How to Restore an Antique Baking Hutch

Remove all doors, drawers and hardware from your hutch. Check the backs of the doors and the hinges to see what type of screwdriver you will need to remove the screws. Set aside all of the hardware and screws in a safe place.

Pour a small amount of varnish stripper onto a clean cloth. Dab the wood with the cloth and allow the stripper to soak for about five minutes.

Scrape the finish with a paint scraper, nonmetallic scrub brush or 0000-grade steel wool. If you find that some of the finish is being stubborn, add more stripper and allow it to soak into the wood for about five minutes. Keep scrubbing until the finish is completely gone.

Stir 1/2 cup of trisodium phosphate into 1 cup of hot water. Scrub the wood with this solution using a nonabrasive sponge or cloth. Rinse the wood with a damp cloth, then allow it to air-dry.

Sand every surface of the hutch. Use a hand-held belt sander on any broad, flat surfaces and a sanding pad or sanding sponge for hard-to-reach areas or any intricate engravings. Sand with 100-grit sandpaper to remove the remaining stain and any minor damage, such as scratches or dents.

Sweep off the dust with a tack cloth, then sand the hutch again with 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe the hutch with a tack cloth to get rid of the dust.

Spread stain over every surface of the hutch. You can use regular liquid stain or a gel stain, the latter being preferable for vertical surfaces. Liquid stains can be applied with a rag, sprayer or paintbrush, but gel stains can be applied only with a rag.

Wipe the wood with a clean cloth after you have applied the stain to remove the excess. When applying stain and wiping the excess stain, always spread the stain with the grain of the wood. Allow the stain to dry completely, and apply additional coats if desired.

Mix the polyurethane by stirring it. Spread the polyurethane over the stained wood using straight, even strokes with a foam or lamb's wool applicator. Overlap each stroke by about 1/2 inch.

Allow the polyurethane to dry. Lightly sand the dried polyurethane with fine-grade sandpaper, around 400-grit or higher. Brush the dust off of the hutch with a tack cloth. Apply between two and four additional coats of polyurethane.