Hello – I’m in the throws of a kitchen refacing. The new wood species is hickory, replacing oak. The kitchen has some rather large sections of cabinet end panels, like 25 X 93”. And the typical amount of face frame edge banding is also planned. I’ll be using PSA hickory veneer sheets and pre-glued edgebanding.
The new hickory doors and drawer faces have received a 4 step finishing process, and I’m expecting to follow suit with the veneers. This wonderful community of sharing experts has reinforced the scraping pressure necessary to achieve a lasting bond for the new veneer (sheet stock). I have test finished a couple pieces of veneer and though I haven’t pressed them onto a test substrate, I have witnessed how the individual finishing steps have affected the veneer to the extent that I have concerns for a successful install of finished or pre-finished sheets of veneer and edgebanding.
So to the question. Has anyone successful done a refacing with veneer that has been partially finished in the shop? I have always expected to apply the final topcoat after the veneers have been installed, but now the prospect of performing all 4 finishing steps in an occupied home, seems daunting.
For the curious, the finishing steps, without the intermediate sanding, are: a coat of shellac (hickory does blotch), an oil based dark walnut stain, a barrier coat of shellac after the stain has cured, and coats of a water based poly satin topcoat.
Thoughts?? and THANKS in advance. Paul