The WDMA (Window & Door Manufacturers Association) developed two webinars introducing their two newest standards: Architectural Wood Flush Doors (I.S.1A-2011) and Architectural Stile and Rail Doors (I.S.6A-2011). They’re open to the millwork industry and to the public, and also carry CE credits for architects. Just go to WDMA’s website, register, and download each webinar.
In a recent DWM Magazine article, Mark Larson, owner of Midwest Prefinishing, listed five essential elements for a quality finish:
The National Institute of Wood Finishing
In an age when technology and software dominate the job market, why choose a career in finishing? Who wants to spend their days mixing chemicals and bearing the frustration of color-matching pieces of wood? Apparently, the students at the National Institute of Wood Finishing~a program within the Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, Minnesota~wholeheartedly made that choice.
How does prefinishing contribute to the Made In USA claim?Is it a service, a process, or a product? The Made In USA claim applies to concrete products. A pure service would not qualify. A Service tab on Midwest Prefinishing’s (MP) website replaces the more typical Products tab found on other sites. So, at first glance, MP contributes nothing to its customers’ Made In USA claim.
Bob Flexner, writing for Woodshop News, piqued our interest in HVLP spraying by tying its history to the Kirby vacuum cleaner. In the 1930s, Kirby vacuums included a spray gun attachment to clean carpets and fabrics. This gun combined the vacuum’s “high volume of air with very little air pressure”… “to atomize liquids.”
Glue bleed-through on veneered doors frustrates virtually all finishers and prefinishers. They apply several remedies, some before staining, some after: sanding, blacklight inspection, seal coats, and touchup. But these remedies often fail to catch all of the spots. And the cost of prepping these raw doors at the prefinishing stage adds too much to the cost of an economy, production door. Another problem is origin. Most stile and rail doors sold in the U.S. originate in China, making quality standards and communication more difficult to maintain. Continue reading
Most finishers perform color-matches. But they all qualify the results. And, they’re right; the finish varies due to wood’s inherent characteristics: Continue reading
