Suggestions for kitchen cabinet finish

[Dan Zemcik]

I am looking for some advice on what product to use on my project. I am just about done making new kitchen cabinets. They are cherry and have been dyed with water based dye to even out the color of all the lumber..I do have access to an automotive spray booth and have some experince with spraying..
Lacquer? Rockhard? Something else? Thanks for any input!

[Jim Becker]

If you have a "real" spray booth available, your options are broader since you could safely spray solvent based products such as lacquer. But I'm a fan of water borne products at this point. They have come a long way. And yes, you can even get higher-durability products that are the equivalent of conversion varnishes and so forth. I'm also a fan of Target Coatings products, but there are many, many choices from the major vendors available these days.

Don't even consider using an oil based product like Rockhard if you're going to spray...they dry so slowly, you end up with a sticky mess in your spray environment.


Be sure you seal that dye before you proceed with additional finishing steps, however. Typically, folks use a sprayed coat of de-waxed shellac for that purpose.

[Todd Burch]

I like spraying lacquer - and the flavor I use also doubles as its own sanding (and dye) sealer.

[John TenEyck]

I like waterborne because I can spray it in my homeshop "spray booth". Whatever you use, however, I recommend you use a product that meets KCMA requirements. This is your best assurance the finish will be durable in a kitchen environment.

[Jeff Monson]

I've had just as good success with water based lacquer as nitro based. It was a little learning curve, but well worth taking. I spray strictly water based lacquer for cabinets now and they look great.

[Tony Joyce]

Vinyl sealer with pre-cat top coat. Spray good, dries fast, very durable. Sherwin Williams or ML Campbell.

[David Kumm]

If you have access to a spray booth there is no finish tougher than conversion varnish. Sherwin Williams is easy to apply, dries fast, and can be sanded and recoated the same day. Because you only mix up what you need it works better for me than precat as I'm likely to not use the remainder. Only you can decide if you need as bulletproof a finish as that but cabinet guys swear by it. Dave

[Harold Burrell]

I've had just as good success with water based lacquer...

I don't think there is such a thing, is there???

[Scott Holmes]

Many of the water-bone finishes are calling it lacquer...Marketing!

It is not nitrocellulous lacquer. nor is it a cat lacquer. Most likely it is not KCMA cert. Very few waterborne are.

[Jeff Monson]

I don't think there is such a thing, is there???

No, Harold I agree there isn't. Just trying to keep it on a simple level. Maybe not the correct thing to do....but that is how I was introduced to it. As Scott stated it's in the marketing.

[John TenEyck]

WB clear coat products that meet KCMA standards are not hard to find, and not hard to use. SW's Sher-Wood KEM Aqua is one: http://oem.sherwin-williams.com/us/eng/oem/products/sherwood_kem_aqua_lacquer/?referringCategory=categories/wood/finishes_topcoats/

[Harold Burrell]

No, Harold I agree there isn't. Just trying to keep it on a simple level. Maybe not the correct thing to do....but that is how I was introduced to it. As Scott stated it's in the marketing.

Thanks for the reply. I do hope you know that I wasn't slamming you in anyway with my question. I really want to know. I am VERY interested in a GOOD WB finish.

[Jim Becker]

"WB Lacquer" is absolutely marketing, but in some cases it's at least for a product that offers one or more of the desirable characteristics of "lacquer", such as burn-in of coats, as well as how it lays down from the spray gun.

[Jeff Monson]

Thanks for the reply. I do hope you know that I wasn't slamming you in anyway with my question. I really want to know. I am VERY interested in a GOOD WB finish.

No worries Harold, I knew what you meant. I know there are many Target coatings fans here, I have used it and like it alot, I'd just rather go local and buy it over the counter. I prefer Sherwin Williams product for this reason.




"WB Lacquer" is absolutely marketing, but in some cases it's at least for a product that offers one or more of the desirable characteristics of "lacquer", such as burn-in of coats, as well as how it lays down from the spray gun.

That sums it up really nice Jim

[Ryan Hellmer]

I have had good luck with General Finishes Enduro-Var Pre-Cat Urethane. It's holding up well in my kitchen so far (it's only been about 18 months). I really liked the way it flowed out after spraying. I used conversion HVLP on shop compressed air.

Ryan