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 Glendale Heights & nearby Bloomingdale, Carol Stream
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Glendale Heights, IL
Keep your solid wood cabinets in Glendale Heights and give them a new stain and a hard clear finish, with the grain still showing.
- Serving Glendale Heights ZIP 60139
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Wood cabinet problems we refinish in Glendale Heights
Good wood cabinets rarely wear out; their finish does. Our Glendale Heights crew strips or sands the tired coating, stains the doors and frames to the tone you pick from sample boards, and seals everything with a durable clear coat.
Thin veneer on panels and end sides
Many 1970s cabinets have solid wood doors but veneered end panels and center panels. Veneer is thin, so we strip it chemically and sand by hand instead of machine sanding.
Cloudy, milky or white-spotted finish
Hazy, whitish areas near steam sources mean the clear coat has taken on moisture. We strip or sand that layer and lay down a fresh one.
Cherry that turned too red
Natural cherry deepens toward red as it ages. We adjust the tone with a brown or slightly green-based toner under the new clear coat.
Want a darker or richer stain
To move from golden oak to a deep brown or espresso tone, we often skip full stripping and build the new color with toner coats under the clear finish.
Dark water stains near the sink
Dark rings and streaks on the sink base are water damage in the wood itself. We treat and sand what we can, and if a panel is too far gone we replace it and match the stain.
Finish worn to bare wood near the handles
Hands and wet dish towels wear through the clear coat around pulls and on the sink base. The bare wood turns gray or dark; we sand those areas back, blend the stain and recoat the whole door.
Honey oak that looks orange
The orange tint in 1980s and 1990s oak comes mostly from the aged varnish, not the wood. Stripping that layer and re-staining gives a cooler, more current color.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalEvery door and front is labeled to its opening and taken off-site for the heavy work.
- Deep cleaningGrease and wax are cleaned off first, since both block stain and clear coat.
- Stripping the old finishWe strip the failing topcoat down to wood, or scuff it when the plan is to go darker.
- Sample door and color approvalOne door is finished first in your chosen stain so you approve the color in your own light.
- Stain or tonerThe approved color goes on by wiping or spraying, depending on the wood and the stain type.
- 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 siteFace frames, end panels and trim are stripped, stained and clear-coated in place to match the doors.
Finishes we offer
Waterborne polyurethane topcoatWater-based poly keeps light stains from turning amber and dries quickly between coats.
Toners and glazesTinted clear coats that shift the color of the whole surface, used to correct red or orange tones.
Oil-based and water-based wood stainsClassic wiping stains soak into the grain and work best on oak and hickory.
Gel stainGel stain colors evenly on tight-grain woods and can deepen a tone without full stripping.
Wood bleach for spot correctionBleaching treats dark water stains and uneven color so the new stain reads even.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining before and after — Glendale Heights homes
Before
After
DetailBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Glendale Heights
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Glendale Heights. 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. After: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. Work included door and drawer removal, deep cleaning, plus sealer and clear topcoat.
Before
AfterA Bloomingdale two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Bloomingdale, a typical kitchen for Bloomingdale. What we started with: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. The reason for the call: a stain that had gone patchy and tired. After: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. Work included door and drawer removal, deep cleaning, plus sample door and color approval.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Bloomingdale →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Addison
This one is a postwar bi-level in Addison. Before: 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. Finished kitchen: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a natural light oak tone, grain still showing. Work included deep cleaning, stripping the old finish, plus face frames on site.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Addison →
Before
AfterGlendale Heights kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen cabinet painting
The same doors sprayed in forest green, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Glendale Heights →
Before
AfterGlendale Heights kitchen, 1980s two-story: cabinet refacing
What changed: new flat slab doors with a thin edge in white uppers and deep green lowers on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Glendale Heights →Day by day
- Visit and wood checkWe confirm the cabinets are real wood, find any veneer, and look at how the finish is failing.
- Color sampleOne door is stripped and stained in your chosen color so you can approve it at home.
- Strip and sandDoors go to the shop for stripping and sanding; frames are prepped in place under dust control.
- Stain and clear coatColor first, then several clear layers for a hard, smooth finish.
- Reinstall and walk-throughDoors go back on, gaps are adjusted, hardware is fitted and we walk the kitchen with you.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining questions from Glendale Heights 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.
Is it worth refinishing kitchen cabinets?
If the boxes are solid wood or good plywood and you like the layout, usually yes. You keep the cabinets, counters and plumbing and change only the finish.
How long does a refinished finish last?
With proper prep and a cured clear coat, many years of normal use. Give it a few weeks of gentle cleaning while it fully hardens.
Is it better to paint or stain oak cabinets?
Stain if you want to keep the wood look; paint if you want white or a solid color. Oak grain shows through paint unless it is filled.
Do you refinish vanities and built-ins too?
We do. Vanities and built-ins often get the same color so the house feels consistent.
Do Glendale Heights condo associations need to approve cabinet refinishing?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Glendale Heights contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Contractors must be licensed with the Village before working; $20,000 surety/license bond required. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for cabinet refinishing in Glendale Heights?
It depends on the scope. Glendale Heights's rule in short: Permits required for most construction projects; a Residential Remodel/Alteration application exists; call Community Development if unsure. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department.
Do you work in my part of Glendale Heights?
Yes. Our crews work across Glendale Heights — ZIP 60139 — and nearby Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Addison.
Working in Glendale Heights
- A lot of Glendale Heights kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Community Development Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60139
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining nearby
Other kitchen services in Glendale Heights
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.