Pore Filling and Painting Oak Cabinet Doors

A very difficult task to do properly. This is the fastest way I've learned to properly pore fill oak and get a perfectly flat finish with no grain what so ever showing through the paint.
Spoiler alert! Summary- It can be done, but I suggest you don't do it. I will likely never do it again because of how much it sucked and how long it took to do. It's cheaper and faster to make new doors from scratch.

[@theadventuresofvm8711]

Wow really like the way your cabinet refinish turned out. I painted mine several years ago wish I would’ve had some of this information before that LOL

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Ya. Refinishing can be a tricky task. I've had so much headache from it lol. But I think I got it down pretty well now

[@tompearsall7863]

I feel like it would be more cost efficient for my customer to buy new doors at that point. Not to mention a lot less of a pain in the butt and headache for me the painter. Doing that process on 50+ door and drawer faces sounds like a complete nightmare, especially if there are decorative moldings or bevel's that would need to be hand sanded. This is probably a good solution for a DIY'er that is only doing it once on their own kitchen but I'd probably quit if this was my process on every job, hah... Or charge double, take the extra money to buy new smooth surfaced doors, finish those, reinstall, and save all that extra time. Lol. Thanks for showing the process though, I've never seen oak cabinets get so smooth before.

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Ya it's a total nightmare. Honestly I've found a slightly faster method since then, but not much faster. It's still a huge pain. You can back roll and not sand between primer coats and then only sand on the final prime coat before top coating. But it's still a horrible process. You are 100% correct, that it's easier and better to order brand new doors. I do not offer this service of grain filling doors any more. I will do it on cabinet bases since it's all flat stock, but then on moldings I don't offer it. I will only replace them.

[@dk_displays]

I was going to say it’s gotta be quicker to make new doors haha That is a TON of work man! Onward Mayday. Merry Christmas brother. David, WI

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Ya bro. Its way easier to order new doors haha

[@billprezioso3677]

Would be nice to see how you apply the ready patch

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Good idea for this video. I have a newer video comparing multiple spackles where i apply it

[@jerrybillings4720]

I would apply a grain filler or you could use automotive metal glaze. Put a skim coat down, and sand It off. Easy sanding and I'm sure you would only have to prime once

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Ya that sounds like it could do the job!

[@katherinemcraig5618]

Hi, thanks so much for sharing this! I'm getting ready to start a home project of refinishing my red oak cabinets and will be following your technique here. Can you tell me, how did you apply the MH ready patch - a bristle brush, sprayer? Also, did you dilute it to fine tune the consistency for grain fill? Thanks!

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Hey Katherine. Sorry for the late reply. I bet you already finished your project lol. I actually just use a flexible putty knife to apply the ready patch. And i dont thin it. Just use it full strength

[@stpfarms]

I did about 80 oak doors... To save time I mixed joint compound with water and painted it on after one sand. Sand that down then oil primer to block stains, sand, then 2 coats of paint on top.

[@alfabrizio6005]

I'm seriously thinking of taking on this job in my kitchen over the coming winter months (which is probably how long it will take since I've got like 26 doors (not including drawers)). As an alternate to spraying the Zinsser, could that be brushed/rolled and then sanded for smoothness? I don't see myself running that stuff through a sprayer. Thanks for the video, and the warning.

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

yes sir. they can be rolled or brushed and sanded. It will take a lot of time and a lot of sandpaper, but it can totally be done

[@alfabrizio6005]

@@MaydaysCustomWoodworks Thanks for the feedback. If you ever decide to do an in depth video or videos, I'm sure it will be much watched and appreciated. Thanks again.

[@katedavidson2610]

Hello, great video thank you for sharing. Your final product came out looking better than any other videos I have seen on here , I will follow your steps. Question, the first primer that you used, Stix,, you did two coats before the patching , did you do a third coat after? Is the patching used only on deep wood grains? And is the Bin perimeter only used over the patched areas or the entire surface? After that can I use a tinted lacquer for my final coats? Thank you for your help

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Hello Katherine. Sorry for the late reply. I waited 2 coats to use the ready patch because a lot of the grain will be filled by those 2 heavy coats of Stix. Then If any areas are still porous then i will use the ready patch. Ready patch doesnt like to be top coated without being primered first. If I am using an aerosol of BIN then i will spot prime over stain bleed through spots and the ready patch. if i'm spraying it out of a can then i will just do the whole door with BIN. Every finish is different and i cant say for sure that your pigmented lacquer will work on top of stix or BIN. But i would assume it should be just fine

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Hello Katherine. Sorry for the late reply. I waited 2 coats to use the ready patch because a lot of the grain will be filled by those 2 heavy coats of Stix. Then If any areas are still porous then i will use the ready patch. Ready patch doesnt like to be top coated without being primered first. If I am using an aerosol of BIN then i will spot prime over stain bleed through spots and the ready patch. if i'm spraying it out of a can then i will just do the whole door with BIN. Every finish is different and i cant say for sure that your pigmented lacquer will work on top of stix or BIN. But i would assume it should be just fine

[@dierdrawalsh6975]

What are these two products? Do you have links for these? It's hard to see in video what the brand is and type

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

The main primer is Insl-X Stix, and the main putty is MH Ready Patch

[@Natedoc808]

2 coats BIN, Aquacoat 2-3 coats, finish paint coat. BIN and finish paint coat applied with HVLP sprayer. Cheap spray booth= cheapest square tent from Walmart and cheap clothing rack

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

There are many ways to skin a cat. This way you mentioned may work just fine. But i've seen lotsa of videos of people using aquacoat and i've never once seen it fully seal that grain 100%. and BIN is a great primer but it doesnt build for crap. Thats why i suggested using the Stix. one coat of stix can be thicker than 2 coats of BIN.

[@Natedoc808]

@@MaydaysCustomWoodworks 3 coats of aquacoat sanded properly between applications has gotten me factory smooth results. I prefer goodfilla as it’s easier to see once applied but the aquacoat gel seems to do a better job of filling in small surface defects and scratches so it saves a step of repairing all the imperfections prior to grain filling so in turn saves a lot of time sanding. Definitely more than one way to do it- I was merry offering up another method to the people

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

thats awesome man. I will keep that in mind as well for future applications as well. And i still need to do some experimenting when doing large grain filling when it comes to certain primers building and filling grain without sanding between coats as well. I'm sure with certain primers it can absoltely be done and save some sanding time there as well. thanks for the input

[@annaavanesyan5989]

Can you do my kitchen cabinets?

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

If you are close to my area, that's no problem at all. I'm in Turlock CA, and I service locally and out to the bay area. If that's your area and you are still interested, you can call me at [phone]

[@trevorlow3252]

Can you brush or roll the Stix with success?

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

Yes you can. But you will need to do more sanding because it will leave brush strokes. You can just sand them out tho. Also.... I have recently switched to Monochem Monobond over Stix. Similar properties except Monobond sands just a little better and levels out a little better. But both primers are excellent

[@trevorlow3252]

I have a mouse sander, any chance that would work for the sanding portion ?

[@Shurikmuff]

I bet your do good job. the thing is, you make it painfully difficult, and its not needed. skip all the sanding and sanding and more sanding. 3 times priming??? you need to sand ones basically. apply gloss off product as well. then apply GRAIN filler (not wood filler), 2 or 3 coats. sometimes 4 coats. very light sanding required. Prime Ones. very light sand by hand. and apply paint of your choice, best you can get.... and spraying of coarse. I am not saying it will be more smooth or anything like that. same finish, just much much much easier. cheers

[@MaydaysCustomWoodworks]

thanks for the input