04-08-2014, 04:41 PM
A nice coat of sanding sealer prior to grain filling will prevent two potential problems..
1. If you are using a colored grain filler, it will have a tendency to darken the wood. Sanding sealer is a bit of protection against this problem. Think of it as a coating to protect and seal your wood.
2. If the cabinet has ever been cleaned, or polished, with any substance containing silicon, you may run into issues with "fisheyes" when you apply your toner. The darker the toner, the more susceptible, in my experience. Fisheyes suck. Period. I've refinished cabinets using universal walnut and gotten no fisheyes, then when I apply extra dark walnut over the universal walnut, fisheyes appear. Sanding sealer is your best defense against fisheyes. I use sanding sealer on any cabinet that will get mahagony, dark walnut or extra dark walnut.
1. If you are using a colored grain filler, it will have a tendency to darken the wood. Sanding sealer is a bit of protection against this problem. Think of it as a coating to protect and seal your wood.
2. If the cabinet has ever been cleaned, or polished, with any substance containing silicon, you may run into issues with "fisheyes" when you apply your toner. The darker the toner, the more susceptible, in my experience. Fisheyes suck. Period. I've refinished cabinets using universal walnut and gotten no fisheyes, then when I apply extra dark walnut over the universal walnut, fisheyes appear. Sanding sealer is your best defense against fisheyes. I use sanding sealer on any cabinet that will get mahagony, dark walnut or extra dark walnut.
The artist formerly known as Puhpow! 8)
