finishing questions for new kitchen

[gordonmt]

I'm starting my research for building and finishing all new kitchen cabinets.
I usually knee jerk to a minwax oil based stain and finish with good old polyurethane.

Are there better options I should consider especially in the relm of stains?

[fergy]

My wife insisted on a shade of Minwax brand stain for our new kitchen cabinets, and I really regret it now. It was very splotchy on oak. I've never had that sort of hassle using a Watco or other brand of stain. But, it would also depend on the type of wood you are planning to use.

The only comment I'd have on urethane is that I've seen it have issues with moisture. I sprayed our cabinets with pre-cat lacquer.

[gordonmt]

Fergy,
Can you elaborate more on the issues with moisture using urethane. I have come to understand that urethane finishes are used specifically when there might be a moisture presence such as table tops and bar surfaces etc.
Also, where do you buy your watco from? I want to try it out.
Thanks for the reply
Mark

[fergy]

I'm not sure who around here carries the Watco stains. I think Klingspoor has them but I'm not sure. I'm sure others can elaborate on better, high-end stains than I can.

As for urethane and moisture, I'm not sure where I read that. I've noticed that the Armour-Seal finish on a desk I did has rings in it from water glasses and coffee cups, though. And somewhere I just read that urethanes aren't as good for water-resistance as lacquer. It might have been in some of Jeff Jewitt's stuff.

And for the life if me, I can't seem to get great finishes with urethanes, but I can spray lacquer all day long and get a good finish.

As for the Minwax stain, it came out splotchy and didn't penetrate well. It was more like a paint finish. When I reported my problems to my father, who had run a custom cabinet shop, he said they had always had the same problems with that brand of stain when people wanted it used. I think it's a cheap finish meant to be sold in the big-box stores, and it's not really a commercial product.

You can also look at the ML Campbell finishes that Wurth sells. I know they've got a ton of them, and they do custom color matching.

For most of what I'm doing now, I'm trying to stick with commercial products instead of big-box products, if you know what I mean.

[Travis Porter]

I would recommend trying dyes. I haven't been using them long, but so far they are very easy, very forgiving, and much more even.

Used to be they were not very light fast, but from what I have read and seen that is not as much of an issue as it used to be.

on the recent set of cabinets I did, I used waterbased lacquer and although it sprays well, it takes a lot more coats than precat so that means more time and more handling. In retrospect, I think I would spray precat from what I have read and seen from others on the site and elsewhere although I have not personally tried it.

[Robert Brunke']

Mark,
The finish that I have had the best results with have been the Gemini conversion coatings and stains.
The stain drys quickly as does the conversion coating. If you've sprayed lacquer, you can spray this.
Ultra Solids offers the high level of durability necessary for today’s cabinetry and woodwork. Ultra Solids Clear Conversion Coating offers the durability of a conversion varnish with the ease of application generally associated with precatalyzed lacquers. Formulated with European Polymer Technologya Solids is crystal clear and non-yellowing with a 60-day pot life. Apply two or three coats self-sealing, or if desired, apply one coat of 210-0008 Gem Seal Conversion Sealer and one or two coats of Ultra Solids. This product meets all of the pertinent government regulations regarding emissions and exceeds the performance parameters outlined by KCMA and ASTM.
For a dealer near you go to www.gemini-coatings.com . To product listing, to high performance coatings, to dealer locator and type in zip code.
Regards,
Robert