Toning and Top-Coating

by Dale W. Palmer
(Cincinnati ohio)

I have been a professional refinisher for 33 years. I live and work in Cincinnati Ohio. If the finish on your kitchen cabinets is beginning to wear, there is a simple solution.

You cover the surrounding surfaces with taping paper. I just sand the cabinets with #220 sand paper. I tack the cabinets with a rag with a little paint thinner, then spray a couple of coats of solvent based lacquer on it. You need to rent a sprayer because you can't bush lacquer. I thin the first coat 25% to get a good grip. After it dries, sand and re-coat. Drying only takes a couple of hours with lacquer.I put about 25% retarder in the last coat so it dries slow and gives a smooth surface.

You need to make sure you have a solvent based finish now. A simple test is to rub a little lacquer thinner on an area you won't see. If it breaks down a little you know it's solvent based.

Tell me how it worked for you.