Have you painted, stained or change the color of your old oak cabinets?

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C

Carmine

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Jul 15, 2012
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Man i have a ton of oak inside my 2005 Allegro Bay 34xb. Has anyone tried to change the color of so much oak inside there coach?
Wether it be painting or staining. I would love to see some pictures.
 
I'm assuming that what you currently is oak stain (?) Hopefully, one of our woodworking members will have some advice for you.
 
We have oak in the RV and I like it but I would think that changing the color in the RV would be about the same as staining the cabinets in a stick house kitchen which isn't all that difficult.

Wendy
 
Be sure the cabinets are all oak.  Some, like ours, are oak doors and drawer fronts but the cabinets themselves are a veneer.
 
I have a 1992 Monaco MH and would also like to change the finish on the cabinets. The attachment method used on the cabinets is so well hidden that I think they built the MH starting from the cabinets. Not at all like in my stick built house.

Getting the cabinet doors and drawers off/out is easy enough. Any tips on getting the cabinets themselves out would be great.
 
I have been a decorative painter for over 15 years, doing all kinds of faux finishing and cabinet repainting. I will tell you that repainting or staining cabinetry is not hard, but can be time consuming if you want it done right. When staining the sanding and prep are most important, then get the stain color you want and go for it. Going darker is always easier, but there are a wide variety of more opaque stains available if you want to go lighter. I personally will be just straight up painting my cabinets over in my RV when the time comes with a regular wall paint (black or super dark brown) then hitting it over with a satin polyurethane. Regular paint covers fast, you have alot less prep work and if you still want a wood grained look you can just lightly brush over it with a slightly different shade so it doesn't appear "flat". It will last plenty long and touch ups are a breeze. I am not a fan of light or medium oak stained wood and unfortunately my RV is chock full of it-for now!  Trust me, painting or restaining cabinetry is going to make a HUGE difference is how your RV looks and it is far far cheaper than replacing them.
 
I removed the whole back set of cabinets from my RV. They went into the trash. They have a panel on the inside bottom (sometimes the side too) that is loose, you pull that up and you can find the screws that attach to the other cabinets and wall, etc. I suggest you just leave the bases alone and redo those in place, take off the doors and drawers and do them separately. I had wiring running through some of mine that I had to be careful not to rip up. The cabinets I am keeping are getting repainted and new hardware.
 
Thanks for the information, i still want to tackle this job but i cant yet decide yet on paint or stain.

I am still hoping some sees this thread and has some before and after photos, that would be Great!
 
Yes for photos....please.  I want to show my hubby how cozy our rig will look when we change the light oak cabinets and add some dark wood flooring! 
 
Sitting here in mid afternoon as it is getting dark reading this post there is no way in heck I would want dark finishes inside our fiver.  It would make the inside so much more dark and dreary.  I would need lights on all day.  Sorry, but we like bright and cheery not dark and dreary.
 
I can't help with pictures of changing the cabinets.  However I did just recently change the floor.  It made a big difference.

After with new floor
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk121/HueyPilotVN/031-3.jpg

Before with Carpet and Tile

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk121/HueyPilotVN/003-46.jpg
 
We have not redone the cabinets in our stick house, but we did paint the cabinets in our winter mobile home. I for one would never stain used cabinets because stain needs bare wood and it seems like an enormous job to sand all the old varnish off so that the stain can soak into the wood. So we painted the cabinets. What a difference!
We also hated the yellow flowered vinyl "wallpaper" that cannot be removed. We first gave that a coat of Kiltz so that the paint would adhere better, then to coats of light beige. We have a new kitchen!!
We installed paintable wallpaper in a bead board pattern inside the flat panels of the cupboards and drawers, then gave everything three coats of paint, including the wallpapered panels. We bought the wallpaper at Lowes. We are extremely pleased with the difference, but we are in the "light and bright" camp. Next time we would also change the hinges.

Hope this helps.

Elly
 

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donn said:
Sitting here in mid afternoon as it is getting dark reading this post there is no way in heck I would want dark finishes inside our fiver.  It would make the inside so much more dark and dreary.  I would need lights on all day.  Sorry, but we like bright and cheery not dark and dreary.
Click to expand...

I agree completely!!
I was in a motor home where the owner had dark painted cabinetrs and it was like being in a tunnel. Dark and dreary and looked small.
 
I am planning on using NUVO Cabinet Paint in white and light gray to update our '06 Holiday Rambler 30' travel trailer. I was inspired by this post:
http://thenewlighterlife.com/how-we-painted-our-cabinets-without-fuss/
As soon as the exterior repairs are complete I will get right to the painting.
I bought 2 kits: Titanium Infusion (a.k.a. white) and Abstract Ash (a.k.a. light gray)
I plan to use the gray in the master bedroom and bunk room and then combine the white and gray in the kitchen/dinette/sofabed area.
 
HueyPilotVN said:
I can't help with pictures of changing the cabinets.  However I did just recently change the floor.  It made a big difference.

After with new floor
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk121/HueyPilotVN/031-3.jpg

Before with Carpet and Tile

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk121/HueyPilotVN/003-46.jpg
Click to expand...

GREAT JOB!! Very nice!
 
I am too in the middle of a renovation. We have a 1994 Itasca. All the mauve and blue is driving me nuts! Hubby and I just went to an RV show in Tampa and were considering a 5th wheel until we saw the prices ! eek, plus a truck to haul the thing! SO...I am starting little and decided to do our bathroom.  I have wiped down our lovely mauve and blue walls and have started to prime...on the opposite wall, the "caulk" or whatever it is that is plastic around the sink area was a nightmare to get off!! , ripped out a rope caulking between the roof and walls,  I have also started to rip out the nice blue CARPET (why in the bathroom?? would anyone put carpet) ... pictures will come ...but one question is the cabinets. I have the fake oak with the nice gold accents around each door.ugh!! .I have seen someone say to TSPx2, prime, then paint w/primer...OR the GIANI granite Nuvo Cabinet paint...which do I choose??? any ideas or pics, I am in FL so I want something that can take the heat....and paint over the gold trim... :) 
 
We used Kilz as primer and you sure can paint over the  "gold" trim with that. We used used Kilz to prime the vinyl "wall paper" and not a flake has come off!

Elly
 
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