Question for the fellow cabinet installers out there.

[Jonhilgen]

So as I was filling nail holes in some white crown molding I just installed I was wondering:  How do other installers go about this?

Typically, when I install white painted crown, I fill holes and miters as I go.  I'm always conscious of the fact that a homeowner or a superintendent will walk in and start looking around.  Not that my workmanship isn't up to snuff, but I feel the less you give a client or builder to worry about, the smoother a job goes.  White kitchens show everything...

Stain grade cabs I usually fill and touch up after everything is up.

So, what do you guys do?  And what is your rationale behind it?

Jon

 

[Sparktrician]

So as I was filling nail holes in some white crown molding I just installed I was wondering:  How do other installers go about this?

Typically, when I install white painted crown, I fill holes and miters as I go.  I'm always conscious of the fact that a homeowner or a superintendent will walk in and start looking around.  Not that my workmanship isn't up to snuff, but I feel the less you give a client or builder to worry about, the smoother a job goes.  White kitchens show everything...

Stain grade cabs I usually fill and touch up after everything is up.

So, what do you guys do?   And what is your rationale behind it?

Jon

SeamFil - http://www.kampelent.com/seamfil.php - seems to be a frequently used option.  It does a good job, and is flexible, compensating for environmental changes. 

[smile]

 

[Chris Hughes]

I am for the school of thought that, "no es me problemo".  If I don't trust my painter then I will fill the holes as needed, usually after the install on the finish detail stage.  Usually I leave such a task in the hands of a much more capable person namely my painter.

 

[Jonhilgen]

Willy,  

I typically use Hawk wax sticks to fill nail holes and miters (if needed).   Have you used seamfil in this manner?

Also very curious about others' processes:  fill holes and touch up as you go, or trim everyhing, then fill

 

[Jonhilgen]

I am for the school of thought that, "no es me problemo".  If I don't trust my painter then I will fill the holes as needed, usually after the install on the finish detail stage.  Usually I leave such a task in the hands of a much more capable person namely my painter.

Chris, I understand that train of thought completely.  But most of the time I'm installing prefinished painted or stained cabinets, so leaving anything to the painters isn't an option unfortunately.

 

[mishle]

Mostly I only install prefinished cabinetry.  I use what ever the manufacture sends with the cabinets. Also I have an oil based color mix kit I use.

So to answer your question I have in the past always filled last I have had to take trim down because of cherry or hickory color or grain not be what the customer wants and having to order more.  I don't like to do work twice.  All tho on painted cabinets I usually touch up as I go.

I guess I do both depending on the situation  [big grin]

 

[Holzhacker]

As far as products ... tube putty, seamfill, putty sticks, various colors to custom mix colors, white out, caulk
White out works really great for little nicks or touchups. Large, odd deviations in the ceiling I will plane or belt sand out of the top of the crown. For common deviations, I'll apply a bead of white caulk to the top of the crown as I put it up. Might seem odd but fills all the voids nicely and is far less clean up than caulking the face of the crown to the ceiling after install.
I pretty much fill as I go along. I completely agree, you don't want the client showing up or coming home later and seeing nail holes or raw wood. They usually don't understand the process and can think they aren't getting quality work. Nonsense, but they just don't know.
I really hate seeing bad miters so I take great care in making sure my miters are good. Nonetheless, I usually hit the edges of the cut wood with matching stain or white out before nailing up. This way the factory finish doesn't get touched but any potential shadow or shining from the cut line is eliminated.

 

[mastercabman]

I fill as i go on.I just don't want to move the step ladder too much.And if i can't make it look good with the putty then it comes off and recut!!
I usually use MOHAWK brand filler stick with a touch up paint.Never use seam fill,too hard,and need a solvent to clean the excess.
As fo caulking crown to ceilling or walls,i do wait until i am finish with the crown then caulk.

 

[Sparktrician]

Willy,  

I typically use Hawk wax sticks to fill nail holes and miters (if needed).   Have you used seamfil in this manner?

Also very curious about others' processes:  fill holes and touch up as you go, or trim everyhing, then fill

I've used SeamFil on pre-finished cabinets and flat surfaces, primarily to conceal minor gaps (miters) and small holes.  As Mastercabman noted, one does have to be careful where one gets the stuff, and clean up assiduously.  We use lacquer thinner or acetone to remove unneeded residue.  One of our installers made the mistake of using a dark SeamFil between a countertop and a light wall, then used his finger to smooth it over.  You can imagine the mess he made on the wall (which we had to repaint for the customer). 

[smile]

 

[Jonhilgen]

White out for touch up...gonna have to remember that one. 

Good to hear that I'm not the only one that fills as I go.  I was thinking that I had an an obsessive compulsive disorder that wouldn't let me run crown and then fill holes.  It really does make a difference, the clients ooh and aahh and think we're performing some sort of magic.

As fsr as pre-caulking, I might have to try that, but I usually take too much time fussing with the miters so I might make a mess of the ceiling.  I do belt sand/scribe the crown to the ceiling if its way out, but usually the only crown I'm putting to the ceiling is above range hoods (which ties into theroom crown.  Here's a pic of the job that prompted my original inquiry.

Thanks for the responses guys.  It helps considerably.

Jon

 

[Sparktrician]

White out for touch up...gonna have to remember that one. 

Good to hear that I'm not the only one that fills as I go.  I was thinking that I had an an obsessive compulsive disorder that wouldn't let me run crown and then fill holes.   It really does make a difference, the clients ooh and aahh and think we're performing some sort of magic.

As fsr as pre-caulking, I might have to try that, but I usually take too much time fussing with the miters so I might make a mess of the ceiling.  I do belt sand/scribe the crown to the ceiling if its way out, but usually the only crown I'm putting to the ceiling is above range hoods (which ties into theroom crown.  Here's a pic of the job that prompted my original inquiry.

Thanks for the responses guys.  It helps considerably.

Jon

Nice job, Jon.  I especially like the staggered cabinet fronts.  Very effective. 

[smile]

 

[mastercabman]

A job i did last week.Putty and caulk as i went on.

 

[Jonhilgen]

A job i did last week.Putty and caulk as i went on.

Nice looking work.  I really like the cove crown, simple but elegant.  What brand cabinets are they, or did you build?

Jon

 

[mastercabman]

A job i did last week.Putty and caulk as i went on.

Nice looking work.  I really like the cove crown, simple but elegant.  What brand cabinets are they, or did you build?

Jon

KRAFTMAID!!!!!      [big grin]

 

[builderbob]

Kraftmaid is the only brand I offer out to my clients!  It's versatile and there are high end door styles as well as budget minded partial overlay door styles as well!

Bob

 

[Sparktrician]

I'm wondering, does anyone use cabinets from CabParts (http://cabparts.com/)?  I've never tried their components and don't have a sense of their quality. 

[smile] 

 

[Captainwrinkles]

Buy yourself a 23 Gauge headless Pin Gun. The hole is barely noticable. 1 quick hand sand and the hole disapears.

 

[Jonhilgen]

Buy yourself a 23 Gauge headless Pin Gun. The hole is barely noticable. 1 quick hand sand and the hole disapears.

Yes, the pin nailers are great.  But there's a time and a place for them.  I usually use them for nailing the miters of the crown together, but rarely use it to nail multiple stacked moldings to each other.  The holding power just isn't there.

I used to manage multiple high end cabinet install crews and almost always had to send one crew back to re nail their moldings with an 18 gauge because they almost always used the pin nailer.  Drove me crazy.

Jon

 

[mastercabman]

Buy yourself a 23 Gauge headless Pin Gun. The hole is barely noticable. 1 quick hand sand and the hole disapears.

Yes, the pin nailers are great.  But there's a time and a place for them.  I usually use them for nailing the miters of the crown together, but rarely use it to nail multiple stacked moldings to each other.  The holding power just isn't there.

I used to manage multiple high end cabinet install crews and almost always had to send one crew back to re nail their moldings with an 18 gauge because they almost always used the pin nailer.  Drove me crazy.

Jon

HA YES!  The pin nailer.I remember when i first started to install cabinets.The Cabman had 2 nail guns.A finish nailer(15 or 16 g)and a 18 g brad nailer.
Then, came the  2" brad nailer and the cabman only had 1 gun.
Then came the 23g pin nailer,and the cabman was back with 2 nail guns.
Then came the 2" 23g pin gun and now the cabman has only 1 nailer.
That's right,anything that you want to nail.
You want to put up scribe molding? pin it!
You want to put up crown molding?  pin it!
You want to frame a house?    no problem,  pin it!        oh and don't forget to use a little bit of liquide nail! [laughing] [laughing] [laughing] [laughing]

 

[DWL]

I use midwax wood putty. If color does not match mix colors together or go over putty filled holes with matching stain with artist paint brush