Kids Bathroom

[Scorpion]

February of this year (2015, about 7 months ago at this time) my wife and I started in on remodeling both the master and the kids bathrooms at the same time.  Just today I finally finished the kids vanity. 

Fave frames are oak with black stain and black tinted topcoat.  Quartz top.

The floors have this tile on it with dark grey grout.  The bathroom was designed to be black and white.

Repurposed an 80-inch by 40-inch wall mirror by cutting it in thirds.  Here's the final sized prices.

Machines up and assembled some oak for the frames

Stained and cleared them and installed the mirrors.

Mounted them above the vanity

And fully assembled with drawers, fronts and doors.

Here you can barely make out the grain behind the stain and topcoat. 

Shifting now to the built in.  I'll post up more once I get it finished.

 

[Holmz]

That is refreshing.

 

[Amalix]

I really like the way the color of the stained oak came out, beautiful work!

Did you use only pocket screws or did you domino for alignment?

 

[mouppe]

That all came out really well. The floor tiles bring it all together, and I like the frame design.

Personally, I like to see drawer handles on the fake fronts too.

 

[Locks14]

Can't say I really like that. In fact I'd say it's almost child cruelty for children to have to brush their teeth in such poor conditions, don't you love them?  [big grin]

 

[Scorpion]

Thanks for the compliments.

[member=50329]Amalix[/member] - not sure which part of the assembly process you're referring to.  The boxes are all assembled using dominos and the main assembly is actually two pieces so it could fit in the door with a single face frame to make it look like one cabinet.  Face frame is all pocket screws joinery but attaches and aligns to the boxes using dominos.

[member=7882]RL[/member] - I was thinking about adding the handles to the false fronts.  I originally didn't put them on for 2 reasons - there weren't any on other cabinets in the house in front of the sinks and my kids will tug on them if I do.  Now I'm second guessing because the drawer fronts are so long and without handles they look empty.

[member=49749]Locks14[/member] - Hopefully my kids will be able to provide better for their children then I was able to provide for them.  They at least have a roof over their heads.  [wink]

 

[joiner1970]

Wow didn't know Festool made baby wipes too lol

Nice job by the way.

 

[lunchman]

Very impressive! Nice job.

On the right end of the cabinet, what eventually covers the pocket screw holes? A veneer sheet or a full sheet of plywood?

 

[Amalix]

Thanks for the compliments.

[member=50329]Amalix[/member] - not sure ....boxes using dominos.

Ah I see, recently ordered a domino after using pocket screws only to make some smaller cabinets. It seems mixing the 2 systems results in the best of both worlds. Especially since I only have a couple longer clamps. Guess I'll have to practice on a new desk with the combination.  [wink]

 

[tiralie]

Just today I finally finished the kids vanity. 

Looks good. Nice job. There will be toothpaste all over it in no time  [big grin]

I originally didn't put them on for 2 reasons - there weren't any on other cabinets in the house in front of the sinks and my kids will tug on them if I do.

Don't worry, in a another couple years you'll have to take the false fronts off and build drawers with a wrap around for the P-trap to hold all the extra stuff that seems to accumulate in bathrooms.

Tim

 

[Scorpion]

Very impressive! Nice job.

On the right end of the cabinet, what eventually covers the pocket screw holes? A veneer sheet or a full sheet of plywood?

Veneer sheet.  The very last thing I need to do to finish the vanity is recess a toilet paper holder in the side.  I left it for last hoping some magic would happen and there'd be some other way.  There wasn't one so I cut into it tonight.  Now all I have to do is glue it.

 

[Andy UK]

Wow didn't know Festool made baby wipes too lol

Nice job by the way.

Well spotted!  ;D

 

[KBJ]

Great job! looks great. Would you mind giving a little more detail in the oak stain and topcoat? I really like the way it came out.

 

[Scorpion]

Great job! looks great. Would you mind giving a little more detail in the oak stain and topcoat? I really like the way it came out.

Sure, I brushed on General Finishes WB stain.  Got it all black.  Verified by taking it out in natural light and made sure I had 100% coverage with no thin spots. 

I then sprayed GF WB Top Coat and had problems.  First coat went on fine but then I began getting weird brush-like streaks in the top coat as it dried.  I read on the GF website that what I was experiencing was usually the result of a change in humidity in my environment - totally possible considering I'm spraying outside and air drying inside where there's AC (sometimes) and is spayed the pieces all different times of day and days I between.  Every piece was "wrecked" as far as I was concerned and I had planned on sanding them all down.

Fortunately for me I had had to go back to work and had some time to google around and think about my situation.  I found some info in tinting the  Top Coat on GF's website and figured it couldn't hurt to try.  I mixed a 3:1 GF WB top coat/stain and spayed 3 wet coats scuffing with 400 prior to each just enough for adhesion.  HVLP gun, 1.8 tip, no thinning of the material.  Top coat laid on like glue and self leveled.  I think it was almost easier than spraying untinted top coat because the wet edge was more obvious. 

First time using the tinted top coat, couldn't be happier with the results.  Every piece turned out exactly the same with no visual defects (they could be there I suppose but the tinting is hiding them if they are). 

 

[tiralie]

I then sprayed GF WB Top Coat and had problems.  First coat went on fine but then I began getting weird brush-like streaks in the top coat as it dried. 

That effect would have been interesting to see. I have never heard of this before. I would have thought the brush like steaks would have happened on the first coat not on the second.

First time using the tinted top coat, couldn't be happier with the results.  Every piece turned out exactly the same with no visual defects (they could be there I suppose but the tinting is hiding them if they are).

Agreed, from here those drawer fronts and doors look great.
Tim

 

[Scorpion]

That effect would have been interesting to see. I have never heard of this before. I would have thought the brush like steaks would have happened on the first coat not on the second.

Impressive observation.  I failed to share that after the first coat the grains stood so I sanded to knock them down.  A week later I did the second coat which fundamentally was a first coat for the most part.  I concluded that the moisture was absorbed into the wood instead of externally. 

 

[KBJ]

Great job! looks great. Would you mind giving a little more detail in the oak stain and topcoat? I really like the way it came out.

Sure, I brushed on General Finishes WB stain.  Got it all black.  Verified by taking it out in natural light and made sure I had 100% coverage with no thin spots. 

I then sprayed GF WB Top Coat and had problems.  First coat went on fine but then I began getting weird brush-like streaks in the top coat as it dried.  I read on the GF website that what I was experiencing was usually the result of a change in humidity in my environment - totally possible considering I'm spraying outside and air drying inside where there's AC (sometimes) and is spayed the pieces all different times of day and days I between.  Every piece was "wrecked" as far as I was concerned and I had planned on sanding them all down.

Fortunately for me I had had to go back to work and had some time to google around and think about my situation.  I found some info in tinting the  Top Coat on GF's website and figured it couldn't hurt to try.  I mixed a 3:1 GF WB top coat/stain and spayed 3 wet coats scuffing with 400 prior to each just enough for adhesion.  HVLP gun, 1.8 tip, no thinning of the material.  Top coat laid on like glue and self leveled.  I think it was almost easier than spraying untinted top coat because the wet edge was more obvious. 

First time using the tinted top coat, couldn't be happier with the results.  Every piece turned out exactly the same with no visual defects (they could be there I suppose but the tinting is hiding them if they are).

Wow!  Thanks for the great detail. I admit that finishing is really a weakness of mine, so I'm trying to learn about different techniques. I appreciate the reply above.

 

[Staniam]

Very nice work! I love the contrast of the dark and light colors of the cabinet and top.

 

[tiralie]

I concluded that the moisture was absorbed into the wood instead of externally.

Interesting. What kind of sand paper did you use between the first and second coat?

I am guessing (I could just as likely be wrong) your problem was a change in temperature and/or trapped moisture under the first coat.

Temperature (to high or too low) and temperature change (direct sun to shade or air conditioned) have affected the leveling and curing of my water borne coatings much more than humidity. I have sprayed on rainy days, and not had any problems with coatings leveling or curing properly. As long as I maintain a temperature of 68 to 78 F of the substrate and the paint I don't have many problems. On the lower end of the temperature scale, I get fish eyes, on the high end I get crazing.

Unless you sprayed an excessively thick coat, it's unlikely (possible) but unlikely that there was enough water from the top coat to create the problem you had. General dyes and stains (consumer versions) contain a small percentage of urethane which acts as a binder for the dye when dry, but also creates a slight seal.

I believe, (but have not tested it) that humidity doesn't have the same affect on WB coatings as it does on solvent based coatings. The water in WB coatings is essentially a delivery mechanism for a chemical soup and it evaporates relatively quickly because of the driers in WB coatings so very little would be absorbed into the wood.
Tim

 

[Scorpion]

I concluded that the moisture was absorbed into the wood instead of externally.

Interesting. What kind of sand paper did you use between the first and second coat?

I am guessing (I could just as likely be wrong) your problem was a change in temperature and/or trapped moisture under the first coat.

Temperature (to high or too low) and temperature change (direct sun to shade or air conditioned) have affected the leveling and curing of my water borne coatings much more than humidity. I have sprayed on rainy days, and not had any problems with coatings leveling or curing properly. As long as I maintain a temperature of 68 to 78 F of the substrate and the paint I don't have many problems. On the lower end of the temperature scale, I get fish eyes, on the high end I get crazing.

Unless you sprayed an excessively thick coat, it's unlikely (possible) but unlikely that there was enough water from the top coat to create the problem you had. General dyes and stains (consumer versions) contain a small percentage of urethane which acts as a binder for the dye when dry, but also creates a slight seal.

I believe, (but have not tested it) that humidity doesn't have the same affect on WB coatings as it does on solvent based coatings. The water in WB coatings is essentially a delivery mechanism for a chemical soup and it evaporates relatively quickly because of the driers in WB coatings so very little would be absorbed into the wood.
Tim

I'd actually like to know why...

I used p400 brilliant sandpaper between. 

Temp outside was probably mid-70's in Denver Co.  We're relatively dry here.  The doors had been kept inside for weeks at that point.  I only took them outside to shoot them and then brought them directly back in.  Inside the AC is kept at about 68-70.  There's probably a humidity difference between inside and out but insist know what it is and in which direction. 

My experience with top coat is I need to lay it on wet enough to level.  I spray the edges down and back at a 45 degree angle and then do a single coat spraying the face at a medium-slow speed (realizing that my description of speed is subjective) with about 15-20% overlap.  Any less wet and it won't level.  Done, don't re-coat, make more passes, or touch up. 

Checked with the wife.  She thinks the problem actually happened on the first coat instead of the second and I'm mis-remembering the order (it was a month or so ago now).  Looking back at the pics I think she was correct.  The weird discoloration appears to follow brush strokes from the stain application.

An important thing to note - a week or so prior I had sprayed all of the doors and drawer fronts (3 coats using the same process, material, etc) on the inside and the top coat finish was perfect. The defects only occurred when spraying the outsides a week or so later.  All doors and drawer fronts had the same problem.  Mentally it had to be the environment because it's the only thing that changed ('cept me getting older).

Pic of the same door at the Woodcraft store where I went for help.  They'd never seen anything like it before.