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.

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