# Refurnishing a particle board cabinet top



## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

This is a book cabinet which I suspect is made from particle board. 

There are some dings on it. So when water was spilt on it and not wiped off right away, the water seeped in and got absorbed, creating a bubble-like bulge. The water has dried off completely. The "bubbles" remain. There are about 6-8 bubbles, most of them are about the size of a quarter, the biggest 3.5 inch across.


My plan is to refinish the top. I am thinking of 
(1) Sanding it down. This will remove the bubbles, as well as the paint on the rest of the cabinet top. 
(2) Apply a primer. I am thinking of a spray based one. 
(3) Apply the paint, preferably spray. The trick is the find a shade closest to the orginal color as I need to match the doors. This is a dark espresso, wenge color. 

Do you think this will work? I don't need it to be very durable, I just need it to be aesthetically OK to cover the water damage. I am a college student (and a woodworking noob), so I cannot afford expensive equipment. 
Thanks in advance for the help. Appreciate it!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Sometimes with particle board when you sand a place that has been wet, the particles will start coming out. If this happens I would recommend taking a chisel and dig as much of the loose particles out of the spot as you can. Then fill the hole with bondo. Test a small area with the primer before you get too evolved with it. If the cabinet has a oil based enamel on it, some rattle can primer is too hot for it and will lift the paint so you might have to use something else without toluene in it. If it is a old cabinet you might sand it outside in a brisk wind in case the cabinet has lead based paint.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks Steve. 
How can one tell if the old paint has oil based enamel? 
Yes, I should try sand a small corner, prime and paint it to check it out first.
This cabinet is not very old, perhaps 10 years?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> Thanks Steve.
> How can one tell if the old paint has oil based enamel?
> Yes, I should try sand a small corner, prime and paint it to check it out first.
> This cabinet is not very old, perhaps 10 years?


You can tell if the paint is latex by rubbing it with a cloth with naphtha on it. If any paint rubs off on the rag it's latex. Naphtha won't disolve oil based paint. 

It's not lead based paint then. They discontinued making it in 1978.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Sorry Steve, woodworking newbie here.. I don't understand this part: 


Steve Neul said:


> If the cabinet has a oil based enamel on it, some rattle can primer is too hot for it and will lift the paint so you might have to use something else without toluene in it.


You mean, if the old paint is oil based, then the primer will lift the new paint?

Thanks:smile:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> Sorry Steve, woodworking newbie here.. I don't understand this part:
> 
> You mean, if the old paint is oil based, then the primer will lift the new paint?
> 
> Thanks:smile:


A lot of rattle can paint might say enamel on it but it's a completely different kind of paint than a oil based enamel. It could be quick dry enamel. Quick dry enamel has toluene and sometimes acetone for solvents in it and the solvents are so strong they eat into and lift oil based paint as though you put paint and varnish remover on it. It would be best when selecting the rattle can paint that you look at the ingredients on the label and not use paint with these solvents in it. Be sure to read the instructions on any paint you use. Some rattle can enamel paint has naphtha for the solvent and that would be good.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Maryana said:


> This is a book cabinet which I suspect is made from particle board.
> 
> There are some dings on it. So when water was spilt on it and not wiped off right away, the water seeped in and got absorbed, *creating a bubble-like bulge*. The water has dried off completely. *The "bubbles" remain. There are about 6-8 bubbles, most of them are about the size of a quarter, the biggest 3.5 inch across.
> *
> ...


I'm thinking it may be a veneer over particle board. It would be "unusual" to have just a painted particle board top, but very possible on a lower cost unit. Try to determine whether it has a veneer or is just painted, then fiollow Steve's advice:
Dig/hisel out loose chips, apply Bondo, let it cure a few hours, sand flush, prime, sand again with fine paper then finish paint. 
Another approach would be to apply another pice of thin plywood, laminate or even a new veneer layer using contact cement. If the top could have a slight overhang, then an additional piece would not look inappropriate.

How about a photo of the existing area and overall piece?


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> A lot of rattle can paint might say enamel on it but it's a completely different kind of paint than a oil based enamel. It could be quick dry enamel. Quick dry enamel has toluene and sometimes acetone for solvents in it and the solvents are so strong they eat into and lift oil based paint as though you put paint and varnish remover on it. It would be best when selecting the rattle can paint that you look at the ingredients on the label and not use paint with these solvents in it. Be sure to read the instructions on any paint you use. Some rattle can enamel paint has naphtha for the solvent and that would be good.


Oh thanks so much. I googled and realized rattle can paint means spray paint! Now I understand:yes:. Thanks!

Would something like these work?








Rust-Oleum Universal 12 oz. Gloss Espresso Brown Spray Paint 










Painter's Touch 12 oz. Gloss Kona Brown Spray Paint


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> I'm thinking it may be a veneer over particle board. It would be "unusual" to have just a painted particle board top, but very possible on a lower cost unit. Try to determine whether it has a veneer or is just painted, then fiollow Steve's advice:
> Dig/hisel out loose chips, apply Bondo, let it cure a few hours, sand flush, prime, sand again with fine paper then finish paint.
> Another approach would be to apply another pice of thin plywood, laminate or even a new veneer layer using contact cement. If the top could have a slight overhang, then an additional piece would not look inappropriate.
> 
> How about a photo of the existing area and overall piece?


Yes, you are right. It is a cheap unit belonging to the rental apartment. 

Here is the picture.









The top is the biggest bubble with the ding in the middle.
The bottom is the back of the unit, to show the side of the board. It seems very "fibrous" or hairy. Is it compacted sawdust?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Could you post pictures? The top may be MDF. 









 







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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I looked at the MSDS report on the Universal and it contains acetone so it might not work. It is 30% acetone by volume so I would say that paint is pretty hot. The Ultra Cover is 35% acetone so it would be hotter. You might have better luck with Walmart brand of aerosol paint. I can't remember the contents but it's good paint. It's kind of thin and takes extra coats but I think it would work. I have to go to work now and will look to see the ingredients and let you know this afternoon.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I looked at the MSDS report on the Universal and it contains acetone so it might not work. It is 30% acetone by volume so I would say that paint is pretty hot. The Ultra Cover is 35% acetone so it would be hotter. You might have better luck with Walmart brand of aerosol paint. I can't remember the contents but it's good paint. It's kind of thin and takes extra coats but I think it would work. I have to go to work now and will look to see the ingredients and let you know this afternoon.


Thanks! Really appreciate it:smile:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I looked at my collection of aerosol paint and the mildest stuff I have is Western Auto Spray Enamel. I looked at the Walmart Color Place enamel and it has toluene in it but I remembered it being mild so I sprayed some on a glass jar that had some oil based enamel on it and it didn't lift the paint. I also sprayed some Krylon paint and it did't lift the paint either. 

When you sand paint it allows sovents to get into it better so try the paint on a small spot before you do a lot of it.

After seeing the spot in the picture I would probably take a circular saw and set the blade about 1/8" deep and kind of drag it sideways across the spot and grind the swolen spot out. Then fill it with bondo. Regardless of what material it's made out of you could fix it with bondo. If you don't have a circular saw you could just use a chisel. The saw would just be easier.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I looked at my collection of aerosol paint and the mildest stuff I have is Western Auto Spray Enamel. I looked at the Walmart Color Place enamel and it has toluene in it but I remembered it being mild so I sprayed some on a glass jar that had some oil based enamel on it and it didn't lift the paint. I also sprayed some Krylon paint and it did't lift the paint either.
> 
> When you sand paint it allows sovents to get into it better so try the paint on a small spot before you do a lot of it.


Thanks! 
The other issue is the match of color. Spray paints comes in standard shades, so if the shade doesn't match, one cannot tint it like liquid paint.
What options do I have if I want to use a oil based paint? What are the brands/types I can start looking at? I've googled about Glidden Ultra-hide oil alkyd, used with Penetrol, but can't seem to find anymore info on it. 




Steve Neul said:


> After seeing the spot in the picture I would probably take a circular saw and set the blade about 1/8" deep and kind of drag it sideways across the spot and grind the swolen spot out. Then fill it with bondo. Regardless of what material it's made out of you could fix it with bondo. If you don't have a circular saw you could just use a chisel. The saw would just be easier.


No special tools here, I will try with a chisel to dig a little. 
What if I just sand the swollen part flat without digging/using Bondo, what will happen?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> Thanks!
> The other issue is the match of color. Spray paints comes in standard shades, so if the shade doesn't match, one cannot tint it like liquid paint.
> What options do I have if I want to use a oil based paint? What are the brands/types I can start looking at? I've googled about Glidden Ultra-hide oil alkyd, used with Penetrol, but can't seem to find anymore info on it.
> 
> ...


If there is a small part of the cabinet you could take off and take to a paint company, most have the equipment to computer match the color. You could always brush the paint and I think you would have better results than using an aerosol can. Use a very soft natural brush and brush the paint on thin with as little brush strokes as possible. The more you brush paint, the more the brush marks show. The brand of oil base paint I like to use is Southwest Builders sold by Sherwin Williams. I'm sure the Glidden is good too but I don't know of a place that sell the oil based paint. You might look at Home Depot, they sell Glidden. 

As bad is the swollen spot is, I think it would be too soft to paint over especially if it is particle board. With particle board there would be loose splinters that would just flake off without the paint holding it together. It would be hard to tell without being there. If you sand it down and it feels as hard as the surrounding wood you might be able to just put a couple extra coats of primer on the spot. A soft spot will make a fuzzy spot in the finish thats hard to get rid of. I normally use Kilz original for primer for oil based paint.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> If there is a small part of the cabinet you could take off and take to a paint company, most have the equipment to computer match the color. You could always brush the paint and I think you would have better results than using an aerosol can. Use a very soft natural brush and brush the paint on thin with as little brush strokes as possible. The more you brush paint, the more the brush marks show. The brand of oil base paint I like to use is Southwest Builders sold by Sherwin Williams. I'm sure the Glidden is good too but I don't know of a place that sell the oil based paint. You might look at Home Depot, they sell Glidden.
> 
> As bad is the swollen spot is, I think it would be too soft to paint over especially if it is particle board. With particle board there would be loose splinters that would just flake off without the paint holding it together. It would be hard to tell without being there. If you sand it down and it feels as hard as the surrounding wood you might be able to just put a couple extra coats of primer on the spot. A soft spot will make a fuzzy spot in the finish thats hard to get rid of. I normally use Kilz original for primer for oil based paint.


Thanks. I've written the brands down. I will keep an eye out for them.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Really, I would consider adding another top layer*

That bubble looks like trouble.... 
I would scrape it all down, remove as much loose paint and bubbles as possible and then use contact cement to adhere a new top either the same size or 1/4" larger all around. Just be done with it, never mind patching and matching stuff. The box stores will cut you a new piece of MDF or plywood in 1/2" or 6 mm. You can sand it and paint it without worrying if it will last, or peal, or bubble later. JMO

A completely different idea would be to locate a scrap of marble or synthetic marble and top it off with that. Another way would be to use barn wood. Glass with a backer so you can't see through. A metal cookie sheet folded over on the sides to cap it. A siding place will fold you a narrow box out of aluminum in almost any color. A puzzle in a frame. A piece of fabric or leather stretched over and tacked along the sides. Epoxy with playing cards, bottle caps, match book covers, stones, old coins, metal nails and screws, nuts and bolts, old car parts, other found objects...... embedded. Photos from a magazine in a collage covered with varnish.... ala decopage.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

woodnthings said:


> That bubble looks like trouble....
> I would scrape it all down, remove as much loose paint and bubbles as possible and then use contact cement to adhere a new top either the same size or 1/4" larger all around. Just be done with it, never mind patching and matching stuff. The box stores will cut you a new piece of MDF or plywood in 1/2" or 6 mm. You can sand it and paint it without worrying if it will last, or peal, or bubble later. JMO
> 
> A completely different idea would be to locate a scrap of marble or synthetic marble and top it off with that. Another way would be to use barn wood. Glass with a backer so you can't see through. A metal cookie sheet folded over on the sides to cap it. A siding place will fold you a narrow box out of aluminum in almost any color. A puzzle in a frame. A piece of fabric or leather stretched over and tacked along the sides. Epoxy with playing cards, bottle caps, match book covers, stones, old coins, metal nails and screws, nuts and bolts, old car parts, other found objects...... embedded. Photos from a magazine in a collage covered with varnish.... ala decopage.


I really like the decoupage idea! Unfortunately, this belongs to the landlord. I have to restore the unit to orginal (or near) condition.

I might use the plywood coverup method as a "safety net"!

Thanks!


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I normally use Kilz original for primer for oil based paint.


I've found a shop that is willing to tint 1 quart to the shade I want for me. It is an oil alkyd paint.

Two questions regarding primers :
(1)Does Kilz original aerosol work the same as the gallon version?
(2)If I cannot find the Kilz primer, would Zinsser bullseye 1-2-3 primer work with oil/alkyd topcoat? It is stated as water based.

Thank you


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> I've found a shop that is willing to tint 1 quart to the shade I want for me. It is an oil alkyd paint.
> 
> Two questions regarding primers :
> (1)Does Kilz original aerosol work the same as the gallon version?
> ...


To tell you the truth I didn't realize Kilz original came in a aerosol can. I've always bought it by the gallon and sprayed it with my paint sprayer. I poked around on the internet and it appears to be the same product but the site I went to was a little short on info on ingredients. I would be inclined to use it if you want to. As much solids as it has it's not likely to cause a problem even if it has toluene in it. Just try it on a small spot before using a lot of it. I would expect it would need a great deal of agitation before using. The bullseye 1-2-3 would also work but I would be careful flooding a wet coat on it. The top already has water damage and the water in the bullseye would adversely affect it if you put too much on at once.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> The top already has water damage and the water in the bullseye would adversely affect it if you put too much on at once.


Got it. Thanks Steve.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks so much for all the help so far.

Ok, update from me.
- Cabinet top sanded fine. The bubbles did not give me too much trouble. The biggest one did expose slight fibrous texture caused by water damage. 
- Sprayed Bullseye carefully, 3 layers, sanding down in between.
Now the top is primed and smooth. No difference in feel between the damaged and undamaged parts.
So far so good.

Now the big thing - painting- my most feared part!

I've got an oil based paint. It is the only one the store allowed me to tint to the desired color. It is a rapid dry, polyurethane oil paint. I've tried it on a sample board. It is pretty "gel" like, and flows in quite well to even out brush strokes. It dries to the touch quite fast.

My question is, which is the best painting strategy? How to make best use of the "wet edge", also considering the brush strokes (if any) left on the finished product, and the dimension of the cabinet. 

The cabinet is about 7 ft long, 20 inches deep.

Thank you so much!


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Maryana said:


> Thanks so much for all the help so far.
> 
> Ok, update from me.
> - Cabinet top sanded fine. The bubbles did not give me too much trouble. The biggest one did expose slight fibrous texture caused by water damage.
> ...


If you have the ability to spray...compressor and gun, the paint thinned with VM&P Naptha and applied in thin coats would be best. Oil base paint is heavy bodied and can run easily. 

If not, use a natural bristle brush (real badger hair is good), and draw off on your "wet line" lightly. Don't brush back and forth. When drawing off, lightly draw the brush tips in one direction.









 







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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> If you have the ability to spray...compressor and gun, the paint thinned with VM&P Naptha and applied in thin coats would be best. Oil base paint is heavy bodied and can run easily.
> 
> If not, use a natural bristle brush (real badger hair is good), and draw off on your "wet line" lightly. Don't brush back and forth. When drawing off, lightly draw the brush tips in one direction.
> 
> ...


Thanks. 
No, I have no sprayers. 

Regarding brushes, the guy at the store shook his head when I took a natural bristle (Chinese bristle), and he recommended the black synthetic one instead. Any reasons for that?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Maryana said:


> Thanks.
> No, I have no sprayers.
> 
> Regarding brushes, the guy at the store shook his head when I took a natural bristle (Chinese bristle), and he recommended the black synthetic one instead. Any reasons for that?


Yeah...it was his first day in the paint department. He used to be in plumbing.









 







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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

The quick dry polyurethane isn't the best product for brushing and is going to give you a lot of trouble. Check with the instruction on the product you are using and find out what it's thinned with. As big of a surface as you are doing I would thin it down a little more than usual and use the plan #2. If you use plan 1 you will have finish running down the front and will spend too much time fighting that. #3 is too far. You could get enough finish on a brush to make a 7' stroke. 

Try not to look too hard at what you are doing. Move fast and brush as thin of a coat on as you can and keep moving. After it dries if there is any missed or thin places put another coat on. If you get to looking too hard at it you will start going back putting more paint on places you've already done and it will drag on the brush making blobs or at least heavy brush marks. Be sure to look for a recoat window on the instructions. A lot of these products you have to put all the coats you are going to apply within an hour or two or wait a week. They mean it. If it has a recoat window and you exceed it the paint will wrinkle up like you put paint and varnish remover on it.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> The quick dry polyurethane isn't the best product for brushing and is going to give you a lot of trouble. Check with the instruction on the product you are using and find out what it's thinned with. As big of a surface as you are doing I would thin it down a little more than usual and use the plan #2. If you use plan 1 you will have finish running down the front and will spend too much time fighting that. #3 is too far. You could get enough finish on a brush to make a 7' stroke.
> 
> Try not to look too hard at what you are doing. Move fast and brush as thin of a coat on as you can and keep moving. After it dries if there is any missed or thin places put another coat on. If you get to looking too hard at it you will start going back putting more paint on places you've already done and it will drag on the brush making blobs or at least heavy brush marks. Be sure to look for a recoat window on the instructions. A lot of these products you have to put all the coats you are going to apply within an hour or two or wait a week. They mean it. If it has a recoat window and you exceed it the paint will wrinkle up like you put paint and varnish remover on it.


Instructions say:
Dry to touch - 15 min,
Recoat - 4 hrs
Cure - 24 hrs
Reduction solvent - lacquer thinner

So how much to reduce? Thks.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> Instructions say:
> Dry to touch - 15 min,
> Recoat - 4 hrs
> Cure - 24 hrs
> ...


 Having lacquer thinner in it may present a problem. Put a small amount of lacquer thinner on a spot and see what it does to the primer before you open the can of paint. It may be too hot. If the thinner doesn't lift the primer you should be good. I haven't used the product so it would be difficult to say how much to reduce. I would probably mix a batch just enough to do one coat so there would be some unthinned in case you got it too thin you can thicken it. I would probably make it a little thicker than cream to begin with. Another thing that is going to help you is since it's thinned with lacquer thinner you can get some retarder thinner to slow the drying time down. This will help with the lap marks but brushing it I would only put one coat per day on. About a table spoon per quart should slow it down enough. Lacquer retarder thinner is available at Sherwin Williams.


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## Maryana (Mar 8, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> Having lacquer thinner in it may present a problem. Put a small amount of lacquer thinner on a spot and see what it does to the primer before you open the can of paint. It may be too hot. If the thinner doesn't lift the primer you should be good. I haven't used the product so it would be difficult to say how much to reduce. I would probably mix a batch just enough to do one coat so there would be some unthinned in case you got it too thin you can thicken it. I would probably make it a little thicker than cream to begin with. Another thing that is going to help you is since it's thinned with lacquer thinner you can get some retarder thinner to slow the drying time down. This will help with the lap marks but brushing it I would only put one coat per day on. About a table spoon per quart should slow it down enough. Lacquer retarder thinner is available at Sherwin Williams.


Thanks.
Gee.. Kind of confusing..
So thinner makes it dry even faster?

OK, back to painting plan. You reckon #2 is best. Not sure if I've drawn it clear. #2 means painting up and down strokes in sections. I am just afraid the wet edge of the start of section 1 may not last till I get to the same part in section 2.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Maryana said:


> Thanks.
> Gee.. Kind of confusing..
> So thinner makes it dry even faster?
> 
> OK, back to painting plan. You reckon #2 is best. Not sure if I've drawn it clear. #2 means painting up and down strokes in sections. I am just afraid the wet edge of the start of section 1 may not last till I get to the same part in section 2.


 With a fast drying product it doesn't take very long before it builds up in a ball on the brush. The thinner doesn't make it dry faster. It thins it so you can apply it. The retarder thinner is an additive which slows the drying time down. Another point I forgot to mention is if the weather is especially humid you will have problems with a haze across the finish. What happens is moisture from the air gets trapped in the paint screwing up the sheen. On clear coatings it makes the finish milky. When humidity levels are close to 70 percent it's a good idea to use retarder thinner. By slowing the drying time down it allows the moisture to get out of the finish. If the humidity levels are up around 80 percent don't finish with a clear coating at all and don't apply the finished coat of a pigmented coating. 

As far as technique, it's necessary to move quick so you can brush a section about 18" across and move over to the next one before it sets up too much. You will probably experience more lap marks with the first coat. Even though you have it primed, the primer will absorb the solvents out of the paint quick. Applying a second coat it should go easier.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Maryana said:


> Instructions say:
> Dry to touch - 15 min,
> Recoat - 4 hrs
> Cure - 24 hrs
> ...


What exactly is the product?









 







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