How to Finish Oak Kitchen Doors

Lay out each door in a work area. Go over each with a vibrating sander and 220-grit sandpaper, taking off all dirt and surface material and leaving it bare and clean. Take up the dust with tack cloths.

Use a paintbrush to apply wood conditioner over the whole door surface in a smooth, even coat. It should soak into the wood. Let it dry for four hours.

Brush wood stain onto the surface, covering a few square feet at a time. Brush it on heavily enough that it pools. Let it sit for one minute. Wipe up the excess with a rag. Repeat for each new section. Do the whole door. Let it dry for eight hours.

Brush on polyurethane in a flat, smooth coat, working with the grain of the wood. Keep the layer very thin. Let it set for eight hours.

Lightly sand the polyurethane by hand, dulling the surface. Wipe the up dust with tack cloths. Brush on a second layer of polyurethane. Let it dry eight hours.

Lightly sand the second layer of polyurethane by hand, wipe up the dust, and apply a third layer. Let it dry 12 hours, and then assemble the doors.