Replies

1. 
   Clay | Feb 19, 2003 08:00am | #1

   Here is a copy of my post on "Best Finish For Kitchen Cabinets" this should help.

   Commercial cabinet makers use catalyzed lacquers for such finishes and they are about the toughest thing available.  You really need a good HVLP gun to apply it and you must have a good chemical or fresh-air supplied mask.  You can spray these in the garage if you can have a window open with a fan running and a door or other window cracked open.  They are too dangerous to spray inside of an occupied home.  Suppliers for such finishes are sparse.  They cater to the cabinetmaker trade and you may have one locally or you may have to buy them from a more distant supplier (you can find one online).  Some paint suppliers in your area may rent HVLP units, I know I could get them here.   Standard sprayers put out so much overspray that it is pretty inconvenient to use them and also increases the hazards considerably.

1. 
   observer | Feb 19, 2003 09:16am | #2

   Thanks Clay. Can you tell me anything about sealer coats, thinning the mat'l, recommended degree of gloss, finish build, sanding and rubbing out, yellowing and so forth. I've had info from the rep but would appreciate hearing your experience.

1. 
   Clay | Feb 19, 2003 09:56am | #3

   Thanks Clay. Can you tell me anything about sealer coats, thinning the mat'l, recommended degree of gloss, finish build, sanding and rubbing out, yellowing and so forth. I've had info from the rep but would appreciate hearing your experience.

   These finishes are almost always self priming.  Thinning is basically lacquer thinner but they are finicky so use the one that your supplier specifies for your product.  They  come in a range of sheens and are most durable in the higher gloss levels but even the lower gloss levels will usually be as hard as needed for practical purposes. These finishes tend to build a good film quickly (two to three coats).  Some of them will specify how many coats are reccommended.  Too many is often as bad as too few.  They are really hard so they will polish out pretty slick if that's what you want.  The sanding can get tedious though because of that hardness.  I often use something like soft-scrub cleanser to even out the sheen.   Which usually works out to a sheen soomewhere between semi-gloss and satin.  I try to minimize sanding by careful spraying, to avoid excessive work.  Yellowing is not a common problem but I have seen it occur.  I have repainted several white kitchens for one high end cabinetmaker who used a poor product about fifteen years ago. 

1. 
   observer | Feb 20, 2003 08:10am | #4

   Good information, much appreciated. I am delivering a couple of sample doors early next week,a trial pail of 25° sheen finish arriving tomorrow and feel more comfortable with it now.

1. 
   observer | Feb 23, 2003 04:02am | #5

   Nice stuff, I like it.