Cabinet question

[Jeff Monson]

Building some built in cabinets for our mudroom, poplar face frames and doors with mdf inserts, sprayed white with Target EM6500. I plan on using prefinished maple plywood for the cases on this job. I will have 2 exposed side panels that will be seen and need to be white. What do you cabinet guys do here? Sand back the finish on the plywood and spray it? Attached a photo so you can see better what I'm asking (area where the bench attaches on both sides).

[Jim Becker]

I personally like to do overlay panels that "match" the design of the cabinets. If you need to keep it thin, you can always laminate some 1/4" MDF to the unfinished side of the plywood that will be exposed to give a great paint surface.

[Dan Chouinard]

plywood finished on one face is available

[Jim Becker]

I forgot to answer about the abrasion...yes, if you bought finished both sides plywood (I usually buy finished one side) and the surface is good, just abrading it nicely without actually removing the pre-finish and then thoroughly cleaning it should be fine to spray on the EM6500. I'd likely apply a primer first myself, but if your prep is good, things should work fine.

[Kevin Jenness]

As Jim said, you can get decent adhesion by scuff sanding the prefinished surface. Whether that surface is flat enough for a good look when painted is another question. Mdf is a better paint substrate than veneer core ply.

[Jeff Monson]

I forgot to answer about the abrasion...yes, if you bought finished both sides plywood (I usually buy finished one side) and the surface is good, just abrading it nicely without actually removing the pre-finish and then thoroughly cleaning it should be fine to spray on the EM6500. I'd likely apply a primer first myself, but if your prep is good, things should work fine.

Forgot to mention, yes priming with Target 5000. Also finding finished one side around here seems to be a challenge, special order is all I can find.

[Mark Bolton]

Forgot to mention, yes priming with Target 5000. Also finding finished one side around here seems to be a challenge, special order is all I can find.

In a small project like that you may be better with PF2sides anyway because you'll need it for shelves and if you only have a couple gables needing PF1 its not worth buying a different sheet for 2 sides. I do all applied ends so whether its ply or 5 piece a skin is applied but a lot depends on your construction style. We build flush interiors so FF overlap is large so on paint we just spray a skin but spraying the side with the face frame is much nicer (tight joint to the face frame) as opposed to the applied leaving a dry seam there.

[Jim Becker]

Honestly, the finished both sides does give you a really nice, flat, smooth surface to get that color on, so it's not exactly detrimental. :) You just need to do the prep work and yes, the 5000 primer will be fine, although it's a high build product that's not necessary for such a smooth surface. But if you have it...use it. I keep the 1000 sealer/primer around for all the situations that the high-build isn't required, and it's a lot easier to spray because it's not so viscous.

[Mark Bolton]

Make sure you scuff back aggressively. Tons of shops have issues with finishes sticking to factory UV clears.