Refinishing Ideas for Wood Hutches

Stain

• For a rich, wood grain appearance, refinish a hutch with a stain. Stain is a pigmented agent like paint, but does not coat or cover the wood grain. Instead, it darkens the wood, enhancing the grain. Staining requires that the old finish be completely removed from the hutch. Many hutches have intricate woodwork around the top or shelf areas. A liquid stripper may be applied to these areas to save on hand sanding. When selecting the option to stain a hutch, sand the piece with 220-grit sandpaper after the old finish is removed. This will give a smooth texture to the piece and bring out the natural wood grain.

Crackle Finish

• Give a hutch a worn or used appearance with a crackle finish. If the occupying room for the hutch is done in antiques, shabby chic or even old country decor, a crackle finish can make the piece fit right in. When complete, the finish appears to be cracked and worn. The process for the finish involves a dark coat of paint over the entire piece. A special crackle glaze is then applied and allowed to dry. A light, or lighter, coat of paint is then applied. The glaze will cause the last coat to form cracks. For any fine woodworking areas, do not apply the glaze. Only use the second coat of paint on a hutch's trim.

Marbleizing

• If the hutch is positioned in a kitchen with marble countertops or floors, you may wish to refinish it to match. Marbleizing is a refinishing process that gives the piece the look of marble. Apply a base coat of paint to the hutch to match the base coat of paint of the surrounding marble. Crumple up a piece of plastic in your hand and dip in the secondary color. Blot the paint onto the hutch, without trying to cover it all. Use a third color sparingly on the piece using the same blotting method. For a hutch with intricate details, leave these areas with the base coat only. It will give a trimmed appearance to the piece.

Pattern Matching

• For the hutch that holds the family china or good dinnerware, consider creating a matching finish. Most plates have a design in the middle or around the edges. Trace this design on a piece of paper, then onto stiff cardboard. Cut out the pattern to create a stencil. Give the hutch a good base coat layer of paint to match the surroundings, or to match the main color of the plates. Use the stencil to apply the plate pattern onto the hutch.