Finishing process for kitchen cabinets

[jussi]

I am building a set of cabinets for a small kitchen. Anyone who has a lot of experience with this care to share their process. It would be great if you could include all the finishes used, thinning (if any), sanding process (including grits), etc. I picked up a used sprayer a while back but no projects were ever large enough to warrant using it so this might be a good chance to break it in.

I'm using pre finished maple for all the interior walls that can't be seen from the outside and unfinished walnut ply for the exterrior pieces that can be seen. FF and rail/stiles will be solid walnut and panel will either be solid walnut if I decide to do raised panels or ply if I don't.

The walnut ply is a little lighter in color and I would like to keep close to thatshade (ie don't darken too much) but also give it a little pop.

Thanks

[Cooler]

I will only say that I always stain and shellac the floating panel before assembly. If I were painting it I would prime and paint one coat before assembly. Then I would finish the entire door as a unit. Expansion and contraction can leave reveals that are uncoated otherwise.

[barryvabeach]

I am with Cooler on the stain, wash coat and one finish coat on the floating panels before assembly. I just did a project where I did the final coat on the panel, then assembled, then taped off the panel, and shot the frame and that came out fine as well. In terms of products, look for something that says it is KCMA approved - that is a pretty good standard for kitchen cabinets. web page The Enduro Clear Poly and PreCat Urethane meet that test https://generalfinishes.com/sites/defaul...g-2013.pdf (so does the 2 K conversion varnish - but I don't use post catalyzed finishes)

[jussi]

Thanks for the tip and the links. I've read some recommendations on using pre cat lacquer as well. Between the 2 you recommended and the lacquer, which give the walnut the most pop? Which would offer the best protection? Does the enduro poly leave that "cold" look that the poly from Borg gives (forgot the brand)?

[Paul K. Murphy]

The cold look you describe comes about from the material being blueish. If you open the can and see what looks like white, the finish tends toward blue. That's right, white means blue. I don't think anybody really makes anything that's going to look like blueberry syrup. An amber colored liquid is going to be much better for your walnut. I've always thought that blue material makes woods look gray.
As far as sandpaper goes, use the whiteish, gray type. Stearated silicon carbide paper. It will often have "sic-lube" printed on the back. Don't use the black silicon carbide type, the particles are too sharp. If you do, it will by no means be the end of the world, I've just always recommended the Stearated type.
In particular for the two part types: get them out of your gun when you're done spraying. I waited too long once and had to physically remove a stiff gelatin material from a much loved spray gun. Not a moment too soon either; the next day it was rock candy! That gun would have been lost.

[barryvabeach]

For walnut, I always stain first. If you want to be get good at it, and I am not, you need to make a few samples of the same wood, sand them they way you would do your project, stain, then apply the finish, then take them in the kitchen and look at them - the type of light will impact how they will look. If you are concerned about the bluish cold look, you can always take a little Honey Amber Transtint Dye to the finish to warm it up a bit web page Again, play with samples till you get the look you want.

[Paul K. Murphy]

I've often thought about putting dye into that bluish stuff to warm it up. I've wondered if it would work. On the face of it, the idea seems generally sound. It's never been something that I've had to do though, hence, no experiential knowledge.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

One thing for sure, you will have a wide variety of finishing suggestions for not only a whole set of kitchen cabinets but the walnut wood as well. One thing I would do, regardless of finish choice, is finish the face frames prior to assembling to the carcasses. Unless you have good reason not to, this would simplify things. Precatalyzed lacquer is my favorite finish for just about anything other than a floor or highly used table top. I also like to spray dark walnut transtint dye on walnut to even out sap wood or varieties of walnut that can lean red or brown. You could also use other TT colors depending on how you'd like the walnut look.