FINISHING OPTIONS

Choose from many stains, glaze and specie combinations to create that one of a kind look that you will be proud to make your own. Click on the links below to view some of our most popular wood finish stain combinations.

CHERRY • COLOURTONES • HARD MAPLE • RED OAK

Please read the following information carefully when ordering pre-finished products:

Finishing Program Overview

Our finishing capabilities allow our customers to simplify their shop process by eliminating the finishing of doors, mouldings and other products. Outsourcing finishing ultimately reduces VOC emissions and helps streamline throughput by minimizing the finishing bottleneck.

Our finishing program consists of traditional wiping stains, Colourtones, primer, Heirloom finishes and accent glazes.

We have two topcoats available: 15° (low sheen) and 40° (medium sheen). Topcoat glosses can not be custom matched.

In addition to our standard colors, custom color matching is available. We will only custom match wiping stains. Additional charges will apply.

Finishing Process

Prior to finishing, our doors are hand-sanded to deliver a smooth, “finish-ready” product.

To apply stain, we use a time-proven, hand-wiped technique, which delivers more color consistency and depth than simple spray stain applications.

Most of our framing beads are designed with a slight back bevel, which allows the stain to penetrate beyond the juncture of the framing bead and panel raise. During, the staining process an air nozzle is used to blow stain under the framing bead, minimizing the possibility of “white lines” appearing on the panel raise during expansion and contraction. All doors are matched to control sample for color consistency during the staining process.

After staining, doors are loaded onto our state-of-the-art flat line finishing system to receive sealer and topcoat. The equipment provides a clean and consistent finish. The sealer is a high solids material that is applied and then sanded with fine grit sandpaper after drying. The final coat is a high solid conversion varnish. The final process typically involves the application of a 15° or 40° sheen topcoat on wiping stains and a 15° sheen topcoat on products finished with a Colourtone, Heirloom or glaze finish. The 15° sheen topcoat is standard on some wiping stains, but usually must be specified. (Check with Customer Service for Availability.) The result is a beautiful finish that is durable. Long lasting and resistant to most household chemicals.

After curing, doors are inspected before being packaged for delivery to our customers.

Wiping Stains

Whiter stains such as Alpine are not available over certain darker, high contrast species such as Walnut, Lyptus or Mahogany.
We do not recommend darker finishes such as Colonial, Cordovan or Washington Cherry over light species such as Hard Maple or Soft Maple. The contrast, as well as the properties of Maple, creates a blotchy, uneven look. Therefore, these combinations are Not Recommended, but can still be produced with an up charge and no warranty on color consistency.

Glazing

Glazing is a very subjective treatment. Each door becomes “one-of-a-kind” and unique in it appearance. Even though we match every glazed door to a control sample, each door will take glaze differently. Color consistency is more difficult to control on glazed products. Some of the factors influencing color consistency are grain patterns, wood density, stain color, thickness of the sealer coat, sealer sanding and overall size of the piece.

Glazed products will vary in appearance. We consider these slight variations acceptable and will not warrant variations of glazes.

We recommend that our customers develop a document that would be read and signed by the end user indication their understanding of the potential color issues with a stain/glaze combination. Such a document will help protect all parties in the event of a color-based issue.

We strongly recommend that a sample door be ordered prior to ordering a full kitchen, regardless of the finish and specie combination.

We maintain strict standards for its glazing process. With this in mind, we will not “custom” glaze a job. Therefore, we offer only our standard glazing options.

Glazes significantly alter the appearance of a stain/specie combination. An attractive combination may look quite different once glazed. With this in mind, we do not recommend certain glaze combinations, and some combinations are not available. Contact of office for assistance in making a choice.

Our standard glaze offering is available in combination with some custom finish matches. For availability of glazing over custom stains, call our office.

Colourtones

Colourtones are opaque finishes, similar in appearance to paint. The coatings are pigmented basecoats that must be catalyzed prior to application. We utilize air-assisted, airless spray equipment to apply these coatings.

Colourtones have a high solids content, resulting in better build and lover VOC emissions. These finishes are very durable and resistant to moisture.

Specific species and grades are available with Colourtone coatings, including Paint Grade Hard Maple. Characteristics common to some species, such as pitch pockets in Cherry, will pre present in finished products. Call our office for specie, finish and glaze availability.

All Colourtone finishes will receive a 15° topcoat.

We do not recommend applying Colourtones over plywood products due to checking and seam separation that can occur on the surface of the veneer. Changes within the veneer itself can give the appearance of cracking within the coating. Veneer checking is an inherent plywood characteristic and is not warranted.

Because Colourtones contain a high percentage of solids, certain characteristics such as joint fracturing will occur. Hairline cracks typically develop along joints on the face, back and edge profiles, and can occur during normal handling or from the expansion and contraction of wood. Joint fracturing is not considered to be a defect.

Colourtone products are placed on drying racks after the coating application process. Small indentations or pin marks from drying racks will appear on the backs of Colourtone products and are not considered defects.

Because the individual staves of the panel continue to contract and expand, lines may appear on solid wood panels and offsets may develop from one stave to another. These will not be considered defective.

Colourtones may vary slightly from one batch to another, but will remain within a controlled color range.

Minor flaws such as dust particles, dimples and lint are more apparent with opaque finishes than with wiping stains. The presence of small amounts of these defects will be considered acceptable.

Coatings containing high solids are susceptible to bridging between the framing and center panel. Bridging occurs when the coating material joins the two separate surfaces together. This condition is common between multiple component products and is not considered defective. Over time, the natural expansion and contraction of wood may cause this bridging to fracture.

As with most finishes, Colourtone colors will change over time due to exposure to light, pollution and chemicals. Additions or replacements to existing kitchens may not initially match finished products already in place.

All of our products carry a one-year limited warranty against faulty workmanship and materials.

Customers interested in purchasing Colourtone finishing materials through the Duraguard^® program should contact our office for more information.

When purchasing multiple containers of loose Colourtone coating material, mix the contents of like finishes together prior to adding catalyst to achieve a consistent overall color.

Catalyst must be added to all Colourtone finishes prior to application. The catalyzation process results in both a limited pot life and a recoat window. Mixture and application instructions will be provided with the purchase of loose Colourtone finishing materials through the Duraguard® program.

We assume no responsibility for incorrect application of Duraguard^® materials by customers, which may result in poor adhesion, color match or other finish related failures.

We recommend that any topcoat other than Duraguard® products be tested prior to application. We will not warrant products that fail due to non-compatible topcoat materials.

Colourtones with Glazes

Glazed treatments offer a distinctive appearance, significantly altering the base Colourtone color. The random nature of the glazing option ensures slight variations from one product to the next, giving a unique look to the finished kitchens.

Colourtones receiving the glazed option will have slight inconsistencies in appearance. Variations, however slight, are inherent to this finish combination. To successfully market this product, education of your personnel must take place. We will not offer no charge replacements for any of the reasons previously listed.

Characteristics of glazed finishes include variations in:

* Glaze “hang”, with noticeable variations on edge profiles, panel raises and applied mouldings.

* Absorption into end grain on framing and panel raises.

* Appearance of blotches and rag marks.

* Highlighting of machined areas, which normally do not appear with typical wiping stains or base Colourtone colors.

* Glazed Colourtones will remain within a controlled range of color, however, individual pieces will vary slightly.

As with any Colourtone product, we do not recommend ordering plywood panel doors or other veneered products due the inherent cracking and checking that takes place in veneers. Veneer checking will not be considered a finishing defect.

Use of glazes on mitered and applied moulding products will greatly enhance any offset that may be present in the joint construction.

Colourtones receiving the glazed option will have slight inconsistencies in appearance. Variations, however slight, are inherent to this finish combination. We will not offer replacements for any of the reasons previously listed.

MDF doors finished with Colourtones and glaze will have noticeable variations in glaze hand and absorption on profiled areas. Machined areas may contain small pinholes that are highlighted by the glaze and willnot be considered defects.

Colourtones wtih Brushed Glaze Effect

Colourtones with a brushed glaze effect offer the classic look of a painted basecoat and glaze; this glaze treatment appears to have been applied with a paintbrush. Simulated brush stokes in the glaze have been achieved using a precise sanding process prior to the glaze application. This finishing technique utilizes identical materials as our Colourtone and heirloom lines, offering similar durability and moisture resistance.

As with most glazed finishes, the brushed glaze process significantly alters the tone of the base color. Full sized samples of the actual door design should be obtained before placing an entire kitchen order.

The etched surface, created during the sanding process, provides a unique appearance on each product, and will vary from one surface to the next and one product to the next. These differences can be magnified by the product design and are not considered to be defective.

The simulated brush strokes will either stop short of, or overlap the frame joints on both mortise & tenon and mitered designs. Scratch patterns that stop short of the joint, or overlap the joint help to create an imperfect, but authentic appearance and are not considered defective. This same condition will be apparent on each profiled corner of a panel raise or one-piece drawer front.

The amount of glaze hang is directly dependent on the degree and direction of the pre-glaze sanding. Individual products within an order will vary in appearance. These variations are not considered defective.

The brushed glaze effect possesses the same characteristics as those outlined in the Colourtones with Glazes link.

Finishing Tolerances

Our finishing tolerances are designed for solid wood applications. Application of finish on veneers and MDF may result in a slightly different color. Similarly, stains applied by the customer may vary slightly from those products stained our finish shop. To ensure a close match, customers should contact Customer Service and ask about our Duraguard^® Finishing System. Instructions for application are enclosed with every can of stain sold.

We cannot predict how a door, or portions of a door, will accept stain. Therefore, if a door meets our material specification standards in its unfinished state, it will be considered acceptable after finishing as well.

Finishing Warranties

Our finishes carry a one-year limited warranty against peeling, blistering, fading or cracking, but no warranty against discoloration. We assume no responsibility for damages or poor color match when finish is applied by the customer.

Some species, particularly Cherry and Lyptus, will naturally darken with age. We will not be held liable for the change in appearance of any product, finished or unfinished due to this aging process. Results of aging are more noticeable in clear or light finishes.

We recommend that a finished sample door be ordered prior to ordering any finished job. We do not suggest ordering large or complex finished product based on small sample swatches.

Customer Responsibility

All sample doors and swatches should be properly labeled with species, stain color, date and sales order number.

Sample doors and swatches should be stored in such a manner that they are not exposed to light or extreme heat for an extended period of time. Exposure to sunlight, indoor lighting or extreme heat will cause samples to discolor and they will no longer be an accurate representation of color.

Sample doors and swatches should be replaced every 12 months or when they become discolored. Cherry and Lyptus will need to be replaced more frequently than other species. We cannot guarantee that a current order will match a sample more than 12 months old. Jobs sold from a sample swatch older than 1 year will not be warranted for color match.

We strongly recommend that a full kitchen not be sold from a color swatch. Order a sample door to show a greater array of possible character effects on a particular design, stain, glaze and specie combination.

For display that are older than one year or may be discolored, we recommend that customers obtain a current sample door in that species, stain and glaze combination. Remember, display kitchens do change color due to their exposure to natural light, indoor lighting, heat and other conditions, The change that takes place is very gradual and may be difficult to detect, especially if viewed daily.

If a job is ordered based on the color of a sample door or display, make sure the sample is less than one year old and the color is accurate. Customers asking for replacements because the job does not match their sample will be asked to provide the original sample sales order number, so that the age of the sample may be determined. We will not provide a no charge replacement if the sample is more than 12 months old or is discolored due to excessive exposure.

Ordering Finish Material

To order our Finish Material through our Doorguard^TM program which can be used to finish other products and accessories, contact our office and we will send you a word document with all the details.

Custom Stain Matching

We now offer to finish your doors to custom match any finish through our Custom Finishing Department. Customers must provide us specific specifications (i.e. stain, topcoat, sheen, etc.) during the quoting process. A representative sample to color match must be provided prior to the order being produced. Customers must agree to accept the order as is when received, knowing that we are working to achieve the closest possible match based on both the specifications and sample provided.

We always hold the option to decline requests for custom matching any products.

Finish Samples

Finish Samples are available in recommended wood species in the following:

Door Design of Your Choice:

We suggest ordering a sample door that you can utilize in your kitchen project. If sizes have not yet been determined we suggest ordering a door 12" x 15".

Price: To be determined (based upon selection of door design and wood specie. Non-refundable.)

Larger Swatch Size:

Recommended for one-time orders.

Swatch size is 6 1/8” x 14”

Swatch has G-012 groove on face -- except Heirloom chips which are 3/4" thick profile swatches.

Larger Swatches are available in the following wood species:

Alder, Ash, White Birch, Cherry, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Pine, Red Oak, Hickory, Colourtones, & Heirloom

Price: $20 (non-refundable)

Sample Kit:

Swatch size is 4 1/4" x 6 1/8”

Swatch has G-012 groove on face -- except Heirloom chips which are 3/4" thick profile swatches.

Each swatch is individually labeled and dated

Kits are packed in a labeled file box, reducing the need to remove individual swatches for identification; this limits the exposure to light that accelerates color change.

Kits are available in the following wood species:

Alder, Ash, White Birch, Cherry, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Pine, Red Oak, Hickory, Colourtones, & Heirloom

Number of swatches depends on the wood specie selected. (Ave.20)

Prices:
Wiping and Colourtones: $75 (non-refundable)
Heirloom/Brushed Glazes: $85 (non-refundable)

*Contact our office for availability.

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