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#1
17th July 2015, 08:40 PM
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remedy for worn cabinet finish
Hello, Giraffe People. Nutty back with another mundane home care question. We have these nice kitchen cabinets -- I think they're oak -- that are a bit worn around where you grab the knob, to the point where something probably oughta be done about it. I'm not sure what, though. Here is a super-close-up picture of the worst one. Any suggestions on treating this? I'm hoping there's a way that doesn't involve stripping the entire thing, because it's only in a few small spots like this, and a lot of the cabinets and doors are completely fine, so if I completely refinished some, it might be hard to get them to match. Also, of course, that's a lot of work, so if I can get around it I'd obviously love to.
What say you? Maybe I should drop a @Harry here for good measure. 
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#2
17th July 2015, 08:52 PM
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Find Minwax by name stains.
That looks like oak and the bare wood is exposed. If it is rough to the surface, you should sand it with about a 150 grit or finer. Remove knobs (duh), clean (Simple Green) and rinse. Use a qtip to test the spot that is both worn and least visible with knob installed. To do it right, you'd find a completely hidden part (the edge under a drawer or such) and sand it down and use it as a test spot. Yes, the big boxes sell Minwax stains, so you luck out on price if concerned. You will need to know how to apply stain - it is wiped on and immediately wiped off. Allowing it to sit (as in paint) is a disaster. If not familiar with the technique, pick up some light-colored HARDWOOD and practice - you only get one shot with stains.
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#3
17th July 2015, 08:59 PM
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Harry might have some magic, but as far as I know there's no chance to match that finish well enough to do a patch. However if the wear is confined to the rails like that, you might get away with just sanding all the cabinet rails and finishing in a matching/contrasting shade.
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#4
17th July 2015, 11:18 PM
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There are places around here which claim to be able to match a stain if you bring them a sample, but I'm slightly skeptical. I suppose there isn't much harm in sanding one rail of one door and testing their claims. Worst that happens is it looks a little off, but it's probably no worse than having a big section around the knob worn down to the bare wood.
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#5
18th July 2015, 05:04 AM
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Matching it and not having it look like a repair is going to be tough. You might try Howard's Restore A Finish. This stuff is magic for blending in damage to a finish. But you'd have to rub the whole door with it to get it to blend well. I used this stuff on a badly damaged Cherry table (the top had separated into separate boards) and it is freaking magic.
Use it outside, the fumes are not your friend.
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#7
19th July 2015, 10:42 AM
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Depending on how large the worn areas are, you might be able to just get some cabinet knob rosettes that would cover the worn area and prevent further damage.
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#8
19th July 2015, 07:25 PM
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The best solution I can think of is to sand the rough spots smooth, then follow Auntie Pam's suggestion of Old English scratch cover. That stuff works pretty good. Use the light colored stuff first, then on one of the less conspicuous repairs, experiment with blending in small streaks of the dark over the light, just to see what you think of it. They're old doors, they should look like old doors, in my opinion. If you send a door out, you'll probably wind up sending all of them, because what you get back will look noticeably different than the rest.
On a personal grooming note...aww, nevermind. I'll just mention I have rarely seen fingernails that could scratch up a door like that.
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#10
19th July 2015, 10:45 PM
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For the record, they were this way when we bought the house.
 And they're not actually old style doors. The kitchen is the one part of the house that's been remodeled in a more modern style. Here's the general look. So patching these up would be nice.
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#11
20th July 2015, 05:49 AM
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I like the Howards Restore A Finish, but to get that to work well you'd need to do the whole door, and I'd worry that the light spot would remain lighter.
I've never tried the Old English, but it looks viable. Have you considered the Minwax stain touch-up markers? They have several colors, and seem to be made for situations like this. Standard disclaimer applies about trying it in an inconspicuous place first.
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#13
21st July 2015, 06:51 PM
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Good looking kitchen. I've never had much success with complete removal of stains, so I avoid it as much as possible. Since I am not an expert refinisher, I'm going to stick with my original suggestion, 'cause that is what has worked best for me in the past.
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