Thin veneer on panels and end sides
Many 1990s 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.
Serving Naperville & nearby Lisle, Warrenville
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Naperville, IL
Keep your solid wood cabinets in Naperville and give them a new stain and a hard clear finish, with the grain still showing.
- Serving Naperville ZIP 60540, 60563, 60564, 60565
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Wood cabinet problems we refinish in Naperville
Good wood cabinets rarely wear out; their finish does. Our Naperville 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.
Cherry that turned too red
Too much red in older cherry cabinets can be balanced with a tinted finish coat. We sample it on a door so you see the result first.
Honey oak that looks orange
If your oak reads too orange next to new floors or counters, we strip the ambered topcoat and choose a stain that neutralizes the warmth.
Finish worn to bare wood near the handles
Pale or grayish patches beside the knobs mean the protective layer is gone. Spot fixes rarely blend, so we refinish the full door and frame so the color reads even.
Sticky or gummy finish
Gummy, tacky doors mean the topcoat has broken down. We strip it rather than cover it, because nothing bonds well to a soft film.
Patchy or blotchy stain from an earlier job
Maple, cherry and birch absorb stain unevenly and can blotch. If a past refinish left dark patches, we strip it and use a conditioner or gel stain for an even color.
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.
Scratches, dings and worn edges
Pet scratches on the lower doors, chipped corners and dents from pots are filled with color-matched wood filler and sanded before the new stain goes on.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalDoors and drawer fronts are numbered, hinges bagged, and the parts go to our shop for stripping.
- Deep cleaningGrease and wax are cleaned off first, since both block stain and clear coat.
- Stripping the old finishOld varnish, lacquer or paint is removed with strippers suited to the coating and the wood.
- Sample door and color approvalYou sign off on a finished sample door before we stain the rest of the kitchen.
- Sealer and clear topcoatDoors get a sealer and multiple sprayed clear coats, sanded lightly between coats.
- Face frames on siteFace frames, end panels and trim are stripped, stained and clear-coated in place to match the doors.
- Reinstall and hardwareWe reinstall every door and drawer front, align the gaps and fit new hardware.
Materials and finishes
Wood bleach for spot correctionBleaching treats dark water stains and uneven color so the new stain reads even.
Catalyzed lacquer and conversion varnishSprayed, cross-linking clear coats that cure harder than standard finishes, for busy kitchens.
Toners and glazesTinted clear coats that shift the color of the whole surface, used to correct red or orange tones.
Waterborne polyurethane topcoatA clear finish that stays clear instead of yellowing, with low odor while we work.
Sheen: matte, satin or semi-glossMost owners pick satin for wood cabinets; matte reads more natural, gloss more traditional.
Before and after: kitchens near Naperville
Before
After
DetailBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Naperville
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s near Highlands. 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 deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. On site this meant door and drawer removal, stripping the old finish, plus sealer and clear topcoat.
Before
AfterA Bolingbrook 1980s two-story: before and after
A 1980s two-story in Bolingbrook, a typical kitchen for Bolingbrook. Before: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. What bothered the owners most: bare wood showing where hands touched the doors. After: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. On site this meant deep cleaning, sealer and clear topcoat, plus reinstall and hardware.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Bolingbrook →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Woodridge
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial near Seven Bridges. What we started with: solid wood cabinets with a dull, uneven stain worn white near the handles. What bothered the owners most: bare wood showing where hands touched the doors. Finished kitchen: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a deep espresso-brown stain, grain still showing. The job covered deep cleaning, stripping the old finish, plus sealer and clear topcoat.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Woodridge →
Before
AfterNaperville kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen cabinet painting
What changed: the same doors sprayed in pale mint green, new matte black pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Naperville →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Naperville
Finished: new five-piece shaker doors in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Naperville →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 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 Naperville homeowners
Can you re-stain 1990s oak cabinets?
Usually. 1990s oak is a good candidate for a new stain; the main question is how far lighter you want to go.
Can you make stained cabinets lighter?
A moderate step lighter is often possible; a dramatic change usually is not. We prove it on one door before quoting the full job.
Can you refinish cabinets without stripping or sanding?
A refresh without stripping is possible when the old finish is still sound. We test adhesion at the visit and tell you which approach your cabinets need.
Can I stay in the house during refinishing?
Yes, the smelliest steps are done away from your home, and we keep the kitchen sealed and ventilated while we work there.
Is it better to paint or stain oak cabinets?
It depends on the look. Staining keeps oak's grain as a feature; painting covers it with a solid color. We do both and can show samples side by side.
Do I need a permit for cabinet refinishing in Naperville?
It depends on the scope. Naperville's rule in short: Remodeling such as kitchens requires a permit, as do electrical work (minor repairs and low-voltage excepted), plumbing pipe/fixture installation or rearrangement, and structural changes. We handle the permit when one is needed with Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Business Group, Building Permits.
Do you work in my part of Naperville?
Yes. Our crews work across Naperville, including Downtown Naperville, Highlands, Tamarack — ZIP 60540, 60563, 60564, 60565 — and nearby Lisle, Warrenville, Bolingbrook.
Working in Naperville
- A lot of Naperville kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Naperville homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Naperville Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Downtown NapervilleHighlandsTamarack
ZIP 60540ZIP 60563ZIP 60564ZIP 60565
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining nearby
Other kitchen services in Naperville
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.