First project using birch plywood. Kitchen cabinets. I’m looking for a solid white finish that covers all grain… without spraying. Can you guys recommend the most idiot-proof method? Is there a way to wipe on a finish that achieves the look I’m describing? Would a non-transparent stain do the trick? And, any thoughts about preparing the wood prior to applying finish? I’d really appreciate any advice. Thank you.
Staining birch plywood solid white?
- Thread starter zuby
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kevinculle
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I think your requirements imply a painted finish. With good prep, good technique and high-quality paint you can achieve a pretty nice finish with low nap (1/4") trim rollers. You will want to sand to 220 grit, prime, lightly scuff sand the primer coat with 320 grit, and at least two finish coats with light scuff sanding in between. I have gotten good results with Sherwin Williams Pro Classic Interior water based acrylic alkyd.
woodferret
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Are you asking to fill in the grain, as in level it out to MDF smoothness? Or is do you mean a stain that'll go into the grain. If the first, you've got a lot of options like Emtech HSF5000, CrystaLac, and Aquacoat. Timbermate is also an option for deep grain filling.
I am at a stage in my life where every home improvement project is being done with an eye on resale. Will this project make it easier to sell my house and will it add value in dollars to the transaction price?
I read everywhere it seems that white cabinets are the most popular and that this is not a trend like bell bottom pants, but one that should last a long time.
I am nearly done refacing my kitchen cabinets (they were in 1990s “honey oak”). I went to the Benjamin Moore site and read some of the linked blogs. One of which asked an interesting question in regards to white cabinets.
Are you and your family among those that will always open and close cabinet doors and drawers using the cabinet pulls? Or will you close the doors by touching on any convenient spot on the door?
Looking at the darker areas of my oak doors, I concluded that I did not always use the handles to close the doors. I tried for a couple of weeks to break that habit and use the handles to close the doors. It is a surprisingly difficult transition.
So I did not paint my cabinets white. No matter how popular white cabinets are, if they show as shop-worn and soiled, that will not enhance the selling price of my home.
Now that that issue is out of the way here is my take.
Most paints will self-level. The better they self-level (let gravity supply the leveling), the more likely that they are going to show drips and runs.
I don’t recall if you stated that you were making Euro or face frame cabinets. In either case, the interior can be finished in clear regardless of the exterior color. So a few coats of wipe on will be your “foolproof” interior. Even more foolproof would buy the plywood with one surface pre-finished in clear.
From a practical point of view, the finish quality at the top of wall cabinets and at the bottom of wall cabinets is of almost no concern. My cabinets were left unfinished from the factory.
Some of the cabinet sides are going to be hidden and the quality of that finish is less important too. The exposed end cabinet faces need to look perfect however.
Back to self-leveling paint. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts can easily be painted with them flat on the surface using painters pyramids to keep them off the table. Self leveling should give you an excellent result.
If you are making face frame cabinets, then paint the end panels while they are flat too.
I use Advance. In white it dries extremely hard and is hard wearing. It also has a low viscosity that allows it to level very nicely but also makes it susceptible to runs and drips. When I have to paint vertical surfaces with it, I will go for very light coats to avoid drips. But sometimes that means more than 2 coats.
I would also note that my German Shepherd dog would brush up against the cabinets when he turned a corner. The corner cabinets had dog-height indications of that. You can clean that frequently, but it will wear on the finish.
So perhaps a darker color for the base cabinets.
I’ve not seen it done, but I would guess a clear coat over the white would offer more protection.
I would note that I used the Swiffer wet refills to clean my cabinet doors in the past. They work well and they are designed for wood.
I got in that habit after I finished my floor with Waterlox. They recommend Swiffer for their finish.
I read everywhere it seems that white cabinets are the most popular and that this is not a trend like bell bottom pants, but one that should last a long time.
I am nearly done refacing my kitchen cabinets (they were in 1990s “honey oak”). I went to the Benjamin Moore site and read some of the linked blogs. One of which asked an interesting question in regards to white cabinets.
Are you and your family among those that will always open and close cabinet doors and drawers using the cabinet pulls? Or will you close the doors by touching on any convenient spot on the door?
Looking at the darker areas of my oak doors, I concluded that I did not always use the handles to close the doors. I tried for a couple of weeks to break that habit and use the handles to close the doors. It is a surprisingly difficult transition.
So I did not paint my cabinets white. No matter how popular white cabinets are, if they show as shop-worn and soiled, that will not enhance the selling price of my home.
Now that that issue is out of the way here is my take.
Most paints will self-level. The better they self-level (let gravity supply the leveling), the more likely that they are going to show drips and runs.
I don’t recall if you stated that you were making Euro or face frame cabinets. In either case, the interior can be finished in clear regardless of the exterior color. So a few coats of wipe on will be your “foolproof” interior. Even more foolproof would buy the plywood with one surface pre-finished in clear.
From a practical point of view, the finish quality at the top of wall cabinets and at the bottom of wall cabinets is of almost no concern. My cabinets were left unfinished from the factory.
Some of the cabinet sides are going to be hidden and the quality of that finish is less important too. The exposed end cabinet faces need to look perfect however.
Back to self-leveling paint. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts can easily be painted with them flat on the surface using painters pyramids to keep them off the table. Self leveling should give you an excellent result.
If you are making face frame cabinets, then paint the end panels while they are flat too.
I use Advance. In white it dries extremely hard and is hard wearing. It also has a low viscosity that allows it to level very nicely but also makes it susceptible to runs and drips. When I have to paint vertical surfaces with it, I will go for very light coats to avoid drips. But sometimes that means more than 2 coats.
I would also note that my German Shepherd dog would brush up against the cabinets when he turned a corner. The corner cabinets had dog-height indications of that. You can clean that frequently, but it will wear on the finish.
So perhaps a darker color for the base cabinets.
I’ve not seen it done, but I would guess a clear coat over the white would offer more protection.
I would note that I used the Swiffer wet refills to clean my cabinet doors in the past. They work well and they are designed for wood.
I got in that habit after I finished my floor with Waterlox. They recommend Swiffer for their finish.
butzla
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- Feb 5, 2008
- Messages
- 1,233
Try General Finishes White Poly. You might want to try a smaller can before you take the plunge. If you're going this route or in any finish you are thinking you should seriously consider spraying. General finishes sprays like glass and requires no thinning. I can't recommend it enough.
woodferret
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- Jan 5, 2020
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- 1,090
Water. There's also a Black Poly since you like it black. Technically under their sub brand Enduro so you may have to search it via that.
I was truly impressed by General Finishes’ imitation milk paint, which is in fact a modern acrylic. It has that matte finish which we associate with milk paint.
Following GF’s directions, I applied directly to the wood (no primer) using a foam brush. I had absolutely no visible brush strokes, runs or drips. It looked as if it were perfectly sprayed.
The matte finish would scuff easily and it required a clear top coat. I wanted a satin finish, so I tested satin clear. The dulling agent made the black look more gray than black. So I applied a glossy clear then after it had cured, I applied butchers’ wax with 0000 steel wool.
That gave the appearance I was looking for, but was too much work. But that section has been in place for 4 years, and it is clear to me that it is more durable than the two coats of Advance over primer.
It is probably the finish that is less skill dependent. Follow the video instructions from GF, and you are good.
Also, the steel wool and wax will smooth out any imperfections in the clear coat (also applied by foam brush).
Note: I’ve seen people shake a can of finish. That’s not usually a good idea. It creates air bubbles that may or may not mar the finish. “Stirred, not shaken.” (Much like James Bond’s martinis.)
Following GF’s directions, I applied directly to the wood (no primer) using a foam brush. I had absolutely no visible brush strokes, runs or drips. It looked as if it were perfectly sprayed.
The matte finish would scuff easily and it required a clear top coat. I wanted a satin finish, so I tested satin clear. The dulling agent made the black look more gray than black. So I applied a glossy clear then after it had cured, I applied butchers’ wax with 0000 steel wool.
That gave the appearance I was looking for, but was too much work. But that section has been in place for 4 years, and it is clear to me that it is more durable than the two coats of Advance over primer.
It is probably the finish that is less skill dependent. Follow the video instructions from GF, and you are good.
Also, the steel wool and wax will smooth out any imperfections in the clear coat (also applied by foam brush).
Note: I’ve seen people shake a can of finish. That’s not usually a good idea. It creates air bubbles that may or may not mar the finish. “Stirred, not shaken.” (Much like James Bond’s martinis.)
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