USL on kitchen cabinets?

[Byron Trantham]

Is there any reason why USL (Target Coatings) can't used to topcoat kitchen cabinets? My brother-in-law told me no way. He's a nitrocellulose freak and refuses to use WB products. Biased or accurate?:confused:

[Jamie Buxton]

That argument is increasinly moot. Can you legally spray nitrocellulose where you live? In many cities, air-quality control laws allow it only if you're inside a spray room that recovers solvents.

[Byron Trantham]

That argument is increasinly moot. Can you legally spray nitrocellulose where you live? In many cities, air-quality control laws allow it only if you're inside a spray room that recovers solvents.

You're right the issue is moot. I have two mitigating factors that preclude nitro; 1) my wife's lungs can't handle any form of it and 2) I have gas fired hot water tank on the saame floor! :eek: The question still remains, are WB products ok to use for kitchen cabinets and if so, which product, lacquer, poly, varnish, etc.

[Conrad Fiore]

Byron,
There is absolutely no reason with the WB coatings of today to not use a WB topcoat product on kitchen cabinets. Many of the large cabinet manufacturers have switched over to using WB products. Target, General, ML Campbell and Sherwin Williams are just a few of the manufacturers that are now producing quality WB topcoats.
One item to consider when selecting a clear topcoat is will you be applying the topcoat over unstained, stained or painted wood. Some of the WB products have been formulated to mimic solvent based clear coats that amber over time. You would not want to use one of these if you will be applying the topcoat over light colored paints that will show the topcoat color shift over time. In this instance you will want to use a water white topcoat that remains clear and does not amber over time. If you are applying the topcoat over a stained or unstained wood, you might want to use one of the products that will amber over time to achieve that warm glow that you would have gotten with a solvent based product.

[Howard Acheson]

As said, many professional finishers use waterborne products for kitchen cabinetry.

I would stick with products that meet the KCMA(Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing Association, I think) standards. These products meet requirements for standing up to grease, steam, etc. that are the kitchen environment.

The problem has been, and to some extent still is, that waterborne finishes are not as durable as oil based finishes when subjected to the kitchen environment and household chemicals used to clean the surface. That said, most waterbornes are as durable as NC lacquer which is the somewhat traditional kitchen cabinet finish.

[Jim Becker]

My whole kitchen is top coated in USL's predecessor and I'd not hesitate to use the EM6000 that recently replaced USL in a kitchen project. I have had zero issue with the finish relative to cleaning and the only reason there is any damage to the finish anywhere right now is from the shear brutality our daughters have inflicted...and I assure you that the type of finish wouldn't have mattered in that respect!

Byron, contact Jeff Weiss at Target to get his recommendation for your kitchen project. It may be the EM6000 or it may be the conversion varnish. All of the products are water borne acrylics, but Jeff has formulated each for specific characteristics and benefits.