Stains And Glazes

Marsh Furniture Finishing Process Description

It is part of nature’s footprint for wood products to have variations in grain pattern and color. For Marsh Furniture, only the finest kiln-dried hardwoods are selected for our cabinet components. Prior to the finishing process, all wood surfaces are progressively machine sanded to a #220 grit finish. Once complete, each component is further inspected to ensure its readiness.

Depending upon the finish selected, there are one or more coats of toner stain applied for color uniformity. On selected finishes, the next step is the application of a high quality furniture wiping stain, which is then carefully hand-rubbed to remove excess stain and to provide depth and beauty to the wood. The next process is a combination of careful air-drying and controlled oven curing of the stains, to prepare the surface for the protective clear coats.

A coat of specially designed high-solids catalyzed clear sealer is pressure-applied to penetrate all surfaces. The sealer coat is then air and oven-dried to guarantee an impervious surface that locks in the beauty of the color coats and provides the foundation for the final clear coat. Next the surface is precision hand-sanded to ensure smoothness and consistency.

The final coat of high solids catalyzed clear coat is uniformly applied with a precise mixture of fluid and air pressures. The wood passes from timed air-drying to gas fired ovens with differently staged temperatures to ensure a surface that meets the rigid specifications of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association. Marsh Furniture offers a limited warranty of 5 years, which includes the finish of the product.

Description Of Finish Testing For KCMA Approval

These tests create, in accelerated form, the cumulative effects of years of normal kitchen conditions of pre-finished cabinets. Cabinet finishes are inspected to ensure that stringent standards of appearance are also met.

• To test the ability of the finish to withstand high heat, a cabinet door is placed in a hotbox at 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent relative humidity for 24 hours. After this test the finish must show no appreciable discoloration and no evidence of blistering, checks, or other film failures.

• To test the ability of the finish to withstand hot and cold cycles for prolonged periods, a cabinet door is placed in a hotbox at 120 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent relative humidity for one hour, removed and allowed to return to room temperature and humidity conditions, and then placed in a coldbox for one hour at -5 degrees Fahrenheit. The cycle is repeated five times. The finish must then show no appreciable discoloration and no evidence of blistering, cold checking, or other film failure.

• To test the ability of the finish to withstand substances typically found in the kitchen and bath, exterior exposed surfaces of doors, front frames, drawer fronts and end panels are subjected to vinegar, lemon, orange and grape juices, tomato catsup, coffee, olive oil, and 100-proof alcohol for 24 hours and to mustard for one hour. After this test, the finish must show no appreciable discoloration, stain, or whitening that will not disperse with ordinary polishing and no indication of blistering, checks, or other film failure.

• To test the ability of the finish to withstand long periods of exposure to a detergent and water solution, a cabinet door edge is subjected to exposure to a standardized detergent formula for 24 hours. The door edge must then show no delamination or swelling and no appreciable discoloration or evidence of blistering, checking, whitening, or other film failure.
  

MARSH FURNITURE – JUST THE FACTS

• Only the finest hardwoods are selected

• Precision machining, sanding, and finishing providing consistency throughout

• Color coats are a combination of toners and wiping stains, which are oven dried to provide consistency and durability

• Clear coats are two coats of catalyzed high solids clears that are both environmentally compliant and technologically superior to other conventional and conversion coatings.

• Finishes pass a stringent battery of 4 tests conducted by independent labs. The tests are directed by and submitted for approval to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association, which is recognized as the industry’s “seal of approval” for kitchen and bath cabinetry

• The cabinets and finishes are backed by Marsh’s 5-year limited warranty