How to Refinish Kitchen Cabinets With Steel Wool

Remove the kitchen cabinet doors from their hinges with the screwdriver. Unscrew and remove any handles, hinges or knobs from the kitchen cabinets.

Brush on a coat of chemical stripper. Let the stripper work into the kitchen cabinet's original finish until the old finish begins to peel.

Scrape the old finish off the kitchen cabinets with the putty knife. Take care not to gouge the wood.

Scrub any hard-to-reach or stubborn areas of the old finish with steel wool. Soak the steel wool in the chemical stripper to help remove the old finish.

Sand the kitchen cabinets with the 220-grit sandpaper until you have rendered the cabinet's surface smooth. Remove all bits of the old finish.

Apply a coat of stain. Wipe the stain onto the cabinets with a rag; use a separate rag to remove any excess stain.

Allow the initial coat of the new finish to dry. Wipe on further coats if you desire a darker finish.

Brush on a thin coat of polyurethane to protect the kitchen cabinets from moisture and grime. After this initial coat has dried, lightly sand the cabinets again with the 220-grit sandpaper and apply another coat.