A finish should last more than 7 years. The biggest problem is going to be finding out what type of finish you have already.
Here are a few ways you can test the finish. Don't do this in a highly visible area though. It will be noticeable. So try one of the lower out of the way areas. Get a few pieces of clean cloth, and use a different piece for each step. Rub a Few Drops of Boiled Linseed Oil Into the Wood - If it absorbs, the wood has an oil finish. If it beads up, the wood has a hard finish. Rub Acetone Over a Spot in a Gentle, Circular Motion - Polyurethane finishes shed acetone like water. Lacquer dissolves in 30 seconds with rubbing. Varnishes and shellacs turn to a sticky, gel-like substance after a minute or two. Try a Few Drops of Denatured Alcohol - Shellac dissolves quickly in denatured alcohol. Varnish reacts slowly. Good luck ----- Original Message ----- From: Keith Christian To: Blind Handyman Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 4:13 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Kitchen Cabinets Hi, We moved into our home 7 years ago when the kitchen had just been redone. We appreciate the previous owners doing all the work! It is a very nice kitchen. One problem that we are having is that the finish is coming off the cabinets. Someone told me that it is because we are not able to use finishes in the US that will last a long time. Is there anything I can do to repair or improve the finish? I do not know what kind of stain or finish is on the cabinets. I appreciate any suggestions. Keith [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
