Producing new kitchen cabinets

[jteneyck]

I worked out how to do it with a face frame.  

I paint the face frame prior to assembling to the carcass.   I then use wax paper and tape to mask the inside of the face frame and then attach the face frame to the cabinet.  I can then spray the exterior of the carcass and touch up the face frame as an assembly.

After it has dried I can remove the wax paper and the tape.  

But that does not work for frameless.

And that's why Melamine is the obvious solution.  You can think this 9 ways to Sunday, but spraying those edges is never going to be efficient nor easy. 

I just rehabbed a portion of my kitchen cabinets.  The boxes are Melamine, the edge banding on the sides of them is maple.  When I finished them when they were new I wiped on the stain, and then applied the clear coat with a foam brush.  It went surprisingly well.  When I just redid them I sanded the clear coat with 220 grit to roughen it up.  On the uppers I wiped on 4 coats of my red toner with a rag, and then applied the clear coat with a foam brush.  It was fast and easy.  On the lowers I used a foam brush to apply the new gray lacquer, and then the clear coat over that.  Any that got onto the inside of the cabinets I wiped off with a wet paper towel.  If you use prefinished plywood it will be just as easy to wipe off as it was for me on the Melamine.  

You can't see the edge banding unless the doors are open.  You don't need sprayed perfection. That said, the edges on my cabinets look really good.  

John

[Cooler]

And that's why Melamine is the obvious solution.  You can think this 9 ways to Sunday, but spraying those edges is never going to be efficient nor easy. 

I just rehabbed a portion of my kitchen cabinets.  The boxes are Melamine, the edge banding on the sides of them is maple.  When I finished them when they were new I wiped on the stain, and then applied the clear coat with a foam brush.  It went surprisingly well.  When I just redid them I sanded the clear coat with 220 grit to roughen it up.  On the uppers I wiped on 4 coats of my red toner with a rag, and then applied the clear coat with a foam brush.  It was fast and easy.  On the lowers I used a foam brush to apply the new gray lacquer, and then the clear coat over that.  Any that got onto the inside of the cabinets I wiped off with a wet paper towel.  If you use prefinished plywood it will be just as easy to wipe off as it was for me on the Melamine.  

You can't see the edge banding unless the doors are open.  You don't need sprayed perfection. That said, the edges on my cabinets look really good.  

John

I associate melamine cabinets with cheap  cabinets.  Indeed all the commercially available cabinets that feature melamine are in the lower price range.  Of course they are better than the vinyl clad 5/8" particle board, but certainly a significant step down from plywood.  

If I am going to spend the time to build the cabinets, I want them to be equal to the best custom cabinets that are out there.  I incorporate all the "best" practices that I see.  I don't do any exotic finishes.  In fact these cabinets are the first with a painted finish.  But other than that, I consider my cabinets equal to the best commercially available ones--the ones that go out the door for the $600.00 to $700.00 per linear foot range.

I might go for the pre-finished plywood; I  seriously doubt that I will use melamine clad particle board.

[jteneyck]

I associate melamine cabinets with cheap  cabinets.  Indeed all the commercially available cabinets that feature melamine are in the lower price range.  Of course they are better than the vinyl clad 5/8" particle board, but certainly a significant step down from plywood.  

If I am going to spend the time to build the cabinets, I want them to be equal to the best custom cabinets that are out there.  I incorporate all the "best" practices that I see.  I don't do any exotic finishes.  In fact these cabinets are the first with a painted finish.  But other than that, I consider my cabinets equal to the best commercially available ones--the ones that go out the door for the $600.00 to $700.00 per linear foot range.

I might go for the pre-finished plywood; I  seriously doubt that I will use melamine clad particle board.

I wasn't suggesting you use Melamine sheet goods.  Your mind seems made up not to use it despite its many benefits.  I was referring to the edge banding.  Maybe I should have said PVC.  Sorry.  

John

[John Mihich]

Prefinished plywood for the interior surfaces. It's a very tough coating and will resist most scratching while being cut, not that much more expensive, and saves a ton of time.

yes on the Prefinished PW.  I use it for all painted sides also.  Just lightly sand and you'll get a nice smooth surface - great paint base. 

I am able to get color pre-cat lacquer to spray.  Dries really fast and sprays great. 

I mask off the opening so nothing get sprayed on the inside since I use pre-finish PW.  Takes a little bit of time but I like the look of the nature wood inside and painted/stained on the outside.

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

Buy a 3M masking paper machine with solvent based paper masking paper. Use this to cover all the prefinished interiors. Use 3M green tape and carefully tape off your transition from FF to plywood carcass on the lower shelf. Make sure you stretch your tape as you apply it. Spray your cabinets and then remove your paper.

I know this sounds like a ton of work but it really does go pretty fast. I think my wife and I did all our kitchen cabinets in less than 2-3 hours working together and that was with using an airless sprayer. An HVLP has much less overspray and you can probably get by with less prep. I have sprayed trim inside my home next to finished walls with one strip of 10” wide paper next to what I was shooting.