clark fine carpentry

the basic concept of painting is to apply a coating to a surface in a controlled manner as to let the coating properly dry or cure, usually minimal evidence of the application process unless this is desired for aesthetics.

fine painting of cabinetry can be done with brush or sprayer. in this article I am using a brush on installed cabinet faceframes and visible panels.

any coating requires a uniform surface for proper drying and a surface free of defects for uniform appearance. the more porous the surface, the quicker it will dry. priming and sanding address these issues, respectively.

each coat of paint reduces the surface tension. the less tension, the thinner the coating can be. this applies to both brush and sprayer, but is more easily observed by feel with a brush. thin with appropriate solvent- in my case, water. if too thick, the paint will drag. if too thin, it will run and drip.

porosity also effects drying times (and open times, where then paint is still workable). in general, earlier coats will dry faster.

for brush stiffness, soft is best for low viscosity cabinet paints. apply thick, spread (using a low angle and medium pressure) and then flatten with brush tip when brush is no longer loaded. Brush should almost be perpendicular to surface, just grazing.

before the last coat goes one, a bit of surface prep will make the finish look great. sanding and cleaning will remove ridges, strong brush strokes, and any debris from the previous coats. sanding will also, again, even out the surface tension, allow the paint to flow and level more uniformly. this is the goal of the final layer.