Cabinet inside finish

[coach]

Hey guys,,,,,,,I am making a set of maple face frame cabinets with maple boxes.
Originally they were to be light stain with raised panels,,,several changes later they are now to be bead board doors and painted white.

My question is how do you feel about painting inside of cabinets?
I would rather clear coat the interiors but not sure how that would look with white doors and face frames.

Do you think painted interior is a problem a couple years down the road?
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks, David

[ken_rychlik]

David, I use a prefinished birch for my interiors. It doesn't matter if they are stained painted or whatever on the outside. Painted cabinets with prefinished clear birch interiors looks just fine and I have had no complaints.

It is available in two sided and one sided as well.

For your exterior panels, you could use the one sided. Put the prefinished to the inside.

Painting or any kind of finishing on the inside of a box is a pain.

If someone really wants interiors stained or painted it is an up charge from my normal cabinets. If you decide to finish the insides of the boxes, leave the backs off till after the finish work.

Kenneth

[coach]

Ken, thanks for the input. I also use PF 1 side for almost all my cabinets.
I mostly do commercial apartment buildings.

For this job the stock was purchased before the customer chose to go with white. Do you think the paint will cause issues down the road?
Such as scratching, peeling or any other issues associated with paint?
Thanks.
David

[ken_rychlik]

It will not be as good as prefinished, but if you use a precat or better, it should be ok. I wouldn't use a soft finish.

If it were me, I would return the supplies and buy what the current plans call for. i hate finishing the insides of boxes anymore.

I guess I don't understand you though. If you have stain grade outsides, and you need to paint them, that should not affect the inside of the box.

Take care

Kenneth

[dlcw]

David,

Another option for inside the cabinets - if they are not already prefinished plywood - is to put your paint on and then spray a conversion varnish over the paint. This will add a very durable clear over the softer paint. If the inside is prefinished plywood, I don't think paint will ever stick to it properly.

Like Kenneth says, leave the backs off because spraying an enclosed cabinet really su$#s. You get half the finish back in your face. Don't ask me how I know this...:rolleyes:

[bleeth]

David:
As long as your client has no objection I think clear coat boxes with a white face frame and bead board doors would look just fine. In fact the contrast would remind the owners that what they have is the "real deal" and not melamine. There are some white milk paints that are made for a look like bead board doors (IMHO). As I rtecall they are fairly low-luster and the finish looks more traditional than the usual Campbells magna-lac plastic look. Seems to me the whole design begs for leaf hinges with ferrules too, (Mortise type if you have the budget and non-mortise if you dont) but then I never have figured out why someone would go to all the work to build face frame casework and then use Blum hinges.

[joe_dusel]

This is a job for white melamine. It's way more durable than any painted surface and it is way less expensive.

Joe

[thewoodcrafter]

I think Joe has the right idea.

But if you have to paint, do it in the flat then assemble.
That is how I do open book cases. Works great.
I hate spraying into a box. Even with the back off it is a pain.

[joe_dusel]

And I think Roger has the right idea. :cool: I finish everything flat and then assemble.

Joe

[Big-Tex]

If you did not cut parts use UV birch.
its prefinished material and holds up well.
It also will give you clean look.
If you must spray boxes do it with back removed, overs pray will not bounce back and hit face.
As per flat finish that is worst you can do. Lower sheen will provide no protection at all.