Wednesday, February 4, 2015

High Buffed Gloss Finish - SWP Cabinetry

Our latest blog muses on the intricate techniques of achieving the PERFECT high buffed gloss finish, thanks to a bit of help from talented SWP Spray Technician, Dan Foreman...


Custom High Gloss Hand Buffed Cabinetry and Furniture by SWP Cabinetry
Projects featured in K+BB Magazine and 'Housetrends', Tampa Bay


Sleek, clean and contemporary, the popularity of high buffed gloss in our homes is becoming increasingly more prominent in everything from kitchens to bathrooms to closets and furniture.  Part of the allure is that high buffed gloss has the ability to create amazing contrast, when combined with surfaces that are reflective of nature, such as darker textured wood grains. A color trend we are beginning to see in 2015 is using the finish for accent colors that really pop.  In addition to it's aesthetic beauty, high buffed gloss is also highly durable, hygienic (the smooth surface inhibits the growth of germs) and resistant of scratches, chemicals and humidity! 

Q.  What exactly is a High Gloss Hand Buffed Finish?  

High Buffed Gloss is a 90 sheen urethane or polyester finish that is sanded with super fine grit sandpaper and steel wool, then buffed to obtain an ultra-smooth glossy finish. 

Firstly, a uniform scratch pattern is created, slowly and evenly reducing the size of the scratches, until small enough to be buffed out.  Rubbing then removes dust, surface/brush marks and other sheen anomalies for a reflective surface, with no visible scratches.

The paints offered at SWP Cabinetry are acrylic urethane and can be matched to ANY color.  Polyester is used on stain/stain glaze jobs and allows the workshop to achieve a faster full grain build.  If the stain color match is of a lighter hue, we generally use clear acrylic urethane, (due to the amber color of the barrier coat used in the polyester process), allowing the final product to stay true to its natural color.  

Painted polyurethane and stained polyester finishes both offer an outstanding overall look.  



Work in Progress from the Workshop


SWP are committed to ongoing training with AWFI (American Wood Finishing Institute) a nationally recognized provider of coating application, training, consulting and process engineering.  

Dan recently trained with AWFI's Phil Stevenson, learning innovative and amazing finishing techniques to achieve colors and enhance the overall beauty in the wood using stains, glazes, dye stains and shaders.

Creating multiple color blocks using different techniques, meant the differences in process could easily be viewed side by side.  




This month's contributor, the incredible Dan Foreman in action! 



"…  After continuous research, national training, using various suppliers and connecting with leading finishers in the industry, I honestly feel that SWP Cabinetry are using the top product available on the market in 2015.  The knowledge from my latest week with AWFI has improved my techniques and introduced me to a wide variety of finishes that SWP can now offer.   

The process to achieve perfect high gloss hand buffed cabinetry and furniture is challenging - but with the combination of our latest product and skilled team of master craftsmen and finishers, you cannot buy a more beautiful and durable finish." 

- DAN FOREMAN





Be Inspired,




Dan, Gale and the Team at SWP


Don't forget to check out our website.