"Breaking edge" on cabinets before staining and finishing

[Roger Jensen]

Do folks here worry about removing the sharp edge on doors and drawers when finishing kitchen cabinets? FWW had an article (mostly having to do with looking better) and finishers say it helps the top coat go on more evenly around the edges when they aren't sharp.

I'm not worried about the aesthetics of a sharp vs non-sharp edge, but I don't want to get in a situation where I have top coat issues.

I'm using Target WB stains and 8000cv topcoat.

Thanks,

Roger

[Prashun Patel]

If you are brushing on thick coats, a sharp corner might have an effect, but if you're spraying or applying thin coats via wipe on, I have not noticed this problem.

[glenn bradley]

I notice the difference and so "ease" the edge as a matter of course. This may just be a touch with some 400 grit and my finger tips but, it does avoid any edge pooling for me. The edge can still be pretty visibly sharp without having to be a knife edge ;-)

[Steve Schoene]

Any coating that uses surface tension to level will have a potential problem if edges aren't broken. It's not one of those things that is so certain and so immediate that you can say this always occurs, but it certainly happens enough that it is worth preventing. After all, a couple of passes with 220 grit paper takes almost no time so better safe than sorry.

[Nick Sorenson]

A sharp edge will loose finish as it wears. A 1/16" radius rounding can do wonders. If you want the finish to stay on the edge, definitely breka the edge a bit.

[John TenEyck]

I break the edge of every exposed edge as part of my sanding or finishing prep. process. It doesn't matter with an oil finish, but a film finish will be thinner around a sharp corner compared to the flat sections. This is really important with kitchen cabinets which get a lot of exposure to moisture and grease; any break in the finish film is inviting trouble. If you soften the corner the film will have a more constant thickness. You don't need to make it obvious; just a couple of swipes with a block plane or fine sandpaper, until it doesn't feel sharp anymore, is sufficient.

[Jim Becker]

I always break edges before finishing...with 320 or 400 and a few quick swipes. It's just a habit I have and not only is there the finishing consideration, but also a "too sharp" edge will damage easier and more noticeably. IMHO, of course.

[Scott Holmes]

I too, always break edges before finishing. They tend to be very fragile if not broken.

[Sam Hamory]

Always break the edge with 220 or 320! It will save you problems when you try to sand between coats.

[Harvey Pascoe]

I just finished a box top on which I wanted a real sharp edge. When sprayed with varnish, it really did pile up on the edges, so much so that I ended up breaking them a tad. Hard edges on furniture and cabinets, not good IMHO.

[Jim Becker]

The current issue (as of this post) of Fine Woodworking has an interesting article about breaking edges with a variety of methods and styles as well as some suggestions about how to handle a number of situations relative to the task.