Let me set the stage…
I have built several projects and when it comes to finishing, as of lately, I have tried to use Tried and true. I like the ease of application, user friendly ingredients and the results. Other than Tried and True I use Arm-R-Seal heavy duty oil and urethane top coat.
Heres where things stand…
I just finished building kitchen cabinets for a friend. The cabinets are birch lumber and ply. My friend wanted birtch so that’s what I used. Anybody know if this was a bad idea, or just a les popular choice? Okay, so I need to keep the finish as clear as possible and that means Tried and True is out of the question. I can’t spray the finish on and I would prefer to wipe on/off instead of brushing a finish on. Repairability is not a big factor. I was directed to look at Deft clear wood finish (lacquer, but brushed on) or possibly a water-based polyurethane. I have never used shellac, would it dry clear, and is it easy to apply?
Summing it up…
Birch lumber and ply – need a clear finish – easiest application
Thanks for everyones help
Ryan
Replies
Depending on the quantity of cabinets that you need to finish, you may want to consider spraying. You will get much better results and will have a wider variety of durable finishes available. If you have an air compressor, you can get into a HVLP at a fairly low cost. Consider using FUHR 355 waterbased acrylic varnish, which is designed especially for kitchens. As a beginner, I used this product on a huge set of cherry cabinets with shellac base coat and had wonderful results. The stuff goes on smoothly, dries within 20 minutes and can be sanded and recoated in an hour. The overspray can easily be exhausted with box fans and poly can protect other surfaces. Overspray is not sticky either. Check out homestead finishing for more advise on this product and spray equipment.
Aaron
Ryan,
Norm,
I second the advise to spray the cabinets. Assuming it is an average-sized kitchen, the finishing chore will be substantial. If you are inexperienced with spraying, kitchen cabinets offer a great opportunity to learn. Deft lacquer is a great product whether brushed or sprayed but this lacquer should not be used on cabinets that will come into contact with water, wet towels of even wet hands. Shellac is as easy to work as Deft, dries as fast and is more water tolerant than lacquer. It too can be sprayed.
Good luck.
Doug
Update...
There is a cabinet shop about 2 minutes away from my house. About 4 months ago I was trying to help my younger brother land his first job and took him to the cabinet shop. I ended up talking shop to the shop owner for about an hour that day and in the end he was trying to get me to work with him. So I went down to his shop this AM because I recalled he had designed a very nice spray booth. After talking with him for another hour today it looks like I will be able to spray the cabinets at his shop. We have to work out the fine details because he still needs to cover his daily overhead but I'm not to worried. I might trade some install time for spray booth time. So now it just comes down to choosing the right finish. The shop owner has always used oil polyurethane but said he has been interested in trying out water based. I will look into the products that have already been suggested in this thread. Again, thanks for the suggestions.
Ryan
Ryan,
With access to a spray booth, you have a couple options for a water-clear, non-yellowing finish; you can use CAB-acrylic lacquer or a waterborne finish. CAB-acrylic lacquer is made from a blend of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and acrylic resins. The blend of resins makes gives it a higher solids content (less coats), and improves its durability and handling characteristics (sprays and flows out well).
There are a lot of waterborne finishes to choose from but some are definately better than others. For a durable, very clear finish, my choice would be the "Super-Clear Polyurethane" from Target Coatings. I usually use the Premium Spray Lacquer (PSL) from Target, and it's a good finish for cabinetry, but the poly is tougher.
Super-blond shellac wouldn't be an option I'd consider for kitchen or bath cabinetry; it's not durable enough.
Paul
Ryan,
Spraying is always a good option, but by far it’s not the only one. Spraying a solvent based lacquer requires a pretty complex set up if you are spraying indoors. If you can spray outdoors then all you’d need is a mask and the spray equipment.
Brushing or wiping on the other hand requires very little in the way of specialized equipment, i.e. spray guns, booths, compressors and turbines, all you need is a brush. . . . Brushing or wiping a finish can be quite relaxing and rewarding and with a little practice can move along quite fast.View Image
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