When restoring an old piece of furniture or kitchen cabinet that has been stained, you may encounter a problem with color migration into the new finish. To avoid this problem, you can apply a primer before using new colored products. An example of an effective product is Zinsser's BIN, which is made from shellac and will create a barrier between the old finish and the new one. You can also use catalyzed products such as primers or lacquers to accomplish the same task.

It is important to note that when using white paints or lacquers, the problem of migration may not appear immediately, but rather after a few days or even months. In these cases, you can apply the primer on the new finish and add a new coat of finish.

This problem of color migration can also occur when finishing new maple wood or MDF panels. The steps to avoid color migration are the same in these situations.