Replies

1. 
   jako17 | Jan 21, 2004 04:43pm | #1

   1) talk to a paint manufacturer's tech people .There are super adherent undercoaters. My mother coated gloss ceramic wall tile withacrylic after washing it with methyl alcohol over 25years ago and it is still ok.Coatings have improved a lot since then

   2) Dunno

   3)Not solvent, dunno about waterbase( I may be biased towards solvent based but I have to stand behind my work and I hate callbacks,especially in commercial premises!)   Talk to the source,the manufacturers if you feel you have too much at stake 

2. 
   TomT226 | Jan 22, 2004 02:49pm | #2

   Get a copy of "Refacing Cabinets, Making An Old Kitchen New" by Herrick Kimball from Taunton Press. Got everything you need to know in there.

1. 
   rhrasna | Jan 22, 2004 05:33pm | #3

   Thanks for the info. My suspicion was that they could, in fact be refinished as we first thought. Just needed to prepare them correctly. I'll talk to paint people and probably get the book which I'm sure, will have other useful ideas as well.

   Ron H

3. 
   JBD | Jan 22, 2004 06:23pm | #4

   See  "Red" responses

   1) Is the advice we received about painting correct? My wife seems to think there are products out there that can prepare the surface so that paint (acrylics) WILL stick.  First off, automotive epoxy primer (two part) will stick quite well to sanded plastics and melamine.  Second, I have veneered melamine with great success using polyurethane glue (best glues for melamine) after sanding the melamine with a random-orbit sander.  Use Gorilla glue, and dampen the surface of the veneer a little with water (PUR glues need moisture to cure).  You'll need to clamp the veneer with crowned clamping cauls and backing panels - search out "veneering" on the search function.  Don't use contact cement.

   2) The faces of the doors, etc will require a fair amount of veneer. Where does one get some at reasonable prices? A few sites I looked at  seem to indicate prices starting at about $1/sq ft and going up (way up!!) from there.  My favorite place is http://www.certainlywood.com for raw veneers.  You may want to spend extra money on the paper-backed full 4x8 sheet veneers if you are a beginner, but seaming raw flitches is not hard to learn.  Great choice fo veneers there - you may want to use a really cool figured veneer. 

   3) Don't I have the same problem with contact cement as I do with paint? that is, won't it start peeling after a few years?  NEVER use contact cement to apply veneer unless you like the "Early Mobile Home" style of furniture.  The lumpiness of the glue telegraphs through to the surface and finishes will show this off horribly.   Not to mention poor adhesion. 

   A good possibliity here is to find a cabinetshop or plywood supply co. that might sell you real veneer on phenolic laminate backer (formica).  This CAN be applied with contact cement without the telegraphing issue because its a stiffer product. 

    

   "The furniture designer is an architect." - Maurice DuFrenes (French Art Deco furniture designer, contemporary of Ruhlmann)

   http://www.pbase.com/dr_dichro

1. 
   rhrasna | Jan 22, 2004 09:47pm | #5

   Thanks for the info!!! This will help immensely. We would much rather paint what we have rather than veneering all those cabinets and it sounds do-able.

   Ron H