Kitchen cabinet re-lacquer

[spasm3]

I didn't want to hi-jack the kitchen cabinet painting thread. We will be re fitting our kitchen with new counter tops and appliances. Our cabinets are a medium to dark stained maple( 20 some years old). The drawers are the weak points, so i just bought the porter cable 4216 dove tail jig. I'm going to make new drawers.

I want to re-lacquer the cabinets and doors. I saw Demarpaint's suggestion of cleaning with simple green 50% with water before doing anything.
I will probably do that, then a light fine steel wool rub.

Is there any difference in lacquer quality? Is there a brand that is superior as far as wear? I'm going with lacquer as thats probably whats on the cabinets now.

I will probably use a gloss. I have a couple of extra doors i saved from where the oven was installed to practice a few coats.
I have not decided if i'm spraying with a gun or brushing. I'm leaning toward HVLP spraying.


Any suggestions or tips?

Thanks

 

[dave123]

Clean scuff sand Vinyl seal topcoat with Precat lacquer but why full gloss?? 60 sheen at the most.

 

[JHZR2]

We just had a 100 year old piece of furniture that someone gave us (had been painted) refinished and then coated with sher-wood pre cat lacquer. I'm amazed at how great it looks. It was sprayed fwiw.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: dave123
Clean scuff sand Vinyl seal topcoat with Precat lacquer but why full gloss?? 60 sheen at the most.


I thought gloss might bring out the wood grain and be easier to clean. But i'm all for suggestions!

What is Vinyl seal? I'm not going down to the wood, just scuffing the existing lacquer. Any product suggestions for Vinyl seal and the precat lacquer?

Thanks


P.S. probably not going to get into the re lacquer job until april or may.

 

[Killer223]

do not use steel wool. use a good 220 sand paper, then wipe down with thinner then a tack cheese cloth. that said, i would not lacquer them. as it's not the best around water. you can use the vinyl sealer to help it from blushing, but still heavy water areas will cause issues with lacquer, the brand i like the best for flow and lay down is MI Campbell.
if you have a proper exhaust fan system an HVLP is ok if you know what your doing, else an airless is much easier to use, with a good 412-413 fin finish tip.
look into a conversion varnish from Sherwin Williams. or even adding some aluminum oxide to it to make it a harder surface.

what is on them now? you might have to do a coat of shellac as a primer to make sure the lacquer will stick and not bubble.

so in summery,
shallac, sand smooth, lacquer sanding sealer/vinyl sealer, sand smooth, lacquer top coat, check if smooth, sand if needed, second coat.

or conversion varnish, sand smooth, recoat. done.

i really like the MI Campbell. brand.

 

[dave123]

Not a fan of wipe down with lacquer thinner as may cause issues like re wetting and have a mess VM&P is my recommendation HVLP hope u have great air supply Will be fine most if not all Precat lacquer is designed ready to spray. Vinyl not only aids in moisture durability it is also for locking down existing coating or for difficult substrates many chemist still prefer this method my background is 25 years in wood coatings industry from helping small shops to multi million dollar Yachats most my products are not sale retail or over counter commercial only SW store may be best idea fine products questions just ask

 

[doitmyself]

Why do you think the original coat is lacquer??

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Why do you think the original coat is lacquer??



Cabinets were made in mid 1995. I'm assuming they are as poly in that era would have taken too long to dry for production, and shellac was not in commercial use.

I will test on of the spare doors with lacquer thinner and see if it softens it.

 

[doitmyself]

I installed cabinets around 1990 that claimed they had some sort of conversion varnish, which is a two part catalyzed finish.

 

[dave123]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
I installed cabinets around 1990 that claimed they had some sort of conversion varnish, which is a two part catalyzed finish.
in general they are acid cured usually TSA 3%

 

[spasm3]

I emailed American Woodmark to see what finish they would have used in that time period.

 

[dave123]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
I emailed American Woodmark to see what finish they would have used in that time period.
interesting hope you get a answer and very well could be a conversion varnish was widely used in time period. Would also be interesting if they give you a manufacturer.

 

[spasm3]

So far i have not received and answer. What could i use over a conversion varnish? How can i test for which it is? I know how to test for shellac vs lacquer vs poly.

Is conversion varnish the same thing thats sold as water based poly?

If i don't get and answer i may test on the extra doors i have, what would you use? I do not plan to remove the factory finish( as i imagine there is some water resistance there i.e. perhaps they used a vinyl sealer) I just plan on cleaning and light scuffing and re spray.

 

[dave123]

You get to 25 rubs in a rub test with MEK most likely a conversion coating

 

[sleddriver]

Shellac can cover anything as an intermediary coat as long as all grease is removed, the existing surface is abraded and the dust removed. This is one of the best uses for shellac.

 

[Killer223]

when i stated wipe down with thinner i meant paint thinner, or mineral spirits.
lacquer thinner with soften just about any finish on it.

if it's a nice clear type finish, i still say, use shellac as a control coat, then a conversion varnish as a top.

 

[spasm3]

So i put a coat of gloss poly on one of the spare doors. It looks fine. If i was going to have a lifting or adhesion problem, how long would it take to show up?