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Varnishes, Repairing Varnishes

When a good product goes bad
How are cabinets with conversion varnishes best repaired? “It depends on the extent of the damage,” says Crabtree. “Most damage occurs to a door or drawer front. That’s easily remedied by taking it back to the shop and having another coat applied that day.”

Nicks and scratches can be touched up on-site, says Crabtree. Beyond that, cabinets generally are returned to the shop. Campbell adds that repairing damage to conversion varnishes is more difficult due to the varnish’s chemical cure. “You can’t just re-wet it with another coat like you would with a lacquer. You would have to sand and refinish.” McElroy agrees. “Repairs on products in their final environment are more cumbersome because conversion varnish requires catalyst to achieve the performance benefits.”

Teaching and training
Despite advances in conversion-varnish production techniques, many consumers aren’t grasping the importance of using higher-end finishes to protect their investment. “We get a lot of calls every day from customers wanting to know how to take care of cabinets,” says Pollock. “Some use caustic, aggressive products, and that’s not good. They should treat cabinets like they treat their furniture.”

Crabtree laments the spread of misinformation in California, where stringent air-quality measures are in effect. “People think we can’t use the conversion finishes out here, but that’s not true. But how do I get to the customers to let them know that air-quality boards in California will issue a permit to operate a spray booth? The boards look at products and tell you how much you are permitted to spray per quarter, per year.”

In the past, contractors have had problems finding resources to learn the skills necessary for applying wood finishes. But that is changing, said McElroy. “Coatings suppliers often provide training. Additionally, there are training schools such as the American Wood Finishing Institute.”

Craig Pollock, sales manager for AMT/Chemcraft in Chino, Calif., says that much of the information and training his company provides to its distributors is transferred to cabinet manufacturers or painting contractors. “We have a variety of training programs available, with specialized training in High Point, N.C.; here in Chico, Calif.; and in Ontario (Calif.).”

More finish options
To help customers select the best product for their needs, Pollock paints a “bottom-to-top” scenario. “Nitrocellulose lacquer is something you don’t recommend for a kitchen or bathroom because it doesn’t have water resistance or chemical resistance. The pre-catalyzed lacquer comes with a catalyst already in it — that’s the minimum grade we sell. Then we move up to conversion finishes. In regards to conventional type coatings, they are the best.

“Beyond that, there are UV coatings, which are extremely good, and two-component polyurethane and polyesters.” Catalyzed vinyl is another high-end option, adds Crabtree. “It’s a dynamite finish. It’s very high-end, and very pricey. It’s a cut above conversion varnish and is a clearer product.”

But there is no doubt that conversion varnishes are the top pick for general high-end use. “It’s one of the most durable products a manufacturer could put on their cabinets,” says Pollock. Crabtree is even more definitive: “It’s the best product for wood finishing today.”