a problem with the color of a cabinet

[Phil Nelson]

Howards is not like paint or like putting stain on bare wood. It won't drastically change the color of a piece that already has finish on it. I'm not a big fan of the stuff, but I have tried it a few times. It will have a bigger effect on scratches and scuffs than on the undamaged finish. The scratches will be darkened and blend into the background a little. The undamaged finish may darken a little, but not much. You can get a very similar effect by wiping on a coat of stain, letting it set up for a short time, and then buffing it off briskly.

Don't expect it to perform miracles on a heavily damaged finish. It's best for a slightly scuffed & scratched piece that just needs some freshening up.

If you're nervous about using it, get a small jug of, say medium walnut, and try it out on one of your cabinets that you're sure is walnut (i.e., brown rather than red). You can also try it out on some scrap lumber or a junky furniture item. After a few wipes, you'll see what it can do -- and what it can't.

Put some on a cloth and rub that cloth on the cabinet. Wipe it off with a different clean cloth after a minute or a few minutes -- the timing isn't critical. Wipe it off well. You don't want to leave a sloppy wet layer of the stuff on the cabinet to dry.

Phil Nelson