hvlp and water based finish for white cabinetry

[Daniel Dadourian]

Hello,

I'm looking for help in applying a white finish to cabinetry.

I'm routinely not thrilled with the finishes on my projects. Typically I'll use Shellac, tung oil, or Danish oil.

I tried searching SMC and haven't been able to come up with a consensus (though there are several shorter threads) regarding the best approach to applying a white finish to cabinetry. For the current project I am constructing a bookcase with a lower cabinet with raised panel doors. The case work will be birch plywood. The face frame, raised panels and trim will be maple. I would like to apply an opaque white finish. I recently purchased an Earlex 5000 hvlp and would like to use it on this project. I'm hoping to use water based products hoping to avoid fumes. I'm willing to practice on scraps, cardboard, etc. However, what products and techniques to you recommend for a professional finish? What would you fill as a filler? What about a primer-sealer? What topcoat products and/or brands do you recommend?

Many thanks in advance!

Dan

[Jamie Buxton]

Spray a finish intended for spraying. I use pigmented waterborne lacquer. You can pigment your own with universal colorants, or buy pre-colored finish from Homestead Finishing. http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/

Waterbornes do raise the grain, despite what the manufacturers claim. I sand to 320, spray two coats, and then sand once again. This sanding is just light sanding to knock off the nubs. You can do it by hand. I use 600 grit. Then I spray the third coat.

Those three coats do the trick. No filler, no sealer, just the paint.

Do not attempt to HVLP inside of concave spaces, like the inside of cabinets. Most of the finish will blow back into your face. When I'm building cabinets I spray the back separately, and attach it afterwards. And increasingly I'm spraying all the interior parts before assembly.

[Daniel Dadourian]

Spray a finish intended for spraying. I use pigmented waterborne lacquer. You can pigment your own with universal colorants, or buy pre-colored finish from Homestead Finishing. http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/

Waterbornes do raise the grain, despite what the manufacturers claim. I sand to 320, spray two coats, and then sand once again. This sanding is just light sanding to knock off the nubs. You can do it by hand. I use 600 grit. Then I spray the third coat.

Those three coats do the trick. No filler, no sealer, just the paint.

Do not attempt to HVLP inside of concave spaces, like the inside of cabinets. Most of the finish will blow back into your face. When I'm building cabinets I spray the back separately, and attach it afterwards. And increasingly I'm spraying all the interior parts before assembly.

Thank you for the tips. That sounds great.

I'm sorry if this sounds stupid, but which one of the homestead finishes are you recommending? I couldn't find a water based white lacquer. I did find an acrylic.

If you start with a clear lacquer, which tint and how much do you add? Thanks!

[Larry Fox]

I would look no further than Target Em6000 tinted white from Homestead Finishing - wonderful product. It is not a true lacquer but an acrylic but for most practical purposes I don't think that matters. I am not sure it really matters but if it were me, I would buy enough to do the entire job and mix it together to get a consistent color - things might varry a bit between "lots".

When I have used it I have always put a couple of sealer coats of dewaxed shellac under it to avoid the grain raising that comes along with WB finishes. For me, I fund it easier to apply and scuff sand a coat or so of shellac than sand out the grain raising. YMMV.

Here is the link to it on Homestead. http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/targetcoatings.htm

Call Jeff - he will hook you up with what you need.

[Daniel Dadourian]

Thanks guys. SMC people really are the best!

[Homer Faucett]

I've sprayed several pieces with Sherwin Williams Industrial Enamel water-based paint (the Pro Classic Enamel WB is also a good option if you can get the colors you want in it). These are both acrylic enamel paints, and perform very well in my opinion.

I thin as needed with water to run through my Harbor Freight HVLP gun, and it performs very well, dries quickly, and cleans up easily. I think it runs about $25 per gallon if you open a cash account, and I like being able to walk into the paint store and approve of the color before I walk out with it. I like the Target Emtech for clear coats, but the SW performs very well for me at a much reduced cost.

Good luck!

[Jeff Nolan]

Hate to disagree but I'm afraid I have to.

I would not go with a tinted lacquer in a kitchen. The problem is twofold, it's not a very durable coating (impact and water resistance is low, a problem in kitchens) and it yellows over time, which on white is noticeable.

Target Coatings are my preferred finish but for this job I would go with 8000 series pre-cat conversion varnish or the 9000 polyurethane. The 8800 sealer is what I would start with to deal with grain raise and to seal the wood. All of these can be tinted (Homestead Finishing will do it for you).

My experience is more with the 8000 series, it lays down really nicely and has a reasonable flash time (not as fast as lacquer which does mean you need to control you spray area well). I've shot a lot of the 8000, almost all in white btw, and have no hesitation about recommending it as a really high quality product that is easy to work with.

BTW, that 6000 series is most definitely a lacquer.

[Tony Bilello]

Shellac became obsolete as a finish almost 100 years ago and oils became obsolete almost 200 years ago. This, I am sure will be highly debated on here but will not be debated in the furniture industry. I am of the opinion that if the old ways were better, we would still be doing it that way. For the last 90 years or so, nitrocellulose lacquer was king. It too is now going by way of the dinosaur. it is being rapidly replaced with Pre-catalized lacquers and conversion varnishes. Pre-cat is easier to use and is very durable. It can be purchased from Sherwin Williams amonst other places. They will mix it any color you want although white can be bought right off the shelf.
I too recently purchased the Earlex Spray Station Pro. It is a nice set-up although I have had problems with the suction tube leaking - twice. I am on my 3rd gun in 6 weeks. Apparently there must be a manufacturing glitch while making the tubes or I just happen to be in an area where they sent a bad batch to. Anyway, Woodcraft replaced the whole gun for me twice without question.
Back to the finish - I normally spray a vinyl sealer coat and 2 top coats, sometimes 3 of Pre-cat lacquer. Maybe you can find a place to spray the pre-cat. BTW, with the Earlex 5000 you can do your spraying and anything more than 4 or 5 feet away will be safe from overspray. As a matter of fact, yesterday I sprayed 4 major pieces of furniture including 10 drawers with black lacquer. No overspray on my shoes (except for dust) and nothing on my eyeglasses.
These were started from bare wood, primed/sealed and topcoated and completed in one day with plenty of time to spare.

[theo arno]

Hate to disagree but I'm afraid I have to.

I would not go with a tinted lacquer in a kitchen. The problem is twofold, it's not a very durable coating (impact and water resistance is low, a problem in kitchens) and it yellows over time, which on white is noticeable.

Target Coatings are my preferred finish but for this job I would go with 8000 series pre-cat conversion varnish or the 9000 polyurethane. The 8800 sealer is what I would start with to deal with grain raise and to seal the wood. All of these can be tinted (Homestead Finishing will do it for you).

My experience is more with the 8000 series, it lays down really nicely and has a reasonable flash time (not as fast as lacquer which does mean you need to control you spray area well). I've shot a lot of the 8000, almost all in white btw, and have no hesitation about recommending it as a really high quality product that is easy to work with.

BTW, that 6000 series is most definitely a lacquer.

Jeff
Thank you for the input. I just want to get this correct.
When I order the 8800 sealer and the 8000 series or 9000 series do I ask to have both the sealer and the top coat 8000/9000 tinted???

Theo

[Casey Gooding]

Shellac and varnish are perhaps obsolete in production work. They are still widely used and highly regarded in custom work.

[Jim Becker]

I would not go with a tinted lacquer in a kitchen. The problem is twofold, it's not a very durable coating (impact and water resistance is low, a problem in kitchens) and it yellows over time, which on white is noticeable.

My kitchen was finished (white and green) in 2003 using Target Coatings PSL...two steps back predecessor for the current EM6000. It has held up wonderfully including coping with cleaning products as well as the abuse our kids place on it. While there are now some places that are incurring wear...they are places like corners where any finish is going to get physically dinged over time. And...no discernible yellowing that I can find. Also note that all these water borne products are acrylics...the fact that "lacquer" is in the name refers to some properties that are mimicked by the product. That said, the EM8000 is an excellent product. I'd not hesitate to use it when its own properties will be beneficial to a project.

------
Tony, most folks here do not have the facilities necessary to safely spray Pre-cat Lacquer and even some conversion varnishes. They are wonderful products and the defacto standard in manufacturing (along with polyesters) as well as pro shops, but I wouldn't attempt to use them in my shop ever. But even the pro shops are having to move to water borne products in many areas due to VOC regulation. Fortunately, manufacturers have been working hard on making these safer products provide durable finishes and desirable properties as they replace the solvent-based products that are now verboten in many places.