- 1). Remove the doors, hinges and hardware from your kitchen cabinetry, and place them aside.
- 2). Wash the doors and cabinets with soap and water. You need to work with a clean surface when you are sanding and staining your kitchen cabinets, so take the time to remove grease and grime.
- 3). Sand your cabinets with large grit sandpaper, and remove the previous polyurethane finish and stain. Sand again with smaller grit sandpaper.
- 4). Hit your cabinet and doors with a chain, scratch them with a nail, or pound a nail in partway and remove it. The point is to create a distressed look. Do not damage the door or overdue this, but create a simple, rustic look.
- 5). Apply stain with a paint brush or carpet remnant. Be sure that the stain gets into the cracks and crevices of the doors and cabinets, as well as into the dents or holes created during the distressing process.
- 6). Let the stain sit for approximately ten minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean cloth rag. Allow your doors to dry completely.
- 7). Apply polyurethane finish with a paint brush. Allow the finish to dry, and apply a second finish for added protection. Let the finish dry before rehanging the doors with existing hardware.
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