Replies

1. 
   _mj_ | Jul 02, 2021 07:23am | #1

   I did all of the doors in my place using Soy Gel. It takes a bit longer to work and a few applications but without a burn haxard.

   Leave it on a good long time and keep it wet by laying plastic kitchen wrap over it. Very messy process. Not sure it will work as well on a vertical box, I did all of my doors on horses.

2. 
   esch5995 | Jul 02, 2021 09:29am | #2

   You are in for quite a chore. Before you get too involved I will point out that in the 60's it was a popular construction method for kitchen cabinets, at least in the northeast, to use birch, almost indistinguishable from maple, plywood doors. The cabinet cases are almost guaranteed to be plywood so be very careful about being too aggressive with your sanding or you may find yourself sanding through the face veneer.

   If the doors are solid wood and ornate you may find it more time effective to order new doors from somewhere like Elias Woodworking and focus on refinishing or refacing the cases.

1. 
   john_c2 | Jul 02, 2021 10:08am | #4

   I'm in the northeast, and every kitchen I've seen built between the late 1950s and late 60s had cabinets built in, made from lumber core birch plywood. It was great stuff. I've never seen a door twisted or warped. Frames, doors and drawers were all the same material.

   They likely used thicker veneer back then, but I would be leery of sanding through.

   It's a big job, and I wouldn't do it. I'd clean, lightly sand and paint, if it were mine.

   Best of luck. Keep us updated if you can.

3. 
   jzfw | Jul 02, 2021 09:41am | #3

   The house I used to live in was plywood as you described (I actually refaced the cabinets with laminate and bought finished oak doors from a company via Lowes), but my mom's cabinets appear to be all maple. And the door fronts and drawer fronts are totally flat vs any beveling or raised boarders, so that will somewhat ease the effort of stripping, staining, urethaning! Also, our budget prevents buying new doors.

1. 
   esch5995 | Jul 02, 2021 02:14pm | #5

   If the doors are truly flat and don't have battens across the back they are most likely plywood. Solid wood doors would not remain flat without battens(boards running across the grain top and bottom to prevent warpage).

4. 
   [email protected] | Jul 04, 2021 04:42pm | #6

   I just had to refinish three solid mahogany etagere I made 30 years ago that got sun bleached and the lacquer finish had to be removed.I tried every type of "safe"remover to no avail.Finally someone sent me a stripper who still must have used what I believe is the old now "illegal"stripper. A few weeks later they arrived back at my shop needing just a light sanding Two coats of OSMO and they are good as new.
   Lesson?Stripping is hard and best left to the pros.Want to save money? Buy unfinished doors and finish them yourself.