Rust-Oleum offers new DIY cabinet finish system
The upheaval in the economy has forced many large paint manufactures deeper into the DIY market. Although most coatings manufactures have been wooing the DIY market for years, many are going after sales from niches once dominated by paint contractor sales. Most notable of late is the cabinet finishes niche.
With tighter project budgets, and years of saturation as it relates to a wide variety of DIY cable programing, YouTube how to videos, and workshops sponsored by large home improvement chains, people are searching for more economical solutions for completing larger projects on their own.
For those attempting to place their homes on the market, or tackle home improvements for lack of project funding, large ticket items become a major factor that can reflect negatively on financial returns after the sale or re-sale later on. Floors, cabinets, and counter tops are a few large tick items that most will address at some point during home ownership, or before placing the home up for sale.
Floors and counter tops remain items that require higher levels of skill than many other home improvement projects if one is to tackle a replacement project oneself. I believe cabinet refinishing requires a higher level of skill as well. However, with the media promoting DIY paint projects as those easily accomplished with a video, or one hour workshop, cabinet refinishing is joining the easy to do list at an astounding rate.
As the economy forces the home owner to seek remedies that leave little or no room for hiring a professional contractor to handle a task, large coatings manufactures are working to fill the void. One in particular is Rust-
Oleum. Long since a large player in the spray paint market, this organization has a new cabinet refinishing system.
The system is touted as an easy to apply system for DIY applications, accompanied by promotional and how-to videos from the Rust-Oleum website. Although I have yet to tested the system, I believe I can offer a professional opinion on the skills required to achieve a professional grade finish as apposed to an obvious DIY finish.
The video instructions demonstrate the ease of applying the finish with a paintbrush. To begin, using a brush to apply a new cabinet finish would never be my professional recommendation. As is with any brush applied finish, the result typically leaves the finish with inherent brush strokes. I for one do not find brush strokes in my finishes the least bit attractive.
Additionally, the product base consists of alcohol, which evaporates fast, and the manufacture does not recommend over working the product. In other words, if one is not accustomed to working with a paint brush in a production setting, over working the product may be the first deal breaker for the inexperienced DIY enthusiast.
Anyone who is familiar will rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and the like, will understand just how fast the evaporation rate is. Therefore, logic dictates that one does not have to be a professional to appreciate the importance of working fast with an alcohol based product. With this in mind, my recommendation is to apply the product with a high volume-low pressure (HVLP) spray system. Doing so will eliminate unwanted brush strokes and over working of the product.
Since the alcohol content of the product allows for fast drying, one can re-coat the substrate faster between coats, decreasing the time required for completing the project and that is a good thing. I am a huge fan of completing projects faster, and no finer cabinet finish has been applied without the use of HVLP spray systems. Think of your car's finish, or cabinet's original factory finish if there are any doubts. Neither item would leave the factory with brush applied finishes; right?.
If the product being used to paint the cabinets is petroleum based like oil-based enamels, I would say go ahead and use a brush. With a little extender added, allowing the oil-based product more time to flow out, brush strokes may vanish completely, or to an acceptable level. With the Rust-Oleum cabinet system, one does not have the luxury of extending the workability of the product. One must work fast.
As a professional cabinet re-finisher, I am intrigued by an entirely water borne system for refinishing cabinets. Petroleum based systems are unfriendly to the environment, require large quantities of solvents during clean-up, and emit toxic fumes and noxious odors. Water borne systems are less damaging to the environment, clean up easily with water, and are less noxious as it relates to unpleasant odor emissions.
Rust-Oleum's cabinet system is a bonding coating and finish top coat all in one. The first coat is the primer or bond coat, and the second is the finish top-coat. According to manufacture specs, the properties that make up the bonding coating makes sanding and prepping unnecessary prior to applying the bond coat. However, cleaning the substrates prior to application is recommended and necessary, because nothing sticks to dirt and grease except dirt and grease.
No sanding, no prep, fast drying, and water-borne. Sounds like an awesome system, especially if the system is as durable as claimed. I will have to test the product out to make a determination as it equates to durability. From a professional view point, little or no prep work, fast drying qualities, and water-borne means I may have a new system to offer clients as a way to reduce project costs.
For those clients who sit on the DIY fence, if you do not feel comfortable attempting a cabinet makeover using this product, contact me, and I will be happy to work up an estimate. As always, the estimate is free, and since I would be saving money on the product and labor, I would be passing some of the saving on to you.
Thanks,
Ricky
P.S. If anyone has used the Rust-Oleum cabinet system, please leave a comment, I am very interested in new products, and the feedback from those who attempt to DIY...
As the economy forces the home owner to seek remedies that leave little or no room for hiring a professional contractor to handle a task, large coatings manufactures are working to fill the void. One in particular is Rust-
Oleum. Long since a large player in the spray paint market, this organization has a new cabinet refinishing system.
The system is touted as an easy to apply system for DIY applications, accompanied by promotional and how-to videos from the Rust-Oleum website. Although I have yet to tested the system, I believe I can offer a professional opinion on the skills required to achieve a professional grade finish as apposed to an obvious DIY finish.
The video instructions demonstrate the ease of applying the finish with a paintbrush. To begin, using a brush to apply a new cabinet finish would never be my professional recommendation. As is with any brush applied finish, the result typically leaves the finish with inherent brush strokes. I for one do not find brush strokes in my finishes the least bit attractive.
Additionally, the product base consists of alcohol, which evaporates fast, and the manufacture does not recommend over working the product. In other words, if one is not accustomed to working with a paint brush in a production setting, over working the product may be the first deal breaker for the inexperienced DIY enthusiast.
Anyone who is familiar will rubbing alcohol, denatured alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and the like, will understand just how fast the evaporation rate is. Therefore, logic dictates that one does not have to be a professional to appreciate the importance of working fast with an alcohol based product. With this in mind, my recommendation is to apply the product with a high volume-low pressure (HVLP) spray system. Doing so will eliminate unwanted brush strokes and over working of the product.
Since the alcohol content of the product allows for fast drying, one can re-coat the substrate faster between coats, decreasing the time required for completing the project and that is a good thing. I am a huge fan of completing projects faster, and no finer cabinet finish has been applied without the use of HVLP spray systems. Think of your car's finish, or cabinet's original factory finish if there are any doubts. Neither item would leave the factory with brush applied finishes; right?.
If the product being used to paint the cabinets is petroleum based like oil-based enamels, I would say go ahead and use a brush. With a little extender added, allowing the oil-based product more time to flow out, brush strokes may vanish completely, or to an acceptable level. With the Rust-Oleum cabinet system, one does not have the luxury of extending the workability of the product. One must work fast.
As a professional cabinet re-finisher, I am intrigued by an entirely water borne system for refinishing cabinets. Petroleum based systems are unfriendly to the environment, require large quantities of solvents during clean-up, and emit toxic fumes and noxious odors. Water borne systems are less damaging to the environment, clean up easily with water, and are less noxious as it relates to unpleasant odor emissions.
Rust-Oleum's cabinet system is a bonding coating and finish top coat all in one. The first coat is the primer or bond coat, and the second is the finish top-coat. According to manufacture specs, the properties that make up the bonding coating makes sanding and prepping unnecessary prior to applying the bond coat. However, cleaning the substrates prior to application is recommended and necessary, because nothing sticks to dirt and grease except dirt and grease.
No sanding, no prep, fast drying, and water-borne. Sounds like an awesome system, especially if the system is as durable as claimed. I will have to test the product out to make a determination as it equates to durability. From a professional view point, little or no prep work, fast drying qualities, and water-borne means I may have a new system to offer clients as a way to reduce project costs.
For those clients who sit on the DIY fence, if you do not feel comfortable attempting a cabinet makeover using this product, contact me, and I will be happy to work up an estimate. As always, the estimate is free, and since I would be saving money on the product and labor, I would be passing some of the saving on to you.
Thanks,
Ricky
P.S. If anyone has used the Rust-Oleum cabinet system, please leave a comment, I am very interested in new products, and the feedback from those who attempt to DIY...
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