How do I prepare my existing stained and varnished kitchen cabinets for painting?

Great care should be taken before painting previous ‘furniture’ finishes, due to the high likelihood that silicone waxes and cleaners have been used on these surfaces. The presence of silicone can be expected to interfere with the ability of a wooden substrate to properly accept a paint finish. Silicone is present in most of the popular household waxes sold in the U.S. ... more