Re-finishing cabinets over Pre-cat

[colin taylor]

I need to refinish a large hand-made kitchen, ash finished with a pre-cat. Although the surface of the timber has yellowed slightly and finish has come off in a couple of places, I can not strip, sand and start again as it would take me the rest of the year. The customer would like a bit more colour in the finish so my current plan is to use a light glaze to bring out the grain (which was not filled), and then tone everything slightly darker. The doors and drawers can be done in the shop, but the rest will have to be done onsite. I use an HVLP and have sprayed a number of projects with Bollom's Hydrocote, nc lacquers, and shellac's, so I feel confident about the ins and outs of applying the finish. Could anyone recommend a water-based system? What sealer would you use in-between a glaze and finish, vinyl or shellac? Or am I mad(!) and should be getting a brush out and doing it in varnish?

 

[Noel]

Colin, welcome to the site. Can't help you with your problem. Nice website by the way and you're in Launceston (my wife was born there...) We've a few kitchen professionals and HVLP users about so somebody should be along shortly.

Noel

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Colin

Welcome to the site.

As Noel says someone will be along soon to help.

Launceston, ah yes, in-law relations on West End.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Terry Smart]

I'm a little confused by this question and as you are using Bollom's material I would suggest a call to their usually excellent technical department.

My thoughts are that applying a glaze will not highlight the grain evenly as you intend as the finish, from your description, is patchy; therefore, the exposed areas will accept the colour and highlight the grain, the sealed and finished areas won't.
Is the colour of the kitchen consistent at the moment? If so, my suggestion would be to apply a tinted pre-cat lacquer; this will give an even effect, should have no adhesion problems provided the surface is properly prepared, and should give many years of good service.

The choice of sealer is usually dictated by the finish you intend to use and whilst it is not essential to use the same solvent system throughout, if you mix them it must be done in the correct order (ie don't put a cellulose based finish over a water based sealer).

Hope some of this helps

 

[colin taylor]

Thanks everybody!
However, I come across this conundrum regularly. The customer has an expensive hand-made kitchen which was finished in the pre-cat. Its now scruffy (10 yrs later), and customer would like it refinished. Although I can remove doors and drawers, there is still a significant amount of kitchen left that requires finishing in-situ. I know some do it, but I daren't spray flammable coatings in this situation - its too risky, even if I turned the kitchen into a temporary spray-booth with fans in the windows etc. so what are the alternatives? Brushing a varnish is v. slow but could with proper prep. be done over the original finish. Spraying water-base sounds ideal but would need the original finish to be stripped off. As I said in my original post, I have sprayed a fair bit of Bollom's Hydrocote which does spray nicely, but I am worried about it not being up to the kitchen environment. Depending on who you talk to, some say only a conversion finish will do, others say water-based products WILL work. I've read that water-base finishes are equivalent to a straight lacquer - what do you think? Having said that, I've painted hundreds of kitchens with ordinary household alkyd satinwood/eggshell paint with no complaints, so maybe I am worrying too much.

 

[Terry Smart]

Hi again

At the risk of passing the buck, I'd still recommend a call to Bollom's technical department about the suitability of Hydrocote in a kitchen environment and about using it over precat.

Many acrylics are very tough and hard wearing but another consideration is where exactly in the kitchen you are working - worktops of course require more thought due to the way they are used (probably easier to replace them if necessary!) but drawers, doors and side panels etc aren't normally subjected to the same amount of abuse... although kitchens aren't my speciality and I know there are some kitchen makers here so would be interested in their input.