Most of your questions should be answered below, but if you have
any additional questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at:
408.279.2893.
Q. Are finishes used out of state more
durable than the materials allowed for use in California?
A. No. This is a misleading rumor that some
premanufactured cabinet companies and their sales representatives use
to help justify their high prices. Customers are led to believe they
will be getting an inferior product by choosing a custom cabinet
maker.
The truth is, as a moderate size custom
cabinet finishing company, we can legally use the same materials they
use. BAAQC (Bay Area Air Quality Control) is the governing agency
which licenses us to use these finishes. They audit us yearly to
ensure we maintain compliance with the Air Quality Standards.
Q. What kind of finishes do you use?
A. For our stain and glaze finishes we use an
Acid Catalyzed Vinyl (ACV). This product has excellent clarity (so
your cabinets do not have that plastic look).
The Woodworking Institute has rated this
product “excellent” regarding resistance to impacts, water, and
chemicals and it has a “very good” rating for resisting abrasion.
ACV is far more durable than the standard
Pre-Cat Lacquers which are widely use by most contractors.
For our painted surfaces we use Pigmented
Conversion Varnish. This product is very resistant to yellowing. The
Woodworking Institute has rated this product “excellent” regarding
resistance to abrasions, water, and chemicals and it has a “very good”
rating for resisting impact. Again this product is far more durable in
every aspect to regular enamel or lacquer. We can match any color from
any standard paint deck.
Q. How do I clean my cabinets?
A. Our finishes are very easy to maintain.
You will find mild soap and water will do a very good job. Since our
materials are very chemically resistant you can also use Windex, 409,
Fantastic, Dirtex, or similar cleaners. Do not allow any strong
oxidant cleaners like oven cleaner to remain on cabinet surface. Take
care in not using large amounts of water in cleaning, as the excess
water could get in between the panel and door frame and compromise the
integrity of the door. Also stay away from waxes and oils. These
products won’t hurt the finish but they won’t penetrate the finish
like they are designed to, so they lie on top and can leave an uneven
sheen thus diminishing the look of the finish.
Q. How do I touch up my cabinet finish?
A. Due to the durability of our finishes you
will find with reasonable use touch up will seldom be needed. However,
if you do manage to damage the finish, do it yourself touch up can be
tricky. We have come into houses where home owners tried their own
touch up only to find the little nick is now a big black blotch. Some
of the stain finishes can be easily touched up with a stain pen (If
you use a stain pen, keep your touch up small).
Because we use Conversion Varnish for our
paint we cannot give the customer touch up paint. Conversion Varnish
is a two component paint with a very short shelf life. Again we
recommend you call us for paint touch up. If you have a Paint Glaze
finish you will need to contact us for touch up. Paint Glazes are very
difficult to touch up.
Q. Will my finish yellow?
A. No. The finishes themselves are very
resistant to yellowing. Yellowing finish is a problem with oil base
paints and nitrocellulose lacquers (this is the finish most house
painters use). Even though our clear finishes have UV Blockers in them
they will not stop the natural aging of the wood itself. So depending
on the species of wood, clear or semi clear finishes can change
significantly in color over time. This can be controlled with stain
but you can lose clarity. Aging of wood (or patina) isn’t necessarily
a bad thing. For instance, cherry and walnut become darker and more
beautiful with age. With some species, such as alder (which looks
beautiful when new but can fade and turn yellow with age), it is
highly recommended that you use stain to control colorfastness. Our
experts can help you choose the right finish for your job.
Q. Do you build cabinets?
A. We do not build or install cabinetry.
Q. Do you finish onsite?
A. Yes, we can finish your cabinet’s onsite,
or in our shop. Onsite work can incur additional costs for travel and
set up but is sometimes required due to scheduling and/or finish
process.
Q. Do you finish furniture?
A. Not usually. We specialize in cabinet
finishes, however some exceptions do apply.