Gloss black (piano finish) on Baltic Birch?

[andrew whicker]

Hi,

As the title mentions.. can BB be painted gloss black without ripples, etc? Is this a job for MDF?

Thanks much,

[Maurice Mcmurry]

If you are willing to put in the time priming and sanding it can be done. I used gloss black on a project made from AC Fir. MDF would have been quicker. For high gloss a painter I trust (big brother) uses automobile painting products and equipment.

[Jeff Roltgen]

I have way too many examples in my shop of BB cabs that have face layer of veneer fracturing/cracking with age. Some are okay, some are not.
These hairline cracks are irrelevant on a utility shop cabinet, but would be a complete disaster after all the work of a high-gloss black piano grade finish.

MDF or Maple ply would be at the top of my list.


Jeff

[Kevin Jenness]

The thick face veneers on BB often exhibit sheer checks that will likely telegraph through a gloss finish eventually. There are plenty of better substrate options.

[Tom M King]

What's it for?

[andrew whicker]

It's a speaker cab.

I'd like to use BB. I'm just looking at my options. BB sounds better, but MDF is easier to paint.

[andy bessette]

I would use gloss black laminate. One and done.

[John K Jordan]

It's a speaker cab.
…

Have you considered a matte black finish? I’d be concerned that a gloss finish shows every minor surface irregularity, especially on flat surfaces because of the way it reflects the light like a mirror, while a matte finish is more forgiving and can look great with less work. (I have a baldwin grand piano with a non-gloss black finish and I think it looks elegant)

I might do a test with some sample pieces before committing - gloss on one one, semigloss and matte on others. If the gloss doesn’t look perfect you can cut it back by padding with pumice and/or 0000 liberon steel wool with lubricant and see if you like that better.

[Tom M King]

https://singcore.com/wholesale/singc...posite-plywood

I googled metal skinned plywood.

[Jim Becker]

Build the cabinets with BB as you prefer and then skin them with 1/8" MDF. You may have to do a bit of shopping to get it, but it will provide you with a flat, smooth surface that will give you the best chance of that glossy black "mirror" surface you want to get.

[Tom M King]

How about MDO. Already skinned. You need to pick the sheets though. I have seen them with handling dents in them.

[Jim Becker]

How about MDO. Already skinned. You need to pick the sheets though. I have seen them with handling dents in them.

There are also different grades of MDO relative to the surface; some telegraph the plywood grain under the surface coating and some do not.

[andrew whicker]

Build the cabinets with BB as you prefer and then skin them with 1/8" MDF. You may have to do a bit of shopping to get it, but it will provide you with a flat, smooth surface that will give you the best chance of that glossy black "mirror" surface you want to get.

This was my thought too...

[Warren Lake]

Forget baltic. Oor MDF over thickness to match edge treatment whatever rounding you do if so. Best to likely just use MDF. iTs automotive work and newer better finishes then when I used to do it. Acrylic Lacquer Tuxedo black over RM epoxy primer. Some polyester which was a thing at the time. I helped a major speaker manufacturer identify bad finish and told them just switch to single stage or base clear urathane. Its iso stuff so you need some good gear for spraying never mind gloss black is totally unforgiving.

[George Yetka]

Sorry for mentioning this but what about died epoxy?