Cabinet refinishing is one path you can take when looking to revamp a dated kitchen. What is refinishing anyway? For those unfamiliar with this term, it means changing the top layer of coloring and sealer on the cabinets. Think of giving your car a new paint job. Usually wood stain is the colorant and clear lacquer is the sealant. If your cabinets are a solid color, white for example, a solid opaque lacquer was used to coat and seal the raw wood. These top coats are an industry standard that furniture and cabinet manufacturers apply to resist water, wear and tear and also add style and beauty to the wood.