I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

Tinted shellac, tinted laquer, colored poly... you see the pattern here?
Use a wood finish that has color added Then you can sand between
coats, even buff it out to as smooth a finish as you need.

David

wrote:

I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

Opaque?

Sand smooth the surface, prime and again lightly sand then finish off you in
your choice of color with an Alkyd Oil based paint. Use a 1" diameter
"closed foam roller" for smooth results.



wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

Leon wrote:
Opaque?

Sand smooth the surface, prime and again lightly sand then finish
off you in your choice of color with an Alkyd Oil based paint. Use
a 1" diameter "closed foam roller" for smooth results.


I've done the same with acrylic/latex paint and found it easy to run
sandpaper over any rough spots. These surfaces can be washed and even
scrubbed after a couple of weeks. If you want to be really fussy you can
still add a layer or two of waterbased polyurethane.

Josie

I've found that using the poly over the paint is good. I did several
shelves for my daugters room, let them dry for about 2 weeks, then put
them up. She had several dolls that were still in the boxes.

When we moved t years later, several of the boxes had stuck pretty hard
to the shelves. For the next set, I put poly over the paint, and have
not had any problems with them.

Trace

firstjois wrote:
I've done the same with acrylic/latex paint and found it easy to run
sandpaper over any rough spots. These surfaces can be washed and
even
scrubbed after a couple of weeks. If you want to be really fussy you
can
still add a layer or two of waterbased polyurethane.

Josie

I'm gonna show how much of a newbie I am here, but can I really use
waterbased polyeurethane over latex paint -or does one of them have to
be oil based? It seems like waterbased urethane and latex paint would
not play nice together.

Thanks for all the advice!

By melamine coated particle board.

Hi Bob,

If you want perfectly smooth and wear like
iron, why not use melamine?

You can trim the front edge of each shelf
with an oak strip to may it look nice. It's
also a lot cheaper than birch ply.

We are planning to re-do our walk-in
and will most likely use melamine.

Lou

In article . com,
wrote:

I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

There are a few reasons I don't want to use melamine. First of all, the
boards only come in 12" width and I need 14". I could use a 4x8 sheet
of melamine, but I've heard cutting it can be very difficult without
making it shred the surface. I'm doing this with a circular saw - no
table saw.

Also, I wanted to put in some dividers, that I didn't mention, and I
don't think I can use a router on melamine to dado in some vertical
dividers.

Lastly, I just kinda want to make it out of wood - seems like more fun.
Though, maybe I won't say that this time next week.

Either way, the cleats would be solid pine and I need to find a similar
finish for those.

Melamine is the sort of finish I'm looking for though, I agree.


loutent wrote:
Hi Bob,

If you want perfectly smooth and wear like
iron, why not use melamine?

You can trim the front edge of each shelf
with an oak strip to may it look nice. It's
also a lot cheaper than birch ply.

We are planning to re-do our walk-in
and will most likely use melamine.

Lou

In article . com,
wrote:

I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was
planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them
pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running
along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It
has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they
go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It
also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth
enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

David wrote:

Tinted shellac, tinted laquer, colored poly... you see the pattern here?
Use a wood finish that has color added Then you can sand between
coats, even buff it out to as smooth a finish as you need.

Or do that with paint! I'd say the average car is plenty smooth enough for
his purposes. Paint. Just paint. Yeesh. It doesn't have to be this
complicated. I buy my 2000 grit sandpaper in the automotive department for
a reason. It's used to sand out paint to get it smooth between coats, so
you can wind up with a glassy finish on top after you buff out the final
coat. Best results could probably be obtained using a real paint of
course. Something with noxious chemicals in it that are known to the state
of California to cause cancer and birth defects. Stuff with -ene on the
end. Xylene, toulene, neoprene, aspirene, latrene, tangerene.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/

On 7 Jan 2005 09:03:32 -0800, wrote:

I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

After you trim the edges in solid wood, sand everything with 120, 150,
and 220. Prime, then _lightly_ sand with 220. Apply a gloss white
paint, allow to dry for a few days, and lightly sand with 220. Apply
another coat of paint. After two weeks, apply Johnson's Paste Wax
with #000 steel wool and buff. You won't have any snags.

Another option is to apply a white laminate with contact cement and a
rubber J roller. Use a router trim bit and a chamfer bit. The
laminate, unlike the paint finish, will be slicker, easier to clean,
and won't need any finish work.

You are going overboard here. Make the shelf from that plywood with the
paper coating. Apply a neat wood trim or even the plastic T edging that
sits in the kerf and then give it one coat of primer, and a coat or two of
epoxy paint. This will flow out nicely and be rock hard and glossy

Plan B. Use MDF. Round over the front edge, prime and paint with epoxy.

Plan C. Use Formica.

Plan D cover the plywood or MDF with shelf paper.

Save the fine woodworking for where folks can appreciate it.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.



wrote in message
oups.com...

I'm gonna show how much of a newbie I am here, but can I really use
waterbased polyeurethane over latex paint -or does one of them have to
be oil based? It seems like waterbased urethane and latex paint would
not play nice together.

Thanks for all the advice!

I've put WB Varathane over latex several times without problems. Used
a pad for application and got a SMOOTH finish.

On 7 Jan 2005 12:45:06 -0800, wrote:


I'm gonna show how much of a newbie I am here, but can I really use
waterbased polyeurethane over latex paint -or does one of them have to
be oil based? It seems like waterbased urethane and latex paint would
not play nice together.

Thanks for all the advice!

I sounds like you've had bad experiences with paint. A good paint and
job will give you what you are looking for. Here is a finish scehdule that
I used recently on an old rocking chair. The Customer wnated it painted
white.

Sand the plywood up to 220 grit. Prime with Zinsser's BIN. It is a two
or three pound cut of pigmented shellac. Lightly sand with 280 grit to
knock down any grain stuck in an upright position. Use two coats of a 100%
acrylic paint lightly sanding with 320 grit between coats. I used
Sherwin-Williams Pro-Classic as I was doing everything with a brush rather
than a spray gun. Acrylic handles differently from vinyl or vinyl / acrylic
so try it out on some scrap first. It can be easily overbrushed. Also,
wait for the paint to thoroughly dry before putting the shelves into
service, about two weeks.

The ultimate in an opaque color coat is pigmented lacquer but you must
use a spray gun.

Good Luck.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

I agree there's no need for complication. Were you implying that
applying tinted shellac, etc would be complicated, or were you referring
to the OP's question?

David

Silvan wrote:

David wrote:


Tinted shellac, tinted laquer, colored poly... you see the pattern here?
Use a wood finish that has color added Then you can sand between
coats, even buff it out to as smooth a finish as you need.


Or do that with paint! I'd say the average car is plenty smooth enough for
his purposes. Paint. Just paint. Yeesh. It doesn't have to be this
complicated. I buy my 2000 grit sandpaper in the automotive department for
a reason. It's used to sand out paint to get it smooth between coats, so
you can wind up with a glassy finish on top after you buff out the final
coat. Best results could probably be obtained using a real paint of
course. Something with noxious chemicals in it that are known to the state
of California to cause cancer and birth defects. Stuff with -ene on the
end. Xylene, toulene, neoprene, aspirene, latrene, tangerene.

I agree that the simplest solution would be to use melamine shelves.
You can iron on edge banding. (No special tools needed)

David

wrote:

I'm planning my first woodworking project - a set of shelves in our
walk-in bedroom closet. 5 shelves each about 4.5' x 14". I was planning
on using 3/4" birch plywood for the shelves since I want them pretty
smooth. Each shelf will be supported by solid pine cleats running along
the wall.

What is the best type of smooth opaque finish to use on this? It has to
be perfectly smooth so none of our sweaters will get pulls as they go
on and off the shelves. Also something cleanable would be nice. It also
has to be white. I don't think paint is going to setup smooth enough or
be cleanable. What are my other options?

Thanks!!
-Bob

David wrote:

I agree there's no need for complication. Were you implying that
applying tinted shellac, etc would be complicated, or were you referring
to the OP's question?

Well, more toward upthread stuff about using flassanox and blurticulated
rimflab with particle sizes down to 0.3 angstroms to ensure a perfect
mirror polish and stuff. This is turning into one of those grossly
over-complicated Wreck adventures. Unless the OP's sweaters are made out
of spun gold or something.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/