Knotty Pine Kitchen Cabinets

Knotty pine kitchen cabinets will add the perfect rustic touch to your kitchen if you are interested in fashioning your cooking area with the rugged beauty of rural cottage country. 

Knotty pine is a popular decorating choice for many areas of the home, as it is available in different styles of furnishings and is unmistakably rustic, which is why it is so commonly used among those who love the look and feel of a cozy cabin in their homes.

There are different things you can do to your knotty pine kitchen cabinets depending on the type of look you are interested in achieving.  For instance, you can put a clear finish on them to maintain their natural beauty and they will still continue to darken over time.  Pine is a wood that becomes darker with age and even if you clear coat them, in a few years they will still change to a warm, yellow-orange color.   It is very easy to apply this finish on the cupboards.

If you would like a different look, you can always stain unfinished cabinets before applying a finish.  However, this can be tricky because some parts of pine are harder to stain than others. 

Knotty Pine Kitchen Cabinets - Achieving An Even Look

If you are not careful, instead of achieving an even look, the wood can appear blotchy.  Therefore, to make sure that your cupboards come out looking great when they are stained, here are a few things to keep in mind:

 - Sand pine first - Make sure the entire surface of the knotty pine kitchen cabinets are smooth and even.

- Apply a wood conditioner – Use a cotton clot or foam brush for application and let the conditioner sit on the wood for as long as directed on the product label (usually about 10 minutes).  Then wipe with a cotton rag.

- Begin staining – You will need to take your time and experiment with the stain to achieve the look you want.  It takes longer than normal for a stain to set in when conditioner has been applied.  However, after letting it sit for the desired amount of time, remove the stain with a cotton rag.  Make sure you wipe it off well and be prepared for darker spots in the wood, which is only natural.

- Apply finish – Let the stained knotty pine kitchen cabinets dry fully before applying the finish you want.

Aside from finishing and staining, you can also paint unfinished pine cabinets.  This is an easy and cost effective way to change the look of your cupboards without spending a lot of money.  However, you do need to keep in mind that when you paint, whatever color you choose will be hard to remove if you ever want another change.  Therefore, you might not want to paint them as black kitchen cabinets as this may be a little extreme and won’t be changeable when you want a new look.

Finally, something you do need to keep in mind in regards to knotty pine kitchen cabinets is that they scratch, scuff and dent easily, even after they are finished.  Thus, if you have small children, just like black kitchen cabinets, these might not be the best choice for your kitchen.  Make sure you do your homework before you install any type of cabinet.