Finishing Plywood Question

[J. Scott Chambers]

Hello,

I have built my first interior project, a small TV stand for my daughters room, and have a couple of questions regarding finishing it. The stand is made of 3/4" birch plywood, and I was considering finishing it with two coats of Kilz oil based primer and then an oil based white paint, sanding between coats. All finishes will be brushed.

Any suggestions that will provide a better, glossy finish? I was going to just putty the edges instead of facing it with solid wood.

Thanks.

[Steve Schoene]

Your finish seems quite workable, though I suspect you will end up wanting a second coat of the oil based enamel. (Don't let anyone talk you into waterbased, you want oil based when a heavy object (TV) is to sit on it.) And you will need to start on the edges first, I think, since it often takes a lot of filling, sanding, and filling a bit more to make them look good. A veneer tape might simpify the process without requiring a lot of additional work.

To get a really good, glossy paint surface you will need to do a good job with the sanding and rubbing out stages. You sand between coats with 320 grit and a sanding block until you have reached a perfectly smooth and flat surface, being careful of the edges Then, put on one last coat making it as even as possible. Then let it cure for about a month and rub it out to gloss. Start with 600 grit, or a light scraping, to remove dust nibs, progress to really fine grits, say 1500, and then shift to a polishing compound. I use rottenstone, but automotive type compounds work as well.

[Howard Acheson]

I will second Steve. Use two coats--at least--of a good oil based enamel paint over your prime coat. For a smoother finish, add about 10% mineral spirits to the enamel. Key is letting the paint fully cure. It will be dry in hours but it is just beginning to cure. Allow at least a couple of weeks before subjecting the finish to any abuse.

[Chris Padilla]

I've had excellent results with a water-based: CrystaLac. However, I did spray it as opposed to brushing it. I'm not sure why water-based is to be shunned. Dealing with the fumes and clean-up hassle of oil-based is not for me, I guess. I did a bathroom vanity with white CrystaLac (birch plywood) and it has held up very, very nicely.

[J. Scott Chambers]

Thanks for the advice, I hope to get the finishing started this weekend.

[Art Mulder]

I too almost never use oil-based stuff, for the reasons of fumes, etc.
So I would appreciate some explanation to support the assertion that oil-based is better in this use.

I never use two coats of primer, just one.

What I have done in the past is put on one coat of primer, two coats of paint, wait for it to cure, and then put on one or two coats of clear varathane. All of it water based. This gives a very strong surface, and a very nice and slick surface, which I think you are looking for.

Here is a table hockey game that I finished in that way almost four years ago, and it has stood up well to the beating the kids give it. No chipping, no flaking. Just a good solid finish. http://www.imaging.robarts.ca/~amulder/wood/p.hockey/