The art of wood finishing

Today’s finishers are knowledgeable, with a vast array of woodworking tools and technologies to deliver coatings that enhance the look and feel of wood, while adding critical protection to preserve furniture for decades. It has taken a commitment to the craft to bring the repeatable wood finishing quality we see today – and the industry is always on a quest for more, better and even easier ways to finish.

You are facing intense pressures to improve. Margins are slimmer. Homeowners are more demanding. And unpredictable lumber prices have changed the types of wood used. Any perceptual flaws compromise the entire project, leading to costly reworking, discarded lumber and customer dissatisfaction.

Fortunately, there are a few simple, easy-to-implement ways to improve the complex, challenging wood finishing process.

1. Choose the right type of applicator.
2. Automate with the right capabilities.
3. Optimise uptime.
4. Keep your painters happy.

A skilled, talented finisher may be your shop’s greatest asset. Most projects require fine finishing or touch-up work. Often, an object’s unique shape or size makes automated finishing impossible. But even the best craftsmen need the right woodworking tools.

There is a wide range of available applicator technologies — each offering distinct advantages, depending on the desired finish quality, transfer efficiency, speed of application, type of paint used and more — that can help your crews deliver a higher quality finish and differentiate you from the competition.

Air spray

A low-pressure stream mixes with compressed air at the air cap to atomise material. Choose air spray applicators for low to medium viscosity fluids and Class A or decorative finishes, such as stains and toners. Many types are available for compliance with ever-changing environmental regulations.

• Conventional air spray guns use more air to deliver the highest finish quality, but transfer efficiency is lower.
  
• High Volume, High Pressure (HVLP) spray guns use less air to meet strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Transfer efficiency is higher, but it sprays with less air atomisation, so the finish quality may not match conventional applicators.
• Low Volume, Medium Pressure (LVMP) spray guns balance the air pressure to offer a solid mix of transfer efficiency and finish quality.

Airless + air-assisted airless

Choose airless or air-assisted airless spray guns when speed and convenience are top priorities. Using only fluid pressure, airless sprayers deliver a slightly lower finish quickly than air spray, but with excellent transfer efficiency. The tip size and pressure determine the material flow rate.

Air-assisted spray guns use a pneumatic pump to pressurise paint, making them ideal for high viscosity, high solids coatings and waterborne materials. They can create a finer finish than airless sprayers.  

Do not forget about the air cap!

Choosing the right type of applicator is simply the first step. Every surface offers unique challenges that may influence the type of gun — and type of air cap used. 

Material-specific air caps deliver consistent atomisation and uniform spray patterns over almost any type of product. Imagine swapping an air cap designed to optimise high viscosity, thick materials with one for a top coat or wood lacquer — within seconds.

The ability to choose from a range of air caps and spray tips allows wood shops to meet requirements with speed, precision and consistency.

Fine finishers remain critical to the wood processing industry, but quality is easier to replicate with automated spraying systems capable of continuous, near-flawless finishing. That is why most shops rely on both manual and automated spraying.

With a seemingly endless amount of colours, shades and finishes, automated wood finishing has become the only financially viable way to manage high volume production for many shops. More cabinets, doors, trim and furniture can be completed in less time using fewer resources.

Automated wood finishing systems do not require a lot of complicated gimmicks or complexities; they simply need the right capabilities:

Colour change valves close to the applicator and mix point

With less material to flush, there is less waste and, more importantly, less downtime.

Tools that help set and repeat the exact angle

It is important to match the spray pattern height with the product you are spraying. Often, it comes down to the angle or orientation of an applicator’s air cap. Although this is critical, most operators have to “eyeball” the exact angle needed to optimise the spray – and reset it every time air caps are cleaned or guns are serviced.

To expedite maintenance, optimise uptime, and reduce rework, look for automatic applicators with these features:

• Air cap angle indicators etched into the applicator itself
• Woodworking tools that further help technicians set and repeat exact angles, while covering air cap orifices and preventing injection injuries

Every wood shop owner knows that downtime means lost revenue opportunities. That is why you have a steady supply of extra applicators, spray tips, air caps, materials and more at your disposal. Unfortunately, your crews have to stop wood finishing to search for those extra parts – and possibly spend even more time to swap them out.

Keep spray guns running with cartridge-based components

There is a risk every time you stop production. Replacing several parts can take a lot of time. Just as importantly, it leaves room for mistakes. If one part is swapped out incorrectly, sprayer performance is compromised. 

With cartridge-style equipment, you can remove and replace one piece, instead of multiple parts, all at once. This makes maintenance less risky and time consuming, allowing spraying to resume within moments.

Pick suppliers that streamline inventory management

Sometimes, parts must be ordered overseas. Meanwhile, finishers wait. And wait. Or, they use backup spray guns.

Without their best woodworking tools operating at peak efficiency, finishers may be less confident in their work, and it may adversely affect the finished product.

A dedicated parts manager can help maintain an adequate supply of replacement parts. But for those inevitable times when you need expedited parts, it is important to partner with proven manufacturers and distributors with a localised inventory — as well as a history of fast, responsive service — to reduce lead times.

As experienced finishers retire, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find and retain quality replacements. Often, finishers opt to move to another position in your shop. Others may leave for more pay, more flexibility, or decide to pursue other interests. Fortunately, the same steps you would take to improve their work environment also can incentivise talent to stay:

Make sure your shop is adequately ventilated

Like everybody else, painters want an easier, more comfortable work day. But some reluctantly wear proper PPE (personal protective equipment), especially in hot, humid weather. Unfortunately, chemical exposure has long-lasting implications.

A properly ventilated room helps circulate the air and remove some of the toxins from their work space. It is important to monitor it every day, especially as the weather changes.

Make purchasing decisions with ease of use in mind

Look for wood finishing equipment designed to alleviate common paint line problems.

• Lightweight spray guns with ergonomic features like hand rests and easy triggers, offer comfort and convenience.
• Applicators with cartridge-based components can be serviced or repaired quickly - without much downtime.

Your crews will notice the difference. They may even thank you for it with their loyalty.

You produce high quality products. And your list of impressed customers continues to grow. So why change anything?

Wood finishing equipment manufacturers introduce new technologies in direct response to what they are hearing from top wood shops, cabinet makers and furniture suppliers.

New technology helps today’s professionals produce higher quality, at faster speeds, with less maintenance. It is simply the next evolution for an industry that is long sought to turn flawless perfection into an art form.