Repairing Whitewashed Pickling for Kitchen Cabinets

Strip the old paint with mineral spirits or paint thinner. Spread the solvent on the finish with a paintbrush, then allow it to soak for about 10 minutes.

Scrape and scrub the old finish away with a paint scraper and a scrub brush. Add more solvent if necessary to remove stubborn spots.

Wash the kitchen cabinets with trisodium phosphate. Use about 1/4 cup of TSP per 1 gallon of hot water. This will remove chemical residue from the solvent. Rinse the wood with water and a cloth.

Check the cabinets for blemishes. If there are any light scratches or nicks, sand the cabinet with medium-grade sandpaper, then sand again with fine-grade sandpaper. Wipe the cabinets down with a moist cloth.

Thin the paint with an appropriate medium. Oil-based paints should be thinned with paint thinner, while water-based paints should be thinned with water. Mix the paint with equal amounts of thinner or water.

Pour the thinned paint into a paint tray. Use a paint roller to apply the thinned paint to the kitchen cabinets. If there are any tricky spots, such as grooves or engravings, use a paintbrush to apply the paint.

Allow the paint to dry. Apply a protective sealer, such as polyurethane or varnish. Avoid glossy-finish sealers, because these detract from the antiqued look -- stick with matte or satin finishes.

Paint the sealer on the cabinet with a soft-bristled paintbrush or a foam or lamb's wool applicator. Spread the sealer thinly and evenly, then allow it to dry. Gently sand the sealer with very fine-grade sandpaper, then wipe the dust away and apply a second coat.