SW KEM AQUA over previously finished cabinets?

[David Ruhland]

My SW store gave me a can of KEM aqua to test with. In reading the PDS it appears it’s only for new wood or wood that has been completely stripped. Anyone had any success using over previously finished surface? If so what was your process? Looks like it would be great for spraying on cabinet refinish jobs?

if using on new wood- BIN shellac ok for primer?

[Jim Becker]

I honestly didn't have a good experience with it a number of years ago when I was doing a big "kitchen continent" top project. It was supposed to be "the" finish, but I couldn't get it to lay down, even with extender. And that was starting on bare wood. I ended up flattening it back and switching to EM8000CV. I believe John T didn't have the best experience with it, either. Now that was the clear version...I seem to get the feeling you're using a colored/tinted version.

I suggest you ask SW for their primer recommendation if you are using a colored version of the product to insure compatibility.

[Allan Dozier]

They recommend their Kem Aqua Plus Surfacer or one of their other primers which I can't remember the name of. I use the Surfacer. I generally use the Dull Rubbed White Kem Aqua and used it on several cabinet projects. I would think if the previous finish was scarified properly it would work the same as their surfacer.

[John TenEyck]

Like Jim, I've only sprayed the KA clear. I couldn't spray that stuff for beans until I added about 4% of GF's Extender to it. But it sounds like you know how to spray the white version so I'd just go with whatever primer SW's recommends. Alternatively, BIN waterbased white primer sprays at least as well as the white pigmented shellac based one, is easy soap and water cleanup, and costs half as much, or less.

John