Satin black finish on MDF recommendations please.

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11-17-2019, 8:46 PM
Joe Jensen

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Satin black finish on MDF recommendations please.

I built a TV lift cabinet. I also built speakers that will mount on either side of the lift to come up with the TV. The grills I made for the speakers have black grill cloth and as the TV is black I am planning to finish the speaker boxes in a satin black. I've made a lot of speaker boxes in the past out of MDF and oak plywood and finished them in satin black but I always used rattle cans. I'd like to spray these with my HVLP gun.

Would I spray them black and then a satin clear top coat? What material to spray?

I have a fair bit of experience spraying. My guns are conversion guns.

Here is a pic of the cabinet minus the doors.

Attachment 419802
11-17-2019, 9:30 PM
Edward Dyas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Jensen

I built a TV lift cabinet. I also built speakers that will mount on either side of the lift to come up with the TV. The grills I made for the speakers have black grill cloth and as the TV is black I am planning to finish the speaker boxes in a satin black. I've made a lot of speaker boxes in the past out of MDF and oak plywood and finished them in satin black but I always used rattle cans. I'd like to spray these with my HVLP gun.

Would I spray them black and then a satin clear top coat? What material to spray?

I have a fair bit of experience spraying. My guns are conversion guns.

Here is a pic of the cabinet minus the doors.

Attachment 419802

If it were me I would tint a gray primer as near black as I could and level the finish with that and then spray it with an oil based satin black paint. You would probably have to go to a real paint store such as sherwin williams to get an oil based satin paint. If they didn't stock the black paint in satin they have a flattening agent they could add to a gloss paint. I wouldn't clear coat it.
11-18-2019, 9:13 AM
Jim Becker

GF's Lamp Black Milk Paint (which is actually an acrylic finish) is nicely satin and would be one good choice to consider for your project and really doesn't need to be clear coated unless you expect excessive resistance to wear being necessary. I agree with Ed about grey primer. The product I mention sprays beautifully...
11-18-2019, 3:37 PM
John TenEyck

I would consider Target Coatings Emtech-HSF5000WB gray primer followed by EM6600WB Raven Black Lacquer. Comes in satin only; just what you wanted. You likely will need a 2.0 mm N/N set to spray it with a gravity feed HVLP gun w/o thinning.

John
11-18-2019, 4:22 PM
Jamie Buxton

Why use primer? Why not use the black paint for all coats?
11-18-2019, 5:35 PM
Edward Dyas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton

Why use primer? Why not use the black paint for all coats?

Primer has a lot more solids in it than paint so it will build a thickness quicker. It also is easier to sand between coats which makes the substrate smoother for the paint.
11-18-2019, 5:37 PM
John TenEyck

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton

Why use primer? Why not use the black paint for all coats?

Primer sands a lot easier than paint. I prefer primer first because when I find the defects I didn't see before priming, and somehow there always are some, it's an easier job to fill them with primer as the base. After filling and sanding, I shoot another coat of primer on the filled spots, or the whole piece if needed.

As a side note, I've found it best if the filler has a color similar to the primer so that it doesn't telegraph through. This is especially important if you have to fill a defect after applying the first layer of topcoat. It's amazing how some colors will show through a coat of paint.

John