yes, gel stains are oil based. Try the stain on the inside of a cabinet door. Just follow the directions on the can.

luv, He just used a citrus-based (orange something) cleaner. Our cabinets were in good condition structurally, and they didn't look terrible, but we had a few places where they showed wear---one was near the sink, where I think water probably wore away at the finish. After 20+ years, I assume that whatever protective surface might have been put on the cabinets must have worn off, because the stain definitely did sink in. He applied the stain as you normally would---rubbing on a small amount, then rubbing off any excess. If you decide to try this, I would definitely test it first in an inconspicuous spot, or maybe even on a cabinet elsewhere in the house (especially useful if they used the same cabinets there as the ones in the kitchen). DH tested ours before committing to doing all the cabinets, and it seemed to work fine. The final urethane coat is important, too, as it is what gave the cabinets a finished look and, I presume, will protect the cabinets. I was honestly amazed that it worked. I really thought we'd have to sand and restain. I don't know if this method will work for all wood cabinets, but it turned out great for us. We did not try to darken our cabinets significantly, as I did not want dark cabinets in my kitchen, so if you are trying to do something to hide the fact that you have oak cabinets, it might not be satisfactory for you. We still have golden oak, the grain still stands out, but it looks much better.

Thanks for all the replies, appreciate you all taking the time to answer. I think this could be a good option if you have solid wood cabinets. I guess cost depends on where one lives and how many people are doing this type of work. I would think this may be the cheapest between refinishing, refacing or replacing. I'm going to email the place I mentioned above and send pictures and ask for a guesstimate. AKRO, can you find out why your friend chose this route and possibly the cost difference from other options? hgluckman-I may be in the same situation of needing extra cabinets, but not sure yet. Would love to hear of your progress if you get the chance. What color cabinets do you have and what color are you thinking of changing to. The cabinets in the house are white and I'm thinking of a darker wood with a lighter brown-tone granite. One of the things I'm going to ask the cabinet person has to do with the hinges. The cabinets have the old hinges that show on the outside, I think they are overlay, or something similar. I want to know if it's possible to change them to inside hinges, ones that don't show. Hoping others who have gone this route will post some before/after pictures - would love to see what others have done! Thanks all!

"IF" you have more than a little experience with stains and clear coats and have the desire to advance to another level,I might be able to help. If you are only looking for the easiest way of doing something with the cabinets,I'll leave it to others who trod that path.