How to Use Wood Veneer to Reface Kitchen Cabinets (DIY Kitchen Cabinet Update)

[@bryantawney581]

As someone who veneers for a living, this is exactly how it’s done. Great job!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you so much Bryan! That means a lot!

[@Talia_IceCreamPaints]

I could really use some help. I stripped the paint from my cabinets and am stuck. The paint seems to be getting stuck in what I think is the grain of the veneer. I’ve sanded the veneer thinking that it will help remove the paint from the grain but no luck. I’m either thinking of a wash or now-after seeing this video-a veneer since this is style I am going for. I feel really stuck.

[@bryantawney581]

@@Talia_IceCreamPaints you are good either way. If you do veneer as long as you have sanded the surface flat the adhesive will do the work. Make sure you role it out well with even pressure. Hope this helps!

[@Talia_IceCreamPaints]

@@bryantawney581 So, it’s okay for me to put veneer in top of veneer? Or should I just prime and paint over the veneer that’s already showing underneath the paint that I’m stripping?

[@bryantawney581]

@@Talia_IceCreamPaints As long as the old veneer isn’t peeling up, all good. You can throw a coat of primer on to fill any grain then sand with 220 to smooth….no orange peel. Use 3m spray adhesive to veneer either super 77 or 90. All available at Home Depot. Read the directions. Spray both the piece to be veneered and the veneer itself. Have everything prepped and dust free before you spray the glue down.

[@Laulau-ee8bz]

I went to a kitchen remodel business and they didn’t even want to do it. They said I would be better off replacing the whole pantry. So, I found your tutorial and said I can do that myself! So I ordered the veneer and will be starting the job shortly. Thanks so much for all the information. It was great.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Great! Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. I’d love to know how it turns out. You’re welcome. Thank you, Jill

[@vadymklimovich934]

WoodPrix has very useful instructions with all details I need

[@DarcyHerberick]

You have inspired me to take this on. Thank you for creating this tutorial.

[@gailkellum832]

WOW! You did a beautiful job! And what a difference it makes.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you!

[@ldrfade6256]

I have a few suggestions. I also do cabinet refaces and custom builds. First put shellac on the cabinet surfaces so the veneer will stay on and secondly, no need to cut the edges with a knife just use a router to trim excess and it will give you a beautiful finished edge. But very great work

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you for the tips! What kind of shellac do you use? So clean, sand, then shellac and veneer? I actually didn’t own a router at the time, but I do now and that’s a great idea! Thanks, Jill

[@ldrfade6256]

@@timeonourhandsblog I use just the traditional shellac for finishing and sealing it’s a yellow can, but yes sand, clean surface, shellac and put your veneer on

[@johnp82]

Why put shellac on when you're putting veneer with adhesive on bare wood?

[@imbabyjesus23]

@@johnp82 the veneer I use is a peel and stick but I use the shellac to make sure the veneer is on and have no issues with anything popping. Just how I was taught.

[@johnp82]

@@imbabyjesus23 when you run the router along the inside of a cabinet face frame, how do you cut each corner so they aren't rounded?

[@annealston4858]

OMG! Finally someone on KZbin with cabinets like mine. I've been trying to figure out what to do with mine and you, my dear are a lifesaver. Thank you for recording this video and the other one with the doors. Such a a great idea.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

😁 Awesome! I’m so glad you found them helpful. Thanks so much, Jill

[@lanaalley9314]

Incredibly helpful, step-by-step video- Thank you!!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you!

[@treysea]

Wow so gorgeous, thanks for giving me hope that I can try this!

[@mahasukh]

I have been designing and building cabinets and furniture for 40 years. this is a wonderful and informative video. well done and beautiful job...thanks

[@xjuhnx]

Wow, amazing! Thanks for sharing these tips - the result looks great

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you!

[@gateslattes4686]

Watched a video they did entire face frames 1 big piece Looks like a cleaner job Thanks for video

[@timeonourhandsblog]

That’s cool. I haven’t seen that video. It sounds like you would end up using a lot of veneer if you use one piece on each face frame (assuming they cut out the middle). Thank you for watching and commenting, Jill

[@timeonourhandsblog]

That’s cool. I haven’t seen that video. It sounds like you would end up using a lot of veneer if you use one piece on each face frame (assuming they cut out the middle). Thank you for watching and commenting, Jill

[@sandyjackson1089]

More videos! Im getting ready to redo my kitchen and this video is a huge help!

[@jodiearnoux4553]

Exactly the same !!!

[@jessicaleesantana]

I am so impressed! This is so good and exactly what I needed to see and learn so thank you!! Our kitchen has the same cabinets! The same ugly orange color and we just got quoted by refacers for $13,000 😮😮😮 no thank youuuuu!!!😊

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you! 😀 Wow! Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions, Jill

[@AltimaNEO]

This went from 0 to 100 in a flash. The majority of the project, I was questioning if this was a good idea, because not gonna lie, it looked pretty bad. But the finished product speaks for itself. Looks great!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

😄 thanks! That’s funny, but true! I had not veneered to this extent before. And I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. But, in the end, once I sanded the trimmed veneer I was so happy!

[@karinjeffrey7981]

This is inspiring.Thank you.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@louisaj9634]

you did such a great job!

[@DeborahFortuna-yg7lr]

Thank you!!

[@maybelweeks8834]

You inspired us! Refacing would cost us $6100. How much did you spend? where did you buy the product. Do you have a list of what we need for the project? thank you!!

[@jenniferkilmer7329]

I think I am going to try refacing per your directions. I have cheap finish white cabinets made to look like wood (I’m confident they are pressboard/mdf). New cabinets are definitely not in the budget right now. Yours look incredible- if mine can be anywhere close to yours I would be over the moon!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you! That’s awesome! Is the “white finish” plasticy? The reason why I ask is because any white pressboard I have seen has had that type of a plasticy finish. If it is, I would check to make sure the veneer adhesive you use will stick well to the surface you are covering. I got my veneer at wisewoodveneer.com with 3M pressure sensitive adhesive already applied. I have only veneered over wood. But I have seen people veneer over other surfaces on social media. Good luck!

[@lynnwalker]

Looks Great!!

[@kristinabrown2933]

Hi! I am so excited to find your videos. I am planning my own project. I wonder why you have to clean with TSP if you're going to sand?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi Kristina, nice to meet you! Thank you. The TSP is to help clean the cabinets. Kitchen cabinets tend to get a greasy build up on them, so TSP helps remove that. The sanding is just scuffing up the finish on the cabinets not sanding down to bare wood. Also, I haven’t had any problems with my veneer sticking, but I have had some people comment that they apply shellac to the cabinets after sanding and before applying veneer to make sure it sticks very well. And another commenter mentioned using a router to trim the veneer instead of a knife to make it easier. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any more questions. I also have a blog post with more information about this project if you are interested: timeonourhands.com/how-to-use-wood-veneer-to-reface-kitchen-cabinets-give-them-a-whole-new-look/ Thank you, let me know how it goes! Jill

[@looperdup]

Thanks for the video! Looks like a great DIY update if I have a peeling mdf cabinet. do I peel off the existing veneer and paste over with new veneer?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi! Thank you! I would think you would either peel off the piece of veneer that is already peeling and then fill and sand with wood filler or peel all of it all off and start over with new veneer. I haven’t had to do that yet. Let me know how it goes. Jill

[@Artist12682]

Loooove this. My 1965 house has cool cabinets with a flat panel, but the laminate is ugly. I was wondering if i could peel it off and put on a veneer to make it look higher quality. This answered my question. Love the end result!!!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you! I’m so glad you found this helpful. Thanks for leaving a comment, Jill

[@JulieClosson-d5w]

Can you do this with countertops on as well? I see you removed crown but mine has crown trim up to a soffit so im afraid of damaging wall 😢 but these are awesome!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you! That’s a good question. I have not veneered cabinets with the countertop on, but I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work just as well. The veneer sheets are pre glued. So once you prepare the cabinet surface, you’d just line it up with the top (counter) just like I did with the wall on the ends of the cabinet. And peel and stick, and use a veneer scraper to press it down good to the old cabinet. I can’t think of any reason the countertop would interfere with applying, trimming, or finishing the veneer. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks, Jill

[@rhondafurrow2712]

I would love to do this except I have decorative molding on the front of my cabinet doors

[@timeonourhandsblog]

It definitely depends on what style you are going for and what you are comfortable with. You could make new doors like I did or have someone make them for you. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@sschorf]

Late to the party, but I agree with the shellac & would also us instead of Polycrylic. Polycrylic looks a bit plastic-y vs shellac really brings out the wood better. Shellac dries extremely fast, so a nice sprayer is needed (and good ventilation). Good job either way.

[@markl9428]

Where did you buy the Veneer? What were the specs on the backing and thickness. Love your work!

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you! I bought the veneer I used in this project at wisewoodveneer.com. I used red oak flat cut veneer sheets with peel & stick 3M pressure sensitive adhesive: wisewoodveneer.com/product/oak-wood-veneer-red-flat-cut/ They have many different wood species to choose from. I also have a blog post with more details and links to supplies: timeonourhands.com/how-to-use-wood-veneer-to-reface-kitchen-cabinets-give-them-a-whole-new-look/ I hope this helps. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks again, Jill

[@markl9428]

@@timeonourhandsblog thx! Very helpful. I'll also check out your blog.

[@annelynn3506]

Fabulous thank you

[@cavalli821]

Hi. Thank you for making this video. I would like to apply some veneer the back of my kitchen island that already has veneer. I have sanded it down but have to buy the veneer. Do you think its advisable to add veneer to the back of a large kitchen island in the method you showed? Also, is there a preferred veneer provider that you shop at? The bases of my cabinet boxes are in bad shape , do you think I could maybe put wood veneer on those too - i have stripped and sanded those bases or should I just poly those bases and then use shelf paper?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

@@cavalli821 Hi. Thanks for watching! I have not applied veneer to a kitchen island before, but if it’s a nice flat surface I would think it would work. I’ve bought all of my wood veneer from wisewoodveneer.com. They have a lot of wood species to choose from and I like to buy the veneer with the pressure sensitive adhesive already on it so I can just peel and stick. I’m not sure what you mean by “bases of my cabinet boxes” but it sounds like you’re ?talking about the inside shelves? If so, I probably would not spend the money to veneer the inside shelves. I hope this helps. Thanks again, Jill

[@cavalli821]

@@timeonourhandsblog Hi thanks for replying! Yes, I meant the inside bottom shelves of the cabinet boxes. The back of the island is a large area roughly 2.5ft X 9 ft that I want to veneer. I might order the heavy figured maple birds eye maple veneer...Iv spent weeks stripping & sanding everything ... Poly is my next step :)

[@coloradocabinetrefacing]

Well guess I know how to really reface now. For 30 years I have been doing it so wrong I guess. I learn so much here on the youtube

[@gonaiwu9039]

How were you able to find veneer that match the cabinet doors

[@LARKIN5950]

Can I veneer my cabinet doors too?

[@melis6294]

Can you share where you bought this self-adhesive veneer and if this was expensive or not

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi, thanks for asking. Yes, I bought it at wisewoodveneer.com, wisewoodveneer.com/product/oak-wood-veneer-red-flat-cut/. They have many different wood species to choose from. I got the red oak, flat cut with 3M pressure sensitive adhesive. It currently costs about $1.69 per square foot. We have a blog post with more details and links to supplies at our blog, including how much it cost me to veneer my cabinets if you are interested: timeonourhands.com/how-to-use-wood-veneer-to-reface-kitchen-cabinets-give-them-a-whole-new-look/#how-much-does-it-cost-to-use-veneer-to-reface-kitchen-cabinets. Thank you, Jill

[@estergomeztorio6511]

Can you remove the veneer in case you want to go back to the original look?

[@Vanessa-ok3ys]

Perfect instructional video, thank you so much! What wood species did you use?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thanks Vanessa! I used flat cut red oak.

[@Vanessa-ok3ys]

@@timeonourhandsblogThank you!!

[@bridgeho3073]

Do you put any top coat or is the veneer durable against moisture etc?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

I used Minwax polycrylic clear satin water-based polyurethane to protect the veneer. I followed the directions on the back of the can which I believe ended up being three light coats. That helps protect it from moisture damage and makes it easy to keep clean because you can wipe them down with a damp cloth. Hope this helps, thanks, Jill

[@K8101-s3r]

What about it you cabinets are mdf with a veneer surface. Can this veneer be stuck on top, or is it possibly to remove the old veneer and stick directly onto the mdf?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi. That’s a good question. If the “veneer surface” is wood, then you can veneer over it. If the veneer is plasticy, I would make sure the adhesive that will stick the veneer to the old surface will work with that surface (melamine, plastic, laminate). I got my veneer from wisewoodveneer.com with 3M pressure sensitive adhesive already applied. If you have any questions about adhesives I would contact them. You might be able to remove old veneer by carefully warming it up with a heat gun and scraping it off the mdf, but I would opt for veneering over if possible because I would think it could be a lot of work if the veneer doesn’t scrape off easily. Hope this helps, thanks, Jill

[@peggybebb9156]

I'm veneering back of storage cabinet that purchased. no closets on main floor, need to finish back because will be visible now The veneer I purchased has no backing so ideas for how to glue the vertical surface and hold in place would be appreciated. I've seen KZbin videos recommending "white Glue

[@timeonourhandsblog]

That’s a great question. I’m not sure because I have always used pre glued veneer. Would the place you bought it from be able to tell you the best way to attach it? I did find this KZbin video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5XHfWp7m8aphLc, which shows them using regular PVA Titebond wood glue on both surfaces, letting it dry, and ironing it to attach it. Again, I have not tried this method, but It appears to work in the video. And if so, it seems like it would be an easy way to glue the veneer to a vertical surface. I’d love to hear how it works out! Hope this helps, Jill

[@ginnaygreene1776]

Is this veneer paintable? Im going to be painting the body of my cabinets and taking the old peeling/cracking plastic veneer off the cabinet doors and putting new on

[@timeonourhandsblog]

I applied 3 coats of water based polycrylic to my veneered cabinets at least 24 hours after I had finished applying the veneer. I believe the instructions said to wait at least 24 hours after applying the veneer to apply paint/sealant. But you could check with the distributor. I bought veneer sheets with 3M pressure sensitive adhesive already applied from wisewoodveneer.com. Hope this helps, Jill

[@sethhamilton5824]

A cool trick is to pop the flat wide blade out of a sharp plane and use it instead of the knife. Way less chance of slicing into anything. 🎉

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Oh yeah, that’s a good idea. Thanks for the tip!

[@canadianbacon79]

Shouldn't the horizontal pieces grain go that way, not up and down?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi, I think probably the horizontal pieces on the cabinet usually have the grain going horizontally as well. On the cabinet frames that I veneered I have some going horizontally and some going vertically, but it doesn’t bother me because my cabinet frames are about 95% covered by my cabinet doors. I think I was just trying to use the little bits of veneer that I had left over when I got to the point of applying the horizontal veneer pieces on the cabinet frames and wasn’t paying that much attention. But, you can certainly apply the veneer however you like the way it looks. Thanks for asking, Jill

[@Punam-k8b]

Can I buy veneers in different colors?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi, that’s a great question. Not that I know of. I looked around on the internet and the closest thing I could find is a black wood veneer sheet at Amazon.

[@samheard5098]

Where do you buy your veneer from?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi Sam, I buy my wood veneer from wisewoodveneer.com. They have a large selection of wood varieties and they make it with the pressure sensitive adhesive so it can be easily peeled and stuck. Thanks, Jill

[@jack91522]

Don't you want to lightly sand it then use TSP to clean ?

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi. You could probably do it that way. My rational for using tsp to clean first was that the cabinet finish would be intact and there wouldn’t be any chance of the wood absorbing the water/tsp. Which is probably unlikely if you are lightly sanding, but I just wanted everything to stay as dry as possible before I stuck the veneer to it. Thanks for the question, Jill

[@RedNeckRed647]

I redid my mom’s cabinets last year and let me tell you that I could not sand them if they weren’t cleaned with tsp first. On any uncleaned surfaces the sand paper quickly became gummed up with old grease and this grease was impossible to remove with either sand paper or cleaner.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

@@RedNeckRed647 thanks for that information. That is a good point!

[@AlesZvolanek]

looks great from afar, but really poorly from up close. Its not to precise tbh.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Thank you for watching and commenting. It’s not for everyone, but I’m happy with it.

[@TLilacTwilight]

I thought she was gonna veneer the cabinet doors also.

[@timeonourhandsblog]

Hi Tina, you could definitely veneer flat panel cabinet doors using the same strategies I used in this video to veneer the cabinet faces. Thanks, Jill