How to Make a Darker Cabinet Stain

Remove any existing finish on your cabinets, using a commercial lacquer remover. The cabinets will not take stain applied over lacquer or varnish.

Wipe on several layers of wood stain, alternating against the grain and along the grain. Let the wood stain dry before applying additional coats. Continue adding layers until the cabinets are dark enough. If the wood stain itself is too light for your needs, darken it with oil paints.

Squeeze small amounts of oil paints onto a paint palette and mix them with a palette knife. For a cherry stain, use burnt sienna alone or mixed with raw sienna. For a maple stain, use burnt umber alone or mixed with burnt sienna. For a mahogany stain, mix burnt sienna and rose pink with burnt umber or Vandyke brown. For oak cabinets, mix raw sienna with raw umber or burnt umber. For a walnut stain, mix burnt umber with burnt sienna, raw umber or Vandyke brown. Continue to experiment with combinations until you achieve a color that complements your cabinets.

Add the mixed oil paints to your current container of stain, a little at a time. Stir the stain and continue adding small amounts of paint until the stain is the desired tone.