Old finishes that may contain lead
If your cabinets carry finishes from before 1978, we treat them as possible lead and work lead-safe, from plastic sheeting to the final cleaning check.
Serving Glen Ellyn & nearby Wheaton, Lombard
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Glen Ellyn, IL
Keep your solid wood cabinets in Glen Ellyn and give them a new stain and a hard clear finish, with the grain still showing.
- Serving Glen Ellyn ZIP 60137
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Wood cabinet problems we refinish in Glen Ellyn
Refinishing is for owners who like wood but not the color it is now. In Glen Ellyn we take doors to our shop, strip and sand them, re-stain or clear-coat them, and finish the face frames in place while your counters and layout stay untouched.
Thin veneer on panels and end sides
Veneer can only take a light sanding. We identify which parts are veneered at the visit and plan the stripping method around them.
Sticky or gummy finish
When doors still feel sticky after cleaning, the coating itself has failed. Stripping and refinishing is the only lasting fix.
Cabinets too dark for the room
Lightening stained cabinets is harder than darkening them. We strip a sample door, show you the lightest tone the wood will take, and you decide before we do the rest.
Scratches, dings and worn edges
Worn edges and dings are part of the prep. We fill, sand and touch in color so repaired spots blend with the surrounding wood.
Patchy or blotchy stain from an earlier job
Uneven, splotchy doors from a do-it-yourself stain job can be corrected. Stripping, a wash coat and the right stain type give a consistent tone.
New cabinets don't match the old ones
Mismatched stains between old cabinets and a newer addition are a common complaint. We blend them with one stain and one clear coat.
Painted wood you want back to natural
Stripping paint off wood cabinets is slow but possible on solid wood. We test how cleanly the paint lifts before quoting the full kitchen.
What we do on the job
- Protection and setupFloors, counters and appliances are covered and the work area is sealed off with plastic before any stripping starts.
- Deep cleaningA degreasing wash removes cooking residue so the stripper and stain work evenly.
- Stripping the old finishOld varnish, lacquer or paint is removed with strippers suited to the coating and the wood.
- Sanding and repairsDoors and frames are sanded through finer grits, and dents, chips and loose joints are repaired.
- Sample door and color approvalYou sign off on a finished sample door before we stain the rest of the kitchen.
- Sealer and clear topcoatA sealer coat and then two or more clear coats are sprayed on the doors for a hard, even surface.
- Face frames on siteThe cabinet boxes stay in your kitchen and are finished on site with ventilation running.
Options to choose from
Waterborne polyurethane topcoatWater-based poly keeps light stains from turning amber and dries quickly between coats.
Toners and glazesA toner adjusts color in thin, even layers; a glaze adds depth in corners and profiles.
Oil-based and water-based wood stainsPenetrating stains color the wood itself and suit oak and other open-grain species.
Sheen: matte, satin or semi-glossMost owners pick satin for wood cabinets; matte reads more natural, gloss more traditional.
Catalyzed lacquer and conversion varnishThe toughest clear finishes we spray, chosen when the cabinets take heavy daily use.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining before and after — Glen Ellyn homes
Before
After
DetailBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Glen Ellyn
The site: a 1960s ranch in Glen Ellyn. What we started with: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. The reason for the call: a dull finish worn through near the handles. After: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a natural light oak tone, grain still showing. On site this meant protection and setup, stripping the old finish, plus sample door and color approval.
Before
AfterWheaton kitchen, 1980s two-story: cabinet refinishing & staining
A 1980s two-story near Downtown Wheaton, a typical kitchen for Wheaton. The kitchen as it was: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. The main complaint was bare wood showing where hands touched the doors. Finished kitchen: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. Work included stripping the old finish, sanding and repairs, plus sample door and color approval.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Wheaton →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Lombard
This one is a 1960s ranch in Lombard. What we started with: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. What bothered the owners most: a stain that had gone patchy and tired. The result: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a natural light oak tone, grain still showing. The job covered protection and setup, deep cleaning, plus stripping the old finish.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Lombard →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Glen Ellyn
What changed: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterA Glen Ellyn 1950s ranch: before and after
What changed: new five-piece shaker doors in soft white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Glen Ellyn →How the job goes
- Visit and wood checkWe confirm the cabinets are real wood, find any veneer, and look at how the finish is failing.
- Color sampleYou see a finished test door in your own light before we commit to the color.
- Strip and sandOld finish comes off the doors off-site while we prep the frames in your kitchen.
- Stain and clear coatColor first, then several clear layers for a hard, smooth finish.
- Reinstall and walk-throughWe rehang, align, touch up and check every door and drawer with you.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining questions from Glen Ellyn homeowners
Can you re-stain 1970s oak cabinets?
Oak cabinets from those years are some of the best candidates for re-staining. Darker or neutral tones work best.
Can you restain cabinets the same color?
Yes. Restoring the original color with a fresh clear coat is one of the most common jobs, and it usually needs less stripping than a color change.
Can you refinish cabinets without stripping or sanding?
Partly. Some jobs only need cleaning, a light scuff and a new tinted clear coat. If the old finish is peeling, gummy or you want a lighter color, it has to come off.
Can I stay in the house during refinishing?
Most families stay home. Doors are finished off-site, and the on-site work on frames is contained and ventilated.
Can you make stained cabinets lighter?
Sometimes, within limits. Lighter requires stripping to bare wood, and some stain stays in the pores. We strip a test door to show you the lightest realistic color.
Do I need a Glen Ellyn-registered contractor for cabinet refinishing?
Contractors must register with the Village and meet license and insurance requirements (Village Code 4-1-11); work that does not need a building permit is exempt. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Glen Ellyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Glen Ellyn — ZIP 60137 — and nearby Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights.
Working in Glen Ellyn
- A lot of Glen Ellyn kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Glen Ellyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
ZIP 60137
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining nearby
Other kitchen services in Glen Ellyn
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer RepairHinges, drawer slides and water-damaged sink bases fixed.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.