"Outsourcing" project finishing

Has anyone out there contracted with someone else to put the finish on one of their projects?

I'm almost done with a project I've been working on for 3 years (off and on, between home improvements and other stuff) that I'd like to wrap up. Finishing my projects is not a strong point for me just yet, and I'd like for this to really be done well, so I was thinking about finding a cabinet shop or something and paying them to use some of the more industrial strength spray-on finishes I've read about here on the wreck.

Is this something a cabinet shop would even consider seriously, or should I just stick to poly and hope no one notices the runny finish? :-)

-Nathan

Reply to
N Hurst
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Look for an Antique Restoration shop. You do not need to get into the = really expensive spots that deal only in true antiques. Almost any = refinisher will gladly accomodate you for a fee.

Ask your neighbours who they use.

HTH

P D Q

Reply to
PDQ

Shoot a note to "Swingman" on this subject. I believe he outsources all his kitchen cabinet projects.

Given today's bus> Has anyone out there contracted with someone else to put the finish on

Reply to
Pat Barber

Nathan, you would be surprised how many do. Since I am a remodeling contractor, I run into folks that are scared to death of finishing all the time. They talk to me after I refinish cabinets, stain, dye, or strip and refinish.

While many homeowners and weekend warriors will happily brag about the quality of their woodwork, they are almost without exception quite humble about their wood finishing.

I hear, "well, this got away from me", "this was my first time with that finish", "evidently I did something wrong", or the famous "they guy at the store told me to do it this way - it's his fault". While at a house, I have helped dozens get their projects back on track, and hopefully, scared off some of their trepidation of finishing.

I would have to say that with almost 35 years of professional woodworking behind me, finishing is the skill most woodworkers lack, and the one they are most reluctant to learn.

Since most of the time I do the woodwork as well on my projects, I tend to think of woodwork and finishing as two different skills, which they are. Good finishing requires an entirely different skill set than woodwork, but requires just as much discipline and practice to get >> really

Reply to
nailshooter41

This is probably a very good idea. A 3 year project is not the one for learning a finishing technique. Backing up ain't to easy and sometimes not even possible. Depending on the type of piece you are doing might make a difference in who you go to.

If it is "cabinet like" then a cabinet finisher is typically very available. There are shops that just do the finishing. The cabinet shop I am most associated with is a big commercial operation and they don't do any of their own finishing. They either ship it to their finisher or a finisher does it after it's installed. So there are lots of businesses that do just finishing.

That being said, if this is a furniture piece with lots of little details that need attention, then a furniture refinisher would be your best bet. The cabinet guys will charge lots extra if it scares them and may not have the skills to do it right or worse yet might think they do.

If you go with a vendor get a sample you can hold and feel to make sure you are talking about the same thing in terms of color, gloss, film thickness, etc.

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

There's a good idea. Many times when I contract out for my services people want me to submit a sample before beginning.

Great advice.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Well, I learned this one in reverse.

I was contracted to build a kitchen island in Cherry. The customer said he wanted to match his existing kitchen and it was really dark Cherry. I was afraid it was stained purple or something but he sid it was natural but it was just much darker than normal Cherry. So I used lye to darken the project and add some years of darkening. When the customer came to pick it up I could see the question on his face and he said "is that Cherry?" I was selling at craft shows at the time so I offered to keep it and sell it at the shows and build him another once I understood what color he really wanted. He took it anyway. Then he was going to try and take it home in his convertable BMW but I offered to deliver it. When I saw his kitchen cabs they looked like fresh sawn Cherry to me.

Happily his wife liked to look so all was good, but since then I hand the customer samples of finishes and have them sign the one they like.

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

In Maine I'm the finish guy.Have a dedicated finishing shop overhead air cleaner and clean heat

many painters have a finishing area check with your local lumber supply house or professional paint store

Reply to
Roemax

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