Replies

1. 
   ring | Mar 14, 2006 12:46am | #1

   The right answer depends a lot on what equipment you have and what techniques you are already comfortable with. Are you spraying or brushing?

   I am partial to water-borne polyurethane for kitchen cabinets. Very user-friendly and stands up well to most anything that happens in kitchens. But there are other good options out there as well.

   DR

1. 
   smslaw | Mar 14, 2006 02:34pm | #2

   I'll be brushing, not spraying, the finish.  Any brands of poly you think are best? Thanks.

1. 
   chipo | Mar 14, 2006 11:17pm | #3

   I'm in about your situation: kitchenload of cabinets as my first major project. I got quite lovely results on my cherry face frames with a coat of boiled linseed oil to bring out the grain, and three coats of Minwax Polycrylic over that. Either wait a week or so for the BLO to dry (until you can no longer smell it) or seal it with a coat of dewaxed shellac before applying the finish. Of course, they've been sitting in my shop for almost a year while I dealt with more immediate-need projects and built some shop fixtures. Started cutting plywood for the carcasses this past weekend, though, at long last.

2. 
   user-75913 | Mar 15, 2006 04:18pm | #4

   for durability, look at finishes that have been approved by the KCMA the kitcen cabinet makers assoc.

   while not end all of finishes has this mark, its a good starting point.