Glazing technique enhances membrane pressed cabinetry
By James Barnett, Business Unit Manager, Laminating Films, American Renolit Corporation

SUWANEE, GA — Consumers are demanding more out of custom cabinetry. "They want the richness and texture you find in fine furniture," says Phil Clark, owner and president of U.S. Customized Finishes Inc. (USCF), a Georgia-based manufacturer of custom doors, moldings and trim purchased by fabricators and cabinetmakers for residential and commercial interiors. "They also want cabinetry that is every bit as appropriate for their living rooms as it is their kitchens, bathrooms and closets," he adds, "and many are not willing to pay higher prices for higher quality."

To succeed in this market and differentiate his products, Clark developed a new glazing process that enhances the appearance of membrane pressed components.

Membrane pressing the basis for growth

"We invested in membrane pressing in 1995 when we saw the market shifting from primarily white doors to woodgrains," says Clark. A lot has changed since then. Not only is the company now manufacturing more than 50 styles of doors, including a full line of five-piece doors with a choice of insert panels, more than 25 different styles of moldings and trim pieces, and matching drawer fronts, it is doing so in a highly automated 24,000-sq-ft facility running two CNC machining centers, a computerized panel saw, and a variety of edgers, shapers and sanders. At the center of it all is the company's Shaw Almex membrane press.

"Today, membrane pressing accounts for 85% of our overall business and 75% of the doors we produce," says Clark. Primed and painted doors, once the heart of USCF's business now account for only 15%, while unfinished doors make up the remaining 10%. "Last year our sales of membrane pressed doors and components grew 15%," he adds.

According to Clark, the reason for USCF's success with membrane pressing is simple. "Membrane pressed 3-D laminates offer the best of all worlds, and we have simply exploited their benefits in order to trim turnaround times, lower costs, increase durability, and improve overall quality and value," he explains.

"And now we're building on both the process and the material with the introduction of our new glaze finish," Clark says.

Glazing Adds Richness, Value

"The vinyl sheet we use from American Renolit offers a very realistic wood finish, and by adding a glaze and topcoat, we are able to enhance that richness and the perceived value of finished cabinetry," explains Clark. "Our glazing technique, which we've been perfecting for several years, is a three-step process applied post membrane pressing that is designed to simulate a complex, multi-step technique used on real wood," he says.

First, MDF board is CNC routed to produce raised panels, edge profiles and other decorative effects. Routed substrates are then coated with adhesive and placed on a membrane-pressing table — with the 3-D laminate suspended above — then slid into a chamber that heats the film and creates a vacuum, drawing the film tightly onto all top and side surfaces of the part. Exceptional formability enables the film to conform to virtually any shape routed into the substrate, including compound curves and fine details, while maintaining uniform wall thickness with minimal thin-out.

"The result is a durable and aesthetically pleasing part that is also economical," says Clark. "We also benefit from Renolit's coordinated matches with popular melamine boards, which enable us to offer components having three-dimensional top and side surfaces, and matching melamine backs, allowing our customers to match our doors to melamine cabinet boxes, back panels and other components during installation." USCF stocks 16 combinations of Renolit 3-D laminates and matching melamine, comprised of 12 woodgrains and four solids.

Once the components are membrane pressed, the glaze — a mixture of colorants in a liquid vehicle — is applied directly to the 3-D laminate and allowed to dry. The glaze is then sanded and sealed, then topcoated. "The resulting finish greatly increases the perceived value of the component," says Clark.

"Primarily, we offer our 2000 and 2006 Series of doors and components with glazing," he says. "These door styles offer good areas where the glazing can be applied for maximum effect." Glazed 3-D products currently account for 7% of the products manufactured by USCF.

The company delivers to fabricators and cabinetmakers in 35 states and in Puerto Rico, producing cabinet doors, drawer fascias, horizontal cabinet tops, moldings and other components for entertainment centers, hotel furniture, home offices, closets, kitchens and bathrooms.

U.S. Customized Finishes, Inc.
1175 Hwy 23, Suite 8
Suwanee, GA 30024
1-770-271-1266
uscf@uscustomized.com
www.uscustomized.com