Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Removing Lacquer Finish

Hi everyone, This is my first time here and I hope someone can help. I would like to buy a new small cabinet from Ikea that is made of pine and has a clear lacquer finish. I would like to stain this cabinet to match the rest of my kitchen and I have never done anything like this before. Do I use paint and varnish remover and then stain it? Any helpful hints would be appreciated. The piece costs around $200 and I don't want to ruin it.

The best stripper for lacquer I've ever found is a 50:50 mix of lacquer thinner an denatured alcohol. Work with 00 steel wool on about a 12" square at a time. Wipe down completely with the same mix after you've removed the finish to clean it thoroughly.

Test any stain on as inconspicuous spot as possible before committing to the color. The gel stains on the market are easier to use that regular liquids.

I would strongly suggest a wood conditioner - look for that description - be applied after stripping and cleaning and before staining. This will help ensure a uniformity of color.

George, you are a gem. You must get tired of answering the same questions over and over. After I posted my question, I saw that I could do a search and found a wealth of information. Thanks again for answering and in the future I promise to look around a bit before I post. This site is wonderful !