How to Refinish Speaker Cabinets

Sand and refinish old speaker cabinets so that they look brand new after a couple hours worth of work. Your local home improvement store has all the supplies you need. It is important to sand all the old finish from the cabinet before applying a new finish to ensure a quality project.

You can re-finish speaker cabinets yourself.

Things You Will Need

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• Blanket
• Orbital sander
• 80-grit sandpaper
• 180-grit sandpaper
• Wood putty
• Stain
• Wiping cloth
• Paint brush
• Clear top coat finish
• Steel wool

1. Lay a blanket down on a flat surface. Set the speaker cabinet onto the blanket.

2. Sand the speaker cabinet edges with an orbital sander. Lower grit sandpaper may be used to remove the old finish quicker, such as 80-grit. Once all the old finish is removed from the speaker cabinet, re-sand the entire wood surface with 180-grit sandpaper. This grit will remove the swirls created from the 80-grit sandpaper.

3. Fill any holes or imperfections with wood putty. Allow the wood putty to dry for 15 minutes. Sand the putty if needed using a sander and 180-grit sandpaper.

4. Wipe the speaker cabinet down to remove any dust from sanding.

5. Apply a wood stain to the cabinet using a wiping cloth. Wipe any excess stain with a second wiping cloth. Stain the entire cabinet and allow the cabinet to dry. Refer to the stain can for recommended drying time.

6. Apply a clear protective coat to the speaker cabinet using a paint brush. Only apply a small amount at a time to avoid runs in the finish. Use the paint brush to brush even strokes in the finish. Continue until the entire cabinet is complete.

7. Lightly buff the cabinet using steel wool to create a smooth finish.