**Affiliate Links May be Used in the Post. Thank you for supporting Occasionally Crafty by visiting the blog today!**
A few weeks ago, I showed you my Kids’ Bathroom Makeover. By far, my favorite part of the makeover is the transformation of my golden oak cabinets using Java Gel Stain by General Finishes. I finally got around to writing up a tutorial for you, as well as some things I learned if you want to give it a try yourself.
First, let me just say that this post is not sponsored. I read several posts I found on Pinterest extolling the virtues of the gel stain, so I knew I had to try it. The only thing is, it can be hard to find. Here in Phoenix, I had to go to a tiny little vintage thrift store to find it. Luckily, you can order it on (affiliate link) Amazon here. Just make sure to plan in time for shipping, and while you’re there, order the sealer as well.
There are other colors besides Java. This color is a rich dark brown, which is important to know because the pictures almost appear black. Make sure you pick the color you really want.
To get started, you’ll need the following
Application:
1. Prepare your surfaces. If you are using previously stained cabinets, like my golden oak ones, you don’t need to sand or strip them at all! Just wipe them down with soapy water and dry. Make sure any gunk or debris is cleaned away. Remove all hardware (keep track of which door or drawer they belong to!) Tape your floors and walls, and around anything on the cabinet itself you don’t want stained. Lay down plastic sheeting to protect surfaces if desired.
2. Place your doors on painting pyramids so you can paint the edges easily. Make sure you aren’t in direct sunlight, or your stain will dry too quickly. I set up in my garage (sorry for taking your space, husband!) Using a sponge brush, paint on your first coat of stain. It is very thick so a little goes a long, long way- but don’t be too stingy or you’ll need more coats of stain. I chose to use the brush because I had lots of little nooks and corners on my doors. I’ve seen others use a long sock with a plastic glove on underneath. Use what you’re most comfortable with.
3. Apply the first coat. Try to go in the same direction with your brush on each section of the door. Freak out because the first coat looks scary. It is splotchy and you can see all your brush strokes. I promise it will get better. I painted the front sides in the morning and let them dry for a few hours, then came back in the afternoon to flip them over and stain the back sides. In between, I went inside the house and painted the cabinet itself in the bathroom. Let the first coat dry overnight.* Side note- this works on wood veneer or fake wood too! Parts of my cabinets are not real oak, and those parts took the stain just as well as the real wood did! So just stain it all.
4. Apply the second coat directly over the first- no sanding is needed. Again, do the fronts in the morning, backs in the afternoon, and dry overnight. You should see much better coverage and your brush strokes should blend in easily as it dries.
5. Apply a third and final coat in the same manner. Let dry overnight. I’ve put together a collage so you can see the difference each coat makes.
In the 2nd and 3rd coats, you can’t see my brush strokes at all! You may need to touch up a few spots after the 3rd coat, but if not, continue on to seal your cabinets.
6. After you are happy with the coverage and it is completely dry, apply two coats of sealer. The sealer dries much more quickly than the stain, so I did one coat in the morning, then returned and did a second coat in the afternoon. Sand lightly in between coats for even coverage.
*Please for the love of gorgeous cabinets, choose a high-quality polyurethane sealer. You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste!
7. Let cabinets dry a full 24 hours after applying the last coat of sealer before moving them. I actually moved them inside after 24 hours and then waited another few days before hanging them. That’s partly because I had to spraypaint my hardware and buy the knobs I wanted, but you might want to think about doing that too. It would stink to spend all that time and effort only to get a bunch of chips while hanging the doors.
8. Reattach hardware. Drill holes if attaching knobs or handles. Rehang doors. Apply bumper pads on the insides of the doors to protect them from being chipped when being closed. Enjoy your gorgeous cabinets!
Huge difference, right? I love it so much! If you have any questions I’d be happy to try to answer them- just leave me a note in the comments or email me. Have a wonderful weekend and have fun staining!
I may be linking this post up to some of these parties- check them out with me!
Connect with us! You can find us here: 
