Before Photo of Dated 1980's Oak cabinets...

 

 

 

 

After Pictures of Painted and Glazed Oak Cabinets

Painted and Glazed Oak Cabinets

Painted and Glazed Oak Cabinets

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Paint and Glaze over Oak cabinets

After Pictures — Painted and glazed Oak cabinets

After much consideration this client decided to do a cosmetic remodel VS a complete demo. The cost saving that was gained by refinishing their cabinets was enough to completely pay for their solid granite counters and backsplash! On top of that they did not have to throw out perfectly good solid Oak cabinets that by the way are much sturdier than most options on the market today. This also cut their total remodel time by several weeks!

Click on Photo below to see more about this project:

Antiquing- To give a surface an worn, aged or distressed finish.

Base Coat- The initial layer(s) of paint or plaster that are applied to a surface, prior to finsh coats.

Burnish- A method that is typically performed on Venetian Plaster using a stainless steel trowel. Burnishing gives a smooth, glass-like finish to the plaster as well it compacts the lime and marble creating the illusion of depth and multiple colors.

Chair Rail- Wall molding applied horizontally at the height of a side chair.

Combing- A decorative paint technique in which a comb (often made of plastic or cardboard or rubber) is pulled through wet paint, glaze or plaster to create a pattern.

Color Wash- A process in which a tinted glaze is applied to blend multiple colors.

Crown Molding- Trim molding that runs along the top of a wall and ceiling.

Crackle Finish- Crackle finishes have an aged, weathered look. They can be used with paint or plaster to revile a base color or the crackle finish can be glazed. Crackle finishes can be controlled to create “fine” porcelain like cracks or large cracks.

Decorative Painting- The process or art of coating a surface with paint / glazes using multiple colors to create depth and the illusion of texture.

Decorative Plaster- Generally a synthetic / water based plaster that is troweled onto a smooth surface such as walls, ceilings, cabinets, mantels etc. This type of material is generally cheaper and easier to apply then authentic lime plasters.

Distressing-To create an aged look. Examples would be, worm holes, scratches, dents, crackle finishes, sanding sharp edges on cabinetry, trim, doors, furniture, walls etc…

Faux- Faux is a French word used to describe something made to resemble something else. The original French word means false, fake, imitation or artificial. In the decorating industry faux finishing is a broadly used term describing technique used to create variety looks that will fit many different design styles.

Gilding- The application of metal in any form (gold or other metallic leaf, metallic foil, metallic paint, metallic powder, etc.)

Glaze – A translucent material that starts out clear. Glaze can be tinted with universal colorant or tint, to any color. Glaze is applied over a base color to create an endless variety of decorative or faux finishes. Glaze is NOT watered down paint! It has an increased open time allowing it to be manipulated until the desired look is achieved. Knock down texture – A texture that is thicker than orange peel texture. It is sprayed and then knocked down to create organic shapes. Generally in the North West this is what you will find on the ceilings in most newer homes.

Lacquer – Lacquer can be solvent based or water based. Generally lacquer is used over the top of stained wood or decorative finishes, when a more durable, washable surface is required. In the past solvent based lacquers are known for their hard, durable finish. However today’s technology in water based lacquers have come a long way. Water based lacquers don’t have the smell and fire danger that is associated with the solvent based version. Also water based lacquers don’t yellow, or turn color over time allowing for touch ups that will match at a later date.

Smooth wall, Level 0 –5

Level 0 – No taping, finishing, or accessories required. Usage: Temporary construction or when final decoration is undetermined.

Level 1 – All joints and interior angles shall have tape set in joint compound. Surface shall be free of excess joint compound. Tool marks and ridges are acceptable. Usage: Above false ceilings or other areas that are out of public view where a degree of fire and noise resistance is required.

Level 2 — All joints and interior angles shall have tape embedded in joint compound and wiped with a joint knife leaving a thin coating of joint compound over all joints and interior angles. Fastener heads and accessories shall be covered with a coat of joint compound. Surface shall be free of excess joint compound. Tool marks and ridges are acceptable. Joint compound applied over the body of the tape at the time of tape embedment shall be considered a separate coat of joint compound and shall satisfy the conditions of this level. Usage: As a substrate for tile walls and ceilings as well as in garages, warehouses, and other places where appearance is not a primary concern.

Level 3 — All joints and interior angles shall have tape embedded in joint compound and one additional coat of joint compound applied over all joints and interior angles. Fastener heads and accessories shall be covered with two separate coats of joint compound. All joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes. Usage: Suitable base for heavy-medium textured paint or other thick finishes.

Level 4 — All joints and interior angles shall have tape embedded in joint compound and two separate coats of joint compound applied over all flat joints and one separate coat of joint compound applied over interior angles. Fastener heads and accessories shall be covered with three separate coats of joint compound. All joint compound shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of final finishes. Usage: “Standard” household and office walls. Used with light or non-textured finishes. Not suitable for harsh lighting conditions, which may highlight minor imperfections.

Level 5 — All joints and interior angles shall have tape embedded in joint compound and two separate coats of joint compound applied over all flat joints and one separate coat of joint compound applied over interior angles. Fastener heads and accessories shall be covered with three separate coats of joint compound. A thin skim coat of joint compound, or a material manufactured especially for this purpose, shall be applied to the entire surface. The surface shall be smooth and free of tool marks and ridges. It is recommended that the prepared surface be coated with a drywall primer prior to the application of finish paint. The skim coat is a final leveling agent suitable to smooth out a surface to be used under the harshest lighting conditions that may otherwise highlight any imperfections under the finished surface. Usage: Gloss and entirely non-textured surfaces.

Lime Plaster – Lime plaster is an All-Natural plaster that is made from marble, lime and other natural aggregates. Lime plaster is troweled onto a smooth surface such as walls, ceilings, cabinets, mantels etc. Authentic lime plaster inhibits and prevents bacteria growth on the surface, which eliminates the possibility of mold and mildew. As a result of eliminating mold spores, it is hypoallergenic, not allowing allergy spores to live longer during allergy seasons and leaves a heather living environment. Lime plaster is an excellent sound barrier and insulator. Lime plaster will reduce the amount of humidity in a room by absorbing moisture which then evaporates off the surface over time. Lime Plaster will help keep a fire contained. Since it does not burn like painted or synthetic plaster, it does not allow a fire to spread as quickly within a room. This ability reduces or eliminates more extensive structural damage or destruction (provided the fire is extinguished promptly). The only thing better than authentic lime plaster, would be to apply stone or marble slabs to your walls.

Marbleizing- A finishing technique that using paint and glazes to mimic real marble or stone.

Open Time - The amount of time that a paint, plaster or glaze stays wet and remains workable.

Orange Peel texture – Orange peel texture is commonly found in the North west. It is a texture that is sprayed onto walls and ceilings to minimize drywall and framing imperfections.

Primer- Either water based or oil, the first coat of product applied to a surface to reduce absorbency, block stains, and ensure adhesion of subsequent coats.

Protective coating – Any clear material such as Lacquer, Conversion Varnish, Polyurethane, Wax, Varnish etc. These are some of the materials used to make a finished surface more durable and washable.

Sheen – Sheen refers to the amount of light that reflects or bounces off of a painted or finished surface. Generally, the higher the sheen level the more durable, washable and stain resistant a finish will be. However, finishes that have a high level of sheen will highlight surface imperfections such as poor framing or poor installation of drywall / texture.

Skip Trowel texture– Is generally done with all purpose dry wall mud by troweling with light pressure to create an organic texture. Generally a skip troweled texture is primed and painted like normal smooth wall or orange peel texutes.

Stipple- A faux finish technique where a stippler is pounced into wet glaze on the surface causing the glaze to disperse into tiny dots. Stippling gives a very even film of glaze while removing brush strokes or roller marks.

Strie-A decorative painting technique where a brush or various other tools are pulled through wet gaze achieving stripes.

Tint – Tint is the material that is added to paint , glaze or plaster to create a color. Tint on its own does NOT have dryers in it, so it important that the ratio of tint to paint/glaze/plaster, not exceed 4 oz per gal when using glaze and up to 14 oz when using in paint and up to 16 oz in plaster.

Trompe L’oeil- A French word meaning, “To fool the eye”. A decorative painting technique using paint and glaze in which an illusion of depth and reality is created by emphasizing highlights and shadows.

Varnish - Any synthetic resins such as alkyd or acrylic clear coats, epoxies and polyurethane’s that provide a clear protective coating.

Venetian Plaster- A internally colored coating that, that creates a smooth, surface with both movement and depth. Venetian plaster is typically troweled on with a stainless steel trowel in multiple layers for a smooth polished stone like finish.

Wet-Edge-The place where one section of glaze joins a still wet, previously applied section, so that no seam or break is visible.

In my last video I showed you how to test the adhesion level of a painted finish . In this video I would like to discuss how to strip paint, what products and tools to use as well I will recommend a primer and finish coat. In this example I will use the exterior side of a front door. Let’s say you have tested the adhesion on the existing paint of your front door and determined that the paint should be stripped.

Now before we get started here is a list of the items you will need to remove the paint.

Blue tape, masking paper, drop cloths, saw horses, Chemical resistant gloves, safety glasses, Jasco Paint remover, large carbide blade scraper, push scraper, detail scraper for tight spots, throw away brush and a metal can for the paint remover. An optional tool is a heat gun in case the lower layers are not responding to the paint remover.

So lets get started

The 1^st step is to mask off any surface that you don’t want to harm. Using your throw away brush apply a thick coat of the paint remover onto two areas that are approximately 5 by 10 inches each. Let sit for several minutes until the paint has bubbled, then start scraping being careful to avoid gouging the wood. Let the paint remover do the work, depending on the number of layers you are trying to remove you may have to repeat these steps several times.

The next step is to prime, complete minor repairs and then apply 2 coats of finish.

Items needed are:

A paint sprayer, talk to your local paint dealer, most have a rental program. A gallon of primer, wood filler, 220 grit sand paper and a gallon of paint.

Because this is a wood door that gets a ton of direct sunlight I chose a primer that would bond well to raw wood and stay flexible enough to handle the movement that occurs in this situation. I went with Pittsburg Paints Water based Seal Grip bonding primer for the under coat. We elected to spray our primer coats which will yield a smooth finish without any risk of heavy spots or brush marks. Once the primer is dry then inspect to find any scratches or dents, fill with wood putty, then hand sand the entire door until smooth to the touch. Then apply 1 more coat of primer to make sure the patched spots don’t show through the final finish coats.

Now it’s time to paint. For this project we wanted a semi gloss finish that would be tough, flexible and would stand up to regular cleaning. Miller Paint’s Acrinamel in the semi gloss sheen is the perfect paint for this scenario. Again we elected to spray to avoid brush marks. As you can see the finished result is a smooth, beautiful paint job that will last for years.

Make sure to watch my next video where I will show you how to convert a lacquer finish on cabinetry over to paint. Thanks for watching!

As a Professional Portland House Painter I often get asked,

“When is it necessary to completely remove failing paint, verses just spot prepping?”

Before I answer that question lets discuss what, poor inter-coat adhesion is.

Over the years surfaces will receive many layers of paint.  Because people often don’t take the time to properly clean and prepare before they apply each coat, one of those lower layers of paint might not be able to support the weight and pull that is created by another coat of paint causing the entire coating to peel with very little effort.

I recommend before you paint any surface that you do an adhesion test.

There are two reasons to perform an adhesion test.  One is to identify poor intercoat adhesion another is to confirm that the coating system your about to apply is going to stick before you complete the whole job.

The adhesion test method I prefer is to make small cuts in the coating with a razor knife being careful to not cut down into the wood.  Then place 3M 2020 white tape over the cuts, rub a few times to make sure the tape is firmly adhered, and then remove.  If the tape removes more than 10 – 15% of the coating I would advise you too completely to strip the coating and start over.

In this example I tested a well-known primer from Portland house painter department of Home Depot and a Quality water based enamel.  This is the paint system that was recommended when painting over lacquer which is most commonly found on cabinetry.

Now as you can see more than 15% of the coating came off so I would definitely avoid this primer in this situation.

In my next video I will show you step by step how we strip paint, what products and tools we use, what primer we recommend and finish coats.  The next video is titled   “Stripping paint from a front door”

Brian Kemnitz has been a Portland House Painter for over ten years in the Portland Metro Area.  He is the owner of a Portland Painting Company call Pearl Painters.  If you are in the Portland Oregon Metro Area and would like to take classes please contact Brian at his Studio.

Thanks for watching!

One of the largest expenses in a remodel is refacing or replacing cabinetry. Let’s face it, the doors and drawers work just fine, but you are tired of the color, style, or the woodgrain. It is hard to justify putting the whole thing in a landfill for just those reasons. There are so many finishes we can apply to your cabinets anywhere from painting the cabinetry to adding a specialty finish…at a price point that is significantly less than tearing it out and starting over. Additionally, the water based clear coats that we use on all of our woodwork and cabinetry is less toxic, longer lasting and doesn’t yellow like the finishes you see in today’s new construction and cabinetry shops.

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Learning a faux finish on a sample board in a week long class is very different than making it look natural on a whole wall. We have degreed artists on our crew who have trained in various places in the world. Their training and experience is critical because putting a finish on a wall requires more consideration than just the color or technique. You must consider scale of the pattern, or lack of pattern, weight, continuity and the ability to create art that is completed in sections…yet must appear seamless. This is where the difference becomes apparent between a person who says they are as a “faux finisher” and the true professional artist. These designed and decorative finishes can be subtle or bold, but each is designed with you for your home.

We will help guide you through the many options for a designed faux finish by showing you over-sized samples of various techniques, colors, and styles. Pictures of past projects and samples displayed in our showroom are a great visual for the creation of ideas for your home.

Bring samples of the elements from your home to the showroom. Starting with a piece of granite, a fabric swatch, or a print…now the fun begins when we are able to collaborate to bring the elements together with a finish for your walls. We work with you to determine the right shades and textures based on your home and the colors you have used in designing your living space. Once you’ve made a decision, sample boards will be created for you. Upon your approval, we begin to work on your personalized masterpiece.

To achieve the dramatic look only plaster can provide, a multi step process must be followed. The results are a finish which bathes your walls in ever changing colors, with each time of day casting a different shade across your room. At night, the walls appear to give off light, creating a glow, though cool to the touch.

There are many types of Plaster finishes. Please see the another photo below. Keep in mind that if you don’t see what you are looking for, sample boards will be created using your style as a guideline.

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