Finish for Birch Cabinet

[Jeff Bednar]

Hello,


Last week, my dad and I built this cabinet for my garage. It is built from sanded birch plywood with 1x2 maple for the face frame. My intention was to paint the cabinet gray and use poly'd birch slab doors (see the other thread I just started).


My wife has decided she likes the look of the wood and wants the entire thing clear coated w/poly or some type of varnish (tung oil? Waterlox?). Though I didn't build it with the intent of crafting a fine piece of furniture, after inspecting there are really only a couple exposed screws... and it's in a garage, not a china shop.


My wood finishing experience is almost zero - and it seems like options/opinions are endless. I'm wondering the easiest method to build a durable "clear" finish on this cabinet, using water-based products (I don't want a ton of amber). I was considering Enduro Var, because a little tint would be OK, and also potentially just regular water-based poly. Any other insight or opinion?


Thank you

Cab 1.jpg

[Robert Engel]

I like MinWax Polyacrylic. Any water based poly would also work. Either one will tint the wood a bit.

If you're making 3 long doors I strongly suggest frame and panel. A sheet of ply will warp.

[Prashun Patel]

Use Enduro Clear Poly rather than EnduroVar if you wish to avoid amber. Are you able to spray? That would be the easiest way to apply this.

The second easiest - on utility cabinets, that is, is to roll it on with a paint roller and foam or fine nap trim roller. If you decide you don't mind amber, then minwax poly is a good choice. Thin it 50/50 with mineral spirits and roll it on. If you decide you have to do waterbased, then avoid back rolling as much as possible. It starts to set and tack and by the time you get to the end of the panel, coming back to the beginning to smooth can result in streaks.

Keep your roller in a gallon-sized ziplock bag between coats.

[Bill McNiel]

Jeff,
I would suggest sand to 220, Waterlox OSF as a saturated base, light sand (320) for fiber lifting and 2-3 topcoats of GF Arm-R-Seal Oil & Urethane Topcoat. This process is easy, mostly foolproof and the finish is quite durable. Most of the cabinets and tills in my shop are finished this way, BTW-I really like the slight amber tint of OSF and it nicely pops the grain in Birch and Maple.

just a suggestion - Bill

[Jeff Bednar]

Thanks for the info. Appreciate it