Birds Eye Maple Cabinets

QuestionEdit

I am purchasing a home with birds eye maple cabinets.I would like to lighten them. Ideally I would like them almost white. Is this possible and how would it be done? Can I just glaze over them ? They presently are light,but very yellow.

AnswerEdit

Maple will darken over time into a mellow amber-Brown color due to oxidation and UV light...it's the natural aging process of the wood, being a natural material. The finish can also add coloration to the wood. You would have to chemically strip these to even see what the "natural" color really is, and that's a HUGE job, especially if the cabinets are less than 20-25 years old, because the finishes used on cabinets like this would likely be a catalyzed, and a real BEAR to remove...meaning LOTS of labor and mess to do right.Trying to glaze lighter over a brown or amber color is really not possible, unless you like the effect of the brown-amber showing through, because it will. You could always paint (although I don't recommend paint on kitchen cabinets over a finish like that), but that would be a huge shame, as these ar likely high end, expensive cabinets