How hard is it to actually sand, stain and varnish your cupboards?

Question

Natural oak cupboards. Thinking of a darker color. Is it actually worth the hard work? Or am I better off, simply replacing them?
Also thinking of a stainless steel backsplash. Would that be hard to do?

Thanks for the very much needed info, before we start the work.

Answer 1

My 77 year old mother just did all her kitchen cabinet doors this winter. Sanded, stained and varnished. They look brand new. Stainless steel backsplash is not that hard either. I put one in behind our range.

Answer 2

It's a monster job and getting the color you "want" is nearly impossible. It's very do-able but 10 times the work you envision.