Question for Woodworkers/Home Improvement Guys

[ForceFed4g63]

I recently bought a house and we're re-doing the cabinets in the kitchen. We're going to paint them, but first I'm sanding them down to get them ready for paint. The problem is, there's about 24 years of grease and gunk and grime, so there's a layer of all this crap on the cabinets.

I've been sanding them down with an orbital sander but I'm going through at least one disc per cabinet door, and it's just not working. I've tried degreaser, several different types and that doesn't do much.

Does anybody have any tips or tricks to get this garbage off so I can sand them down?

[chrisheltra]

Media blaster

[ForceFed4g63]

Wouldn't that pit the wood pretty badly? I also don't want to spring for one if I don't have to, money is tight right now.

[chrisheltra]

Originally Posted by ForceFed4g63

Wouldn't that pit the wood pretty badly? I also don't want to spring for one if I don't have to, money is tight right now.

You dont have to use sand. You could also use baking soda which is far less abrasive on soft surfaces.

[03SVTCOBRA]

nothing will help. If they are old cabinet they tend to have layers and layers of urathane coatings. I do hardwood floors and i can tell you other than alot of sanding and mess, not much else will help you. Also you probably dont need to get them bare. I would probably start with a 80grit, then maybe a 200 or finer to get the scratches out of it. As long as the surface is roughed up alittle, and free of anything that will cause it not to stick you should be ok. Just make sure you use a good primer for the first coat even if its very thin. You can pm me if you have more questions, you cant just use ANY cleaner on them, most people dont realize that some of the "cleaners" for wood, actually ruin thier chances of ever having them refinished because it soaks into the pours of wood and wont allow anything to stick again.

[gearmesh, inc.]

Depending on what price you put on your time, a cabinet door refacing could save you an ass of time. That way, you will only have to spend the time to strip what little frontal area and end areas you have on your existing cabinet structures. I honestly don't know how much refacing costs run, but I figured I would throw that option up for grabs anyway.

[AverageJoe]

Buy new doors or new cabinets. I have bought doors from East Coast Dist in Goose Creek.

[ForceFed4g63]

Well damn, sounds like I don't have many options. New doors and cabinets are not an option. Just bought a house, have a wedding and honeymoon in 2 weeks, money is non-existent lol. I guess I'll just do my best with what I got, thanks for the advice guys.

[98nbmz]

Belt sander? If you have one that might speed it up. Use the orbital where the belt sander cant get.

[gearmesh, inc.]

A belt sander tends to keep sandpaper cleaner for a longer time than an orbital. A belt sander only has paper on the surface for half the time, so there is a chance for some of the gunk to sling off.

[ForceFed4g63]

Originally Posted by gearmesh, inc.

A belt sander tends to keep sandpaper cleaner for a longer time than an orbital. A belt sander only has paper on the surface for half the time, so there is a chance for some of the gunk to sling off.

Yea the orbital gets gunked up really quickly. I might try a belt sander to see if that works any better, I would imagine it would. Time to go over to the rents to borrow one from my pops lol

[Bradleyrj]

Have you tried to scrape any of the gunk off? Even though a degreaser may not touch it, a sharp blade might?

[ForceFed4g63]

Originally Posted by Bradleyrj

Have you tried to scrape any of the gunk off? Even though a degreaser may not touch it, a sharp blade might?

I have done that, I'm just afraid I'm gonna gouge the wood so I haven't gone crazy with it. The other problem is there's lots of little bends so I can't reach everywhere.

[Silver-Dollar]

Although I am not a professional, we would use Dad's easy spray. That stuff would cut through layers of paint like it was wet paper. Use a glove or it will take of skin.

http://dadseasyspray.com/index.php?p=6&s=22

[03SVTCOBRA]

Originally Posted by Silver-Dollar

Although I am not a professional, we would use Dad's easy spray. That stuff would cut through layers of paint like it was wet paper. Use a glove or it will take of skin.

http://dadseasyspray.com/index.php?p=6&s=22

The only issue with stuff like this is, when you go back to re-coat them with stuff. If you dont sand and clean the wood very good, you will end up with bubbles and places that dont want to stick. Been there done that and learned my lesson that when you think you cleaned it enough, double the time and you will still save time in the long run.