I am curious to know from those of you who have had experience using catalyzed lacquer as a finish for raw MDF cabinet doors and drawer fronts, what the normal sequence of events would be from start to finish.
I am using this finish on raw MDF doors and drawer fronts (about 42 pieces total) for the first time. The products consist of Sherwin Williams catalyzed white vinyl sealer/primer followed by a custom colored pre-catalyzed lacquer.
I am currently doing the primer/sealer and what I’ve noticed is the difficulty of getting a smooth finish right out of the gun. On raw MDF would it be normal to sand smooth between coats? Would this process be required following each successive coat or just on the first primer coat?
Most distressing is having to treat the detail in the doors from the shaper. The doors were done by an outside contractor on a CNC machine. The detail(s) is crisp and clean, but the first coat of primer here leaves roughness that needs to be sanded. I am not looking forward to doing this on each of these doors.
Any suggestions on this process for ease of application is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Craig
Replies
Craig
My expereince with spraying MDF is the same as what is happening to you. Details that seem glass smooth get pretty rough after you shoot the primer. You will have to sand after the primer coat, this should leave a glass smooth surface. It is possible you may have to shoot a second coat of primer to fill the pores in the edges of the MDF and sand again. It should not be necessary to sand between top coats.
I use a product made by M.L. Campbell called Clawlock which is a pigmented conversion varnish. The advantage to this product is the high solids content of the material as compared to lacquer. It also is self sealing, no need for a special primer. IMHO a painted finish like you are doing is the most difficult and time consuming to do right. Good luck
Tony
You need to sand, definitely after the first coat, probably between any subsequent coats. There is a pore filler made specially for sealing the edges of MDF and particleboard that may help there, or wherever the router cut a profile. Usually sold by the same type of supplier you get your lacquer from.cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.SWAY too conservative to be merely right wing
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