Lowes Unfinished Base Cabinets – I only recommend products that I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links through which, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a small commission. Thank you
The white oak kitchen has always been one of my favourites. They are bright, modern, and the cabinets are beautiful. When we bought our first rental property, I knew I wanted to create a similar look, but for a lot less money. So we bought these unfinished Source Project cabinets in stock at Lowe’s and I made it my mission to stain them and give them the look of a white oak kitchen.
Lowes Unfinished Base Cabinets
I could easily paint the cabin but would like to stain it. If you’re interested in learning how to paint kitchen cabinets, I did that for another unit and it turned out great too!
How To Finish Unfinished Cabinets
To properly stain your cabinets, remove the doors and drawers. Prepare the space and align it. Make sure you are in a well-ventilated room and wear a mask (I’m not always good at this).
I don’t have many closets, so I can line them up in the living and dining room and open the windows. You do not need to stain the inside of the cabinets, but it is recommended that you stain the inside of the cabinet doors.
Lightly sand all cabinet doors and drawer fronts. I used a 120g sanding sponge and lightly covered all surfaces. I then dusted off all the dust and was ready to apply my first product.
Apply wood conditioner using a rag. Wood conditioner draws out the grain and helps ensure a more even coat. It keeps stains from looking blotchy. Leave the wood conditioner on for 15 minutes.
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Once the wood conditioner is dry, apply your stain. I used Varathane Stain in Golden Oak. I applied one layer using a cloth and wiped off the excess.
The chalk I used from Minwax seems to have a new look. I can’t find the box I’m using and what’s currently available is Minwax Color Wash Transparent Stain. I used this product for another project and love it!
I initially dabbed on the chalk with a rag but found it to be more even with a foam brush then the excess was wiped off with a damp rag.
In the photo below you can see that the cupboard door on the left is stained and the one on the right is whitewashed.
Project Source 60 In W X 35 In H X 23.75 In D Natural Unfinished Oak Sink Base Fully Assembled Stock Cabinet (square Door Style) In The Kitchen Cabinets Department At Lowes.com
After applying the chalk and letting it dry, I applied another coat of Varathane stain.
To protect cabinets, apply three coats of Minwax Waterbased Polycrylic. Polycrylic doesn’t stick to itself, so sanding between layers is necessary. Lightly sand between layers using a 120 grit sanding sponge.
In my opinion, water-based polycrylic is preferable because oil-based tends to turn yellow over time. I applied polycryclic using a brush but you can use a foam brush, that works too!
After the polycryclic is completely dry, you can put the doors and drawers back in place. I bought these black 5 inch and 10 inch grips on Amazon for a good price.
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For the end panels of the cabinets, I ended up adding the same kick plates that are sold separately for the bottom of the cabinets and cutting them to size. I stacked them like planks to create a more custom look.
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