How to Remove Glaze From Your Kitchen Cabinets

Oct 13, 2022

Homeowners often use an antiquing glaze on their kitchen cabinets to create a distressed or vintage look. Glazed cabinets are beautiful, but dried glaze can create problems when homeowners decide to remodel their kitchens. 


It’s possible to remove glaze from painted cabinets as a DIY project, but it doesn’t always work. You can accidentally destroy your cabinets during the glaze removal process by using too much water or by not cleaning or sanding the cabinets enough.


Eighty percent of painting is prep work, but it can be difficult to spot the signs you’ve done enough before applying the new paint color unless you’re a professional.


Below, we’ll look at three ways to remove glaze to make your cabinets look modern.

Top 3 Ways to Remove Glaze From Your Kitchen Cabinets

The prep work is what makes glaze removal (or simply painting over glaze) so difficult, so we’ve included a step-by-step DIY process along with the two alternative options to save you some frustration.

A refinished sea foam green beach kitchen project we completed in Ocean County New Jersey

Option #1: Do-It-Yourself

Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • Glaze remover
  • Bucket of cold water 
  • Cloth (or spray bottle)
  • Degreaser
  • Sandpaper


DIY Steps

  1. Remove the doors from your cabinets, along with the hardware. 
  2. Mix the glaze remover with a bucket of cold water. (Check the directions for exact amounts.) 
  3. Spray (or wipe) the solution onto your glazed cabinets. Note: Start with a small area first. Your cabinets might react poorly to the mixture. 
  4. Let the solution set for the recommended time. Then, wipe the surface dry with a cloth. 
  5. Apply a degreaser according to the instructions to remove any cooking grease and grime that’s accumulated. 
  6. Sand the cabinet doors. 


After completing these steps, your cabinets should be ready for a primer and then a new coat of paint! If you see any residue from the glazing (like leftover lines in the recesses), you might not be able to remove it.


Call our team at Oceanside Painting & Refinishing. We’ll take a look and offer a free estimate to pick up where you left off.

Option #2: Cabinet Refinishing

The DIY process to remove dried glaze from kitchen cabinets is often filled with surprise supply costs. Cabinet refinishing is a more cost-effective, hassle-free way to remove glaze from cabinets.


During the cabinet refinishing process, a professional chemically strips away the glaze and old paint, makes minor repairs, sands away imperfections, and re-paints or re-stains your kitchen cabinets with the new color of your choice. 


By refinishing your cabinets instead of replacing them, you can update your kitchen to fit any style or theme you want (like a beach house theme) without worrying about unexpected costs.


A cabinet refinishing professional will know the exact prep work required to achieve your vision.

Option #3: Replace Your Existing Cabinets

If your glazed cabinets are not made of quality wood or they’ve seen some damage like molding or warping, you can replace some or all of your cabinets. Replacing your existing cabinets can get expensive—fast.


The average cost of a kitchen remodel in New Jersey is around $25,000, so it’s easier and less expensive to refinish your cabinets instead.

Request a Free Estimate

If you live near Monmouth County, NJ and want a free estimate, fill out the quick form below!


At Oceanside Painting & Refinishing, we specialize in the most cost-effective way to remove glaze from your kitchen cabinets — cabinet refinishing. 


We’ll listen carefully to your vision, answer your questions, and offer you a free estimate to refinish your cabinets. 

Get Your Free Estimate Now!

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