A wavy, dippy aris is poor craftsmanship.
    
    
    • A good edge will have a consistent profile. It will not be larger in some spots or smaller in others.
    
    
    • A good edge should also have NO tooling lines. These will be fine lighter/white lines running along the edge. This is a mark of a poor edge polish, of a CNC machine that is not set correctly, and a lack of hand finishing. This is common when a company has only mechanical fabrication (i.e., CNC machines or line polishers) and no skilled hand fabricators to finish the work properly.
    
    
  • Run your hands around the entire laminated edge of yor counters to make sure they are smooth
  
  
  • Check surrounding walls & cabinets for damage

Miscellaneous Information:

• More than all the above and below, though, is to be present for both the templating as well as having the templates placed on your slabs at the fabricator's
  If you canot be there, then have a lengthy conversation about seam placement, ways to match the movement, and ways to color-match the counters that will be joined at the seam


• Find a fabricator who is a member of the SFA


• When they polish your stone for you don't let them wax it. It will look terrible in 2 months when the wax wears off.


• Don't use the Magic Eraser on granite--especially AB


• Any slab with more fill (resin) than stone is certainly a no-no!!


• When you do check for scratches, have overhead lighting shining down so scratches are easier to see


• Don't let them do cutouts in place (granite dust becomes a major issue)


• Granite dust can be a problem...some have heard of SS appliances & hoods damaged by the dust, others have heard of drawer glides being ruined by the dust


• If you have wood floors--especially if you're in the process of staining or finishing them--make sure that they don't spill or drip granite sealer on the wood floors. Apparently the sealer interferes with the stain or finish process.


• Suggested Prep for Installation:
  
  • Remove any drawers and pullouts beneath any sections that will be cut or drilled onsite, e.g., sink cutouts and/or faucet, soap dispenser, air gap, instant hot etc. holes, cooktop cutouts.
  
  
  • Then just cover the glides themselves with a few layers of blue painter's tape (or some combo of plastic wrap and tape)
  
  
  • If you make sure to cover the top of the glides and attach some of the tape to the cab wall as well (to form sort of a seal)and cover the rest of the glides completely with tape, you should be fine.
  
  
  • Usually the fabricators will have someone holding a vacuum hose right at the spot where they are drilling or cutting, so very little granite dust should be landing on the glides. What little dust escapes the vacuum will be blocked by the layer(s) of tape.
  
  
  • When done w/installation, remove the tape and use a DustBuster (or similar) on all the cabinets and glides
  
  
• Countertop Support:


• If your granite is 2 cm thick, then there can be no more then 6" of of unsupported span with a 5/8" subtop


• If your granite is 3 cm thick, then there can be no more then 10" of unsupported span - no subtop required


• If you need support, the to determine your corbel dimensions:


• Thickness of Stone - Dimension of Unsupported Span = Corbel Dimensino


• i.e., an 18" total overhang in 2 cm would require a 12" corbe; the same overhang in 3 cm would require an 8" corbel

The NVG goes with just about everything. However, I can't say that I love my granite. Two reasons, with the first being the main reason.

#1 - We picked out our slab from a local yard. The fabricator did no extra polishing to the granite, and it is not real smooth. Plus, it has some noticeable divots on the surface. I complained and they said that's how it comes when they receive it, and they do noting more to the surface...they only cut and polish the edges. So, when picking out your slab, if the stone is not silky smooth, ask the fabricator if the surface feel will improve, or if that is what you will get.

#2 - The pattern is just busy enough that I cannot see crumbs, dirt, etc., very well. While some may like this, it drives me crazy! I like to have a spotless countertop, and it probably looks spotless, but I know it isn't always clean.

Our previous granite was Tropical Brown and it had the best shine. I could see every little smudge, and I loved to clean the nice silky smooth tops. :)

Butlers Pantry

Kitchen

Old kitchen

Before - The Old View from the Foyer

After - The New View from the Foyer

After - The New Cooktop and Hood

Before - The Old Window

After - The New Overhead and Cable Lighting

After - The View of the New Windows

Before - The Old View from Window

After - The New View from Window

After - The View of the Two New Sinks

Jessie, my cooktop drawers are also 36".

• My pulls are 4" on center (4" b/w the center of the screws on either end)


• On the 36" drawers, the pulls are approx 8" from the outside edge.


• On the 33" drawers, the pulls are approx 7-1/4" from the edge.


• On the 30" drawers, the pulls are approx 6-1/2" from the edge.


• Cabinets < 30" wide only have one pull, centered

Here's a pic of the 36" cooktop drawers:

Pull sizing:

1. sign up for free photo hosting account (photobucket)
2. download your photos
3. go to "my album"
4. select individual photos you want to post (there is a little box by each pic)
5. at bottom of that page it gives you a command button to "generate html", hit that button
6. next page will give you 4 options for what format you want, choose the 1st or 2nd, hit it
7. go back to your post and IN THE BODY of your post paste the link and it will appear as codes until you "preview" message. When you preview you should see pics. Give it a few tries, sometimes it takes a bit to "get it"

Would love to see your pictures.

The cabinets are Wellborn White thermofoil laminate cabinets. We peeled the laminate off it came off in sheets and underneath was the orange mdf. We then sanded, primed with behr premium primer and painted with American Tradition Jekyll Club Veranda Ivory. The island is American Tradition Safari Brown. I drew the legs and our handyman cut them out for me.

The walls are SW flowerpot

The backsplash was a shiny white plain tile and I thought I could remove it without destroying the drywall..I was wrong...I now know how to replace drywall. The tile is Daltile's Splitface mosaic in Sienna Classico. I installed the tile by myself and I'm really happy with it. I saved about $400 by ordering it from thefloooringmarket.com. The tile behind the stove is hanging on top of the tile. It is made of resin and was on clearance at Fred's Super Dollar Store for $12.

Here's a close up of the tile and the granite is Santa Rita. We hired someone to install the granite.

The Hardware I got on ebay for $1 a cup pull and .50 a knob. It's Liberty Antique Brass from a company called Cripes Distributing. The pulls were made to stand off the cabinets but I made the holes bigger to make the pulls flush. The outlets as you can see in the upclose pictures are in a standard place...I worried about then but bought natural wood outlet covers at home depot and you really don't notice them.

If ya'll have any other questions let me know...I would love to help--Everyone here is so very supportive. Good luck to everyone!

This is what they look like IRL:

This is definitely a "traditional" look.

Cabinets: Ikea Applad White w/ Ikea Lansa handles
Countertops: Ikea Beech butchblock
Appliances: Kitchenaid Architect Series (Lowes)
Exhaust Hood: Sirius (from the web)
Main sink: Ikea two-bowl with drainboard and Blanco faucet (from the web)
Coffee sink: Elkay with drainboard and Blanco faucet
(both from the web)
Cable Lighting: Ikea and Home Depot
Ceiling Fluorescents: Lithonia (Home Depot)
Undercabinet Lighting: Cyberlux LED Aeon ProHB
Wall Paint: Sherwin Williams Bagel
Ceiling Paint: Sherwin Williams Interactive Cream
Refrigerator Enclosure Paint: Sherwin William Hearthrob
Trim: Benjamin Moore White 314 01
Flooring: Hevea Parquet (Lowes)
Backsplashes: White Maple Veneer (local hardwood supplier)
Outlet covers: White Maple (from the web)
Column: White Maple Veneer (pine column and capitals from Lowes; veneer from local supplier)

Image link: Ikea Applad White - Before & After (56 k)

I only use SW Classic primer under Pro Classic.
Yes, it's the expensive primer, but it holds the gloss
much better than any of their other primers.

Michael

Easy as pie - I said - NOT. I'm a DIY'er.

Next I started paint vertical 6 panel doors. Sag, drip, sag, drip. I did all the prep work recommended by the professionals and seasoned DIYers on this site. I was about to give up and go back to Superpaint, but I liked the finish on the shelves and I'm stubborn and a perfectionist, so I stuck with it.

After my 5th door (plus a few windows and yards and yards of base and door trim), I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

I wanted to pass on a few things I learned to those who are starting to work with waterborne enamels so hopefully you'll learn faster than I did how to get good results.

1. NEW TECHNIQUE - This isn't "your father's paint". It's a whole different technique and can be unforgiving, but when you get it right, it is beautiful.

2. PREP IS CRUCIAL - Prep your surface well. This should go without saying, but waterborne paints REQUIRE a scuffed surface to cling to. Otherwise it will be like throwing pudding up on a glass window - it will just slide and that's when you get the sags. Clean surface, scuff lightly with fine sanding sponge or 220 grit sandpaper, prime (I use SW PrepRite), then lightly sand the primer coat. I believe that if you have painted within the past 3 years, you might not require the primer, but I used primer because it has been way more than 3 years for my stuff. Remove all dust with a vacuum or tack cloth.

3. CHINEX BRUSHES BEST - Use good quality Chinex brushes. On advice I read here, I got a supply of Corona Chinex brushes in different sizes, straight and slanted edged. There are other good brands of Chinex - just be sure you get Chinex. I like to use a 2" straight edge brush on doors, 1" or 1.5" (straight or slant depending what I'm doing) on trim.

I find that the waterborne paint, because of the way it sets up, gunks up in the brush after using it constantly for an hour or so. Maybe that's just me. So you might have clean your brush and wait for it to dry or switch to a clean brush. I have enough brushes that I just switch off, so I can keep going. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to apply this paint with a slightly damp brush. Tried it once - what a mess. The brush must be bone dry.

4. WORK HORIZONTALLY, IF POSSIBLE. When you paint horizontal surfaces, like shelves, you can apply a thicker coat of this paint and it will just settle, no problem. You can't do that on vertical surfaces. If at all possible, take doors off hinges and lay them flat to paint. I don't have the space to do that inside, so had to paint them vertically.

5. APPLICATION - On vertical surfaces, you must apply a thin, even coat. Work from the top to the bottom.

I dip my brush about 1/2" into the paint, lightly tap on side of paint container to remove excess (do not wipe brush on edge of paint container) then dab it in a few places in a 4-6" square area so it won't pool up all in one place. Then I spread it quickly into the previous wet edge. You have about 30 seconds to overlap into the previous wet edge (overlap about 1") and that's it! Don't overstay your welcome. Don't overwork the paint. The brush strokes you see will flatten out. Cover the area, then move on. Keep checking your work and if you see a drip in a crevice, you might be able to soak it up with the tip of your brush. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CORRECT SAGS WHILE SURFACE IS STILL WET OR TACKY.

You'll be putting on a 2nd coat, so remember not to overload your brush and keep the coats thin so you don't get drips/sags. When I was learning, I kept dragging too much paint into the overlap area and that's why I was getting sags. I also was not being careful to brush excess paint out of inset panels and corners, so was getting drips. When I started to dab the paint in a few different places before spreading the paint into the overlap area, that was the key to preventing sags for me.

6. FIRST COAT DRYING - When you've finished the first coat, it probably won't look that good. You'll see brush marks and it will look splotchy. But leave it alone. Go shopping, bake cookies or take a long walk, or better still, sleep on it. After several hours or overnight, when you look at the job, you won't believe your eyes. The brush marks will have magically flattened and it will look much more even in tone and sheen.

7. SECOND COAT - Check the dried surface for any drips or sags from the first coat (the last door I did, I didn't have any - I was delighted!). Lightly sand those imperfections flat and sand scuff the entire surface. If you don't scuff in prep for the second coat, you'll get the pudding on the window effect. The paint absolutely has to have a scuffed surface to stick to - believe me - I learned the hard way.
Again, clean off the dust.

Apply as you did the first coat - thin, even, working quickly from dry into wet areas.

LEAVE IT ALONE over night.

You're finished. I hope you're as happy with your job as I am now that I'm finally starting to get adept at using this paint.

I'm still looking for tips to make my work look even better. Other suggestions, please chime in.

Happy painting!

If you wish to minimize the oak grain, you will need a grain filler primer. Primer and two coats of paint will not accomplish hiding the grain.

Since cabinets are a service or utility item, a dull, clean surface is the most important step. Wash and sand with #180 to dull the existing coat. Short-cuts will disappoint you.

Cabinet Coat is a very good self priming paint on bare wood. Since you don't have bare wood, I advise a primer coat to promote adhesion. Either BM Fresh Start Acrylic or Zinsser Bulls Eye 1 2 3 Acrylic primers will do well.

It's very important to keep brush marks to a minimum when priming and painting. For Cabinet Coat, I recommend a Chinex brush or a Wooster Advantage brush. Both lay on paint much smoother and quicker than any poly/nylon brush. The key word is "quality" when it comes to a brush.

After priming, you may wish to lightly sand to an ultra smooth finish. Use #220 sandpaper to sand the primer. No sanding between coats of Cabinet Coat unless the application isn't as smooth as you prefer. It will need to dry at least overnight before sanding it.

Two thin coats is much better than a heavy coat. CC will run...and run quickly if overloaded.

Happy refinishing!

Michael

With apologies for the length of this, I'm just gonna paste the whole bit here for you.

You are welcome to this writeup I did a while back. A couple people tried
it and reported all went well. You just need time, maybe $50 in supplies, and
patience. No skill.

Here's more than you need to know:

My cabinets are frameless, good condition and good layout. But the finish
had gone orange and ugly, with the oak graining too busy for me. Cabinets
are 18 years old, very poorly finished oak veneered slab doors. Plain with
no crevices. They didn't even take the doors off to finish them!!! No stain
or finish on the hinge side edges.
Cheezey, huh?

I looked into changing out cabinets, but that was way too much money, since
my layout was OK. Painting didn't seem right because the doors were plain
slabs. I considered new doors but that still meant a lot of money. For a few
years I tried to figure a way to add molding toward a mission look, but the
rounded door edges made that impossible. Then trolling in a kitchen
emporium showroom this last year I noticed dark wood slab doors, kind like
mine, but darker. That was the answer.

First I tried Minwax Polyshades. Dicey product. Hard to brush on neatly,
then gummy, then seemed to leave a sticky tacky residue. I did a thread on
the Woodworking Furum "Evil Polyshades to the Rescue" which elicited a lot
of conflicting "expert" opinions and arguments that one must strip to bare
wood.
(Thread may still be around as that Forum moves slow.) I properly stripped
acres of woodwork in an old Victorian when I was young and stupid. Never
again! Jennifer-in-clyde (in the same boat) and I stumbled around on
that
woodworking thread to get to this method.

SHOPPING LIST:
-electric screwdriver or screw drill bits
-mineral spirits to clean the years of gunk off the cabinet
-miracle cloths (optional)
-fine sandpaper
-box-o-disposable gloves from walgreens or the like
-old socks or rags for wiping on coats
-disposable small plastic bowls or plates, and plastic spoons or forks for
stirring/dipping (optional)
-General Finishes water base Expresso stain (pretty thick, but not quite a
gel) This one may not even be a needed step if the Java gets it dark
enough.
-General Finishes Java gel stain (poly based)
-General Finishes clear top coat (poly based)
-old sheets or plastic sheeting or newspaper

Rockler woodworking stores are a good place to find the General Finish
products. Or some larger hardware stores. Quart of each was more than
enough for my 60 doors and drawer fronts and goes for $12-14 at Rockler.
There are smaller sizes if your project is small.

SETUP AND PLANNING:
You will need a place to work and leave wet doors to dry overnight - I set
up 2 spaces, garagefor sanding/cleaning and basement for staining/sealing.
Use newpaper or plastic to protect the surface and floor. Figure out how you
will prop doors to dry.
Plan blocks of 20-30-minutes for sanding/cleaning bundles of, say, 6
doors at a time. Then just 10 minute sessions to wipe on coats. The coats
will need to dry for about 24 hours, so figure that each section of the
kitchen will be doorless for 4 or 5 days. Divide the job up into manageable
chunks.

PREPARATION:
Take off doors and drawer fronts. Use screw drill bits on an electric drill
if you don't have an electric srewdriver. Remove all the hardware. *Mark
alike things so you know what goes back where.*
Clean the doors thoroughly. Not with TSP but with something pretty strong
and scrub well. There's years of grease there.
Sand LIGHTLY, just a scuffing really. Just enough to break the finish and
give it some tooth, no more than a minute a door. A miracle cloth is good
for getting most of the dust off. Then wipe well with mineral spirits to
clean and get the last of the gunk off.
.

STAINING:
In order, we're gonna put on:
-General Finishes Expresso water based stain (1-2 coats) - optional
-General Finishes Java gel stain (couple coats)
-General Finishes Clear urethene gel topcoat in satin (couple coats)

But first put on work clothes, tie up your hair (Tom, you may skip this
step, LOL) and pop your phone into a baggie nearby (you know it will ring).
Glove up.
*First do a trial on the back of a door and check if Java coats alone
suffice.
If the Java alone is to your liking, just skip the Expresso and return it.*
Open and stir up the Expresso stain, then spoon some into a plastic bowl.
Close the tin so it doesn't get contaminated. Slide a sock over your hand,
grab a gob of Expresso and smear it on. Wipe off the excess. Let it dry well
- overnight is good. It will lighten as it dries, but then darken again with
any other
coat or sealer. A second coat can end up with a deeper tone at the end -
though it might seem like the second coat is just dissolving the first.
YMMV.

Repeat with Java gel. This is thicker and poly based (*not water cleanup!*=
messier). Color is a rich dark reddish brown. Wait for the second coat to
judge if the color is deep enough for you. I wanted a very deep dark color,
like melted dark chocolate. So I went pretty heavy on these layers. *I did
not sand between coats*.

Repeat with clear gel top coat. This will give you the strength you need in
a kitchen.

Do the same process with the cabinet sides, face and toekick area. Might
need to divide that up also, and stagger the work: doors/cabinets/doors/
etc.

NOTE: The cloth or socks used for the gels are very flammable! Collect and
store them in a bucket of water as you go and then dispose of them all
properly.

FINISHING AND REASSEMBLY:
I suggest you put the doors back up after one clear coat, then you can check
everything over and darken an area with more Java if needed, followed by a
clear coat. When it all looks right, go over it all again with another clear
gel coat. Or two. Install your hardware.
The feel of the finish should be wonderful, really smooth and satiny. Color
deep and rich - way nicer than that faded, beat 80's oak color.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Definitely experiment first with the back of a door or drawer front to be
sure it is the look you want. Yes, this takes a couple days to coat, dry,
recoat, dry, etc but you may discover that the Java alone does the trick and
this will save you A LOT of work. Front end patience is worth it.

This is a pretty easy project to do. Hard to screw it up. The worst is the
prep - relative to that, smearing on the coats is cake. I had over 60
pieces (big kitchen) AND island sides and book shelves, etc and I admit I
lost steam partway through. Had to push myself through the last of it. But
it was worth it. Folks think I got all new cabinets - it looks that good.
Now the finish will not be as durable as factory finish - go at it with a
Brillo pad and you WILL abrade it. But it has held up pretty well. And
after a year of pretty heavy use, I've just had a few nicks, easily
repaired.

I added smashing hardware, raised my passthrough, resurfaced the Corian
(also simple but messy and tedious) and replaced the DW and sink. It looks
gorgeous to me and I really enjoy the space - how it sits all quiet, clean
and serene, then gets all crazy with the food and folks du jour. I couldn't
be happier, especially that I didn't have to work another year just to pay
for the update!!

Link to cabinets in progress:
http://photobucket.com/albums/b45/celticm00n/kitchen%20cosmetic%20update%20project/kitchen%20during/

Link to almost finished cabinet pix:
http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/celticm00n/kitchen%20cosmetic%20update%20project/finished%20bit%20by%20bit/?start=20

Good luck with your project!! Feel free to ask me any questions as you go.
And let me know if you try it and how it turns out.

I never could have accomplished this goal without all of the GREAT advice, coaching, experience and help from the talented people here. You may not have known you were helping at the time but from reading all of the post and help, advice and encouragement which followed you all played a part in the completion of this project! So a toast to all!!

The details:

cabinets- Ikea Stat white
faucet - pegasus orb bridge
cooktop - Kenmore Pro
Fridge - Kenmore Elite French Door
Hood - Kenmore Elite European
Double ovens - GE
Counters - Copper
Island - Maple Butcher Block
Floor - 18inch ceramic tile on diagnal

We are NOT the DIY type but we did all of the above for $15,500 EXCLUDING appliances which were just shy of $5,500. I tell you this so that you know it can be done with a lot of shopping, research, luck and a little help from your friends on GW:)

Thanks again to all!!

Here is a link that might be useful: before and after kitchen photos

Thank you, msrose, for stepping up and posting the staining info! That is it.

Neverending, that is so cool to use the gel over paint! Yours came out fabulous. I can totally see now how it could work over paint - it just never would have occurred to me to try. (I once suggested using the gel over thermofoil for a glazed look - still think that might work...)

For anybody interested my c1987 looked like this when I moved in 11 years ago:

In 2000 after MUCH effort, I successfully killed off the loathed Roper electric range and put in the Viking and Ventahood. Ditched the side cabinets and giant tulip wallpaper, reversed the DW panel. Better.

Then in 2006-7 I darkened the cabinets, switched out the hardware and raised the pass through. Replaced sink and DW. Yay.

In better light they look like this

And here is in bright direct sunlight

They have held up beautifully. And I work my kitchen HARD.

PS Huango, it took me ten years of looking at cabinets I hated to get to that point of 'nothing to lose' - I had paint or refacing or even new doors as a backup. In retrospect I wish I hadn't waited so long. Definitely you should experiment on the backs of doors or drawer fronts. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

And kudos to all who think outside the box, and pull off a budget transformation. I love it!!!

Laurie

Background Story:
My cabinets are frameless, good condition and good layout. But the finish had gone orange and ugly, with the oak graining too busy for me. Cabinets are 18 years old, very poorly finished oak veneered slab doors. Plain with no crevices. They hadn't even take the doors off to finish them!!! No stain or finish was even on the hinge side edges, just dirty ol naked wood. Cheesy, huh?
I looked into changing out cabinets, but that was way too much money, since my layout was OK. And I am cheap, er, frugal. Painting didn't seem right because the doors were plain slabs. I considered new doors but that still meant a lot of money. For a few years I tried to figure a way to add molding toward a mission look, but the rounded door edges made that impossible. Then trolling in a kitchen emporium showroom this last year I noticed dark wood slab doors, kind like mine, but darker. That was the answer.
First I tried Minwax Polyshades. Dicey product. Hard to brush on neatly, then gummy, then seemed to leave a sticky tacky residue. I did a thread on the Woodworking site "Evil Polyshades to the Rescue" which elicited a lot of conflicting "expert" opinions and arguments that one must strip. I stripped the whole first floor of a Victorian once. No thanks. Jennifer-in-clyde (in the same boat)and I stumbled around to get to our method. Found the General Finishes products to work much better. Very easy to apply. Texture is like almost-done pudding, real silky. Just smear it on and wipe off the excess. Couldn't be easier. (see Generalfinishes.com for more info including where to find products. Disclaimer: I have no relationship to them other than being a satisfied customer.)
Here is the play by play:
SUPPLIES TO GATHER:
screwdrivers (for dismantling doors and hardware), box-o-disposable gloves from Walgreen's, old socks or rags, fine sandpaper, disposable small plastic bowls or plates, and plastic spoons or forks, mineral spirits, miracle cloth (optional), General Finishes Java gel stain (or another color) and General Finishes clear top coat (Both are poly based). Optional: General Finishes Expresso water based stain as another layer for maximum darkness.
PLANNING:
You will need a place to work and leave wet doors to dry overnight - I set up 2 spaces, garage for sanding/cleaning and basement for staining/sealing. Plan on blocks of 20-30-minutes for sanding/cleaning bundles of say, 6 doors at a time. Then just 10 minute sessions to wipe on coats.
PROCEDURE:
1)Remove the doors and all the hardware from one section of the kitchen. 4-6 doors is a good amount.
2) Clean the wood surface thoroughly. Then go over the wood lightly with sandpaper, just a very light skim sand to give the existing finish some tooth. No more than a minute a door. Rough up the surface is all. A miracle cloth is great for getting off the dust. Then wipe well with mineral spirits to clean well.
3) Open and stir the can o gel THOROUGHLY with your fork or spoon. Spoon some gel into your plastic bowl and reseal the can. This keeps you from contaminating the gels with crud or grit.
4) Put on the disposable gloves and slip an old sock onto one hand. Scoop some gel up and smear it on (It feels really nice and doesn't even smell too awful), then wipe down to remove the excess. I did the coats in the following order and let each dry well overnight:
-General Finishes Expresso water based stain (1 coat) I used this because I wanted really dark. You can probably skip this one to get to a deep rich brown
-General Finishes Java gel stain (couple coats) or whatever color you choose.
-General Finishes Clear urethane gel topcoat in satin (couple coats).
4) Reassemble the doors and drawer fronts and check the color evenness. Touch up with more gel stain where needed and let dry. Add a coat or two more of the clear gel for super durability.
5) Replace hardware.
I was brazen because the cabinets were so cheap and ugly I had nothing to lose. I went kinda thick and didn't wipe everything off perfectly. And I didn't sand between coats. You will think the Expresso coat fades as it dries but it redarkens later. I wanted a very deep dark color, like melted dark chocolate. It is not perfect in tone, there is unevenness in the coloration, but you have to really look to see it. The feel of the finish is really wonderful, smooth and satiny.
Raised the pass through upper run, recycled 2 glass cabinets doors from DR, resurfaced the Corian and got some smashing hardware. It came out pretty great and the finish has held up fine for over a year now. Link to pictures below.
Couple other tips: Go to the bathroom first and tie up your hair. Keep an apron or old workshirt handy for the gel coats' work. Keep a phone nearby either in a baggie or wrapped in a clean rag. Skip these steps at your peril. Oh, and stir the can very well each time and spoon some into a disposable bowl - keeps the can from getting contaminated. Lastly, the socks or rags you use for poly gels should be disposed of carefully as they are flammable and volatile. Rule is to have a bucket of water and dispose into that as you go - then get rid of it all at the end per local ordinances.
RE: Expresso vs. Java. Expresso is blacker, Java is more a red brown, like mahogany furniture. My cabinets had such a faded orange cast, that putting on an Expresso coat after sanding seemed to yield a bit darker end product. Java alone wiped on makes a nice, rich Sienna brown color, but I was wanting it to be much darker than the Java alone would get me to. The other difference is of course that Expresso is water based, so an easier cleanup. Being a gel, the Java can go on much thicker. And the last clear coats provide the nice satin finish - stopping at Java has nowhere near the smoothness and sheen. I found it helped to hang the doors, etc after one clear coat so I could check the color. If I missed a spot, I'd do a Java touchup wipe there. Let dry. Then clear coat wipe.
BTW, with the Expresso, each coat dissolved the one prior - weird. So a second coat didn't seem worth it to me. And even with the Java, if you rub too hard when it is wet you end up removing the color. Letting it dry well between coats is essential. You have to figure about 5 days at one coat a day. I used my kitchen all the way through - who needs doors?
Good luck to you. It is a pain in some ways, but in my case it was really worth it. The worst is definitely the prep. Once the surfaces are ready to coat, it is really short work to glove up, slide a sock on your hand and wipe on a coat.

The paintable beadboard wallpaper is made by Graham and Brown and is called SuperFresco. Lowes just recently discontinued this line, but you can purchase it online from Graham and Brown. It runs about $25.00 a roll. Lowes is now carrying another line of paintable wallpaper, but I thought that it looked artifical and a bit cheap.

Working with it was a breeze and it looks great painted with a semi-gloss. You really have to touch it to realize that it's not wood!

Hope this helps,
Diana