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How To Build Modern Kitchen Cabinets
How To Get A Fine Finish On Kitchen Cabinets
You can use paint, enamel or lacquer but care in application makes all the difference in final appearance
THE craftsman who builds his own kitchen cabinets is interested in obtaining the finest finish possible in order to set off his work to advantage. The materials most commonly used to produce the final finish are paints or lacquers. Among the paints that may be used, the craftsman has the choice of finishes such as a semigloss paint that produces a satin finish, a gloss paint that produces a lustrous finish, or an enamel that produces a high gloss. The choice is entirely up to the individual as any of these types of finish will be found satisfactory in appearance and wearing quality.
The work of producing a fine finish starts with the raw wood. All hardware such as pulls, catches and latches must be removed while the work of finishing is being done. Surfaces must be sandpapered smooth and they must be free of all tool marks.
Dents that are the result of heavy, hard objects striking the surface of the wood may be removed by applying a few drops of water to the depression and allowing the wood fibers to swell and return to their original place. Deep indentations may require several applications of water to raise them. At least twenty-four hours should be allowed for the water to do its work and for the wood to dry. The absorption of water in a deep dent can be hastened by piercing the bottom in the direction of the grain with the sharp point of a penknife.
Tool marks and other irregularities must be removed with coarse sandpaper such as No. 1 or No. 11/2 This sanding should be followed with No. 0 paper to remove whatever scratches the coarser paper left as well as to smooth the surfaces. All hand sanding should be done with the sandpaper wrapped around a fiat sandpaper block. The use of sandpaper without such a block will cause grooves which may not be visible at first but will most definitely show when light is reflected from the finished piece. After sanding has been completed, the work should be dusted with a dusting brush.
The next step in the finishing operation is the application of shellac to all surfaces. The purpose of shellac in this caae is to close the pores of the wood and thereby stop suction. If this is not done, the open pores of the wood will rob the paint of its oil with the result that the paint when applied will dry spotty. The consistency of the shellac that is used for this purpose should be relatively thin. Liquid shellac prepared by most manufacturers is what is known as a "four-pound cut."
