thanks Alistair, I've been making fitted furniture for about a decade now, and want to standardise the painting. I've watched this video before, but now I have an application for the information in mind, it's of more use to me. Thank you for taking the time to make and share it. I'll "buy you a coffee"
Why on earth would you make such informative content so logically and understandably presented!?! Where are we heading in this world were years of your professional experience gathered by painstaking trial and error are just available for all of us to build upon!?! I've been thinking of this exact same business model for a while so this is exceptionally interesting to me. Absolutely brilliant stuff. Please keep them coming!
brilliant video, im just off watching about 4 of your videos - super informative, to the point, and genuine information that has clearly been gathered through years of experience and lots of mistakes. I've just started focusing on bespoke furniture and its not easy getting this level and quality of advice! thank you very much.
Thank you, Alastair, for the genuine and informative content! Your willingness to share your experiences and expertise with others is yet another feature that sets your craftsmanship apart from the rest.
Thank you for the well thought through opinions Alistair. Just looking at getting into spray for my cabinet work down in Essex. Huge help, much appreciated.
It's all about the end result and you've certainly helped in explaining paint choice. At present i use 4inch roller with harris fluffy sleeve and Hamilton Expression brushes as I don't work in a workshop. Ultimately sprayed finish is where its at for evenness and Mirka abranet is fantastic, you can also use it wet! MDF I avoid!! but nevertheless your workshop is a master class in showing what you need to get on spraying or not.
Hi Alistar, great video. I’ve been spraying in one form or another for about 30yrs ( 10 years as a tech rep). I use airless for big jobs and a four stage turbine for site work. In my new shop I have a 150l compressor and have just started using it for spraying , quick to set up and clean with great control. I find the hvlp turbine guns can be a bit finicky to get a good seal on the lids but not so with the compressor gun.
spudian65 that’s really interesting Ian and I may want to pick your brains further sometime about getting a compressor based system because I think it would be good to have the option of not filling all those tubes with paint for a ball jobs and just grabbing a gravity fed gun or whatever. There’s lots more I want to learn about different spray setups, I have always found it difficult to get my head round, having no past experience of using different systems.
No problem, I’ve got £500 guns that I use on cars but for woodwork you don’t need to spend much. I am getting good results with a £20 lvlp gun, nice quick colour changes too
spudian65 ah LVLP yes my friend Jamie Jackson has been talking about that - yet another confusing variant! So is that a very low powered but easier to control system ?
Freebird Interiors in spraying it doesn’t feel much different to compressor hvlp just uses less air but you would still benefit from a decent sized compressor
Hi Paul I thought I’d replied to this comment but it seems I hadn’t! The Sayerlack waterbased products mentioned in this video are used by high end kitchen companies such as Devol, so yes!
Hi! Never seriously tried it but heard it’s very similar. I think there is a small amount of nasty stuff in the catalysts. We actually never use the additives now
Really helpful, thanks Alastair. I recently hand painted some MDF cupboards using a Lick water based eggshell paint and am finding the paint is very soft/ easily dented. Did you generally find the Layland/ Johnstone's acrylic to be reasonably hard wearing? Also considering adding a clear protective coat but am reluctant to add in further coats to the process..!
My recommendation is to ask Ultrimax our paint supplier! Since I haven’t personally used floor paint. Use code FREEBIRD10 on your first order and get 10% off www.ultrimaxstore.com/
I'm so glad you made this video. I've got a set of alcove units to make that need to be painted in F&B studio green. I was going to go morrells but they sound hard to deal with. Can the sayerlack be mixed in any colours?
Dan Smith absolutely it can! Last week I did these alcoves in two colours perfectly mixed to match a farrow and ball blue and a Dulux grey. instagram.com/p/BubmkybgQK6/?igshid=16p9m5kwo5srt At all costs do NOT use original Farrow and Ball! Last time we made that mistake the paint simply would not dry properly and we couldn’t turn the tall doors on the racks to paint the other side without leaving slight marks from the rack. I blamed unusually high humidity in the air (muggy day last summer) because I thought F&B was meant to be a good paint, but decorators have since told me it is not good paint at all!!
Hi there, I am using the AT99 topcoat on kitchen doors and it's very easy to peal it off from the edges I do slight rounds. Are you using the hardener in primer every time? Thanks
If you want a glass finish on the edge of mdf, you rub the mdf down to a smooth finish. Then go round the edge with shellac /French polish, rub down a repeat process until you have glass smooth finish and spray the edges with bin Zinseser. You can get away just using bin by Zinseser when dry rubs down lovely then spay with any wood paint.
Hi Alastair - epic vid, and a name-check too! Thanks for going through the paints and primers - I took a look at the Sayerlack website and thought, you know what, I’ll just ask Alastair… 😂 BTW I had exactly the same response from Morells - all keen as mustard until we started talking about water-based then they lost interest totally. Weird. BTW I've found Wealden’s arris roundover bits to be good for putting a very fine round-over on doors. How do you order Sayerlack - is it online, phone-a-rep, or available locally to you? Thanks again, Peter 👍
More of a ‘name-drop’ Peter! 😁 Movac say everyone else’s waterbased isn’t half as good so they’re not keen to promote it. They WOULD say that of course however it does appear Morrells prefer to stick to promoting what they do best.
Funnily enough, we have just changed from using a chamfering bit to using a 2.5mm roundover bit for most arrises, from Wealden tools! The job currently in the workshop is the last one using the chamfering bit because we agreed halfway through it the tiny roundover looks better when we tried it on a smaller job.
But I do have you to thank for the Wealden tools connection - you may remember you put me onto them a while back when I asked where you got the deep grove cutter for your shaker doors. You were absolutely right they are better allvroubd did router cutters than trend so I haven’t looked back since (well, apart from the occasionally dally with cheap Chinese eBay cutters, but I drew a line under that when the bearing wheels started exploding 😂)
Oops and finally, I originally ordered via my Movac area rep Joe Monterrosso, then once we established we really just needed those 2 paints, we created a standard email template with the correct codes to use for ordering direct to the Coventry depot. Get in touch with Movac through their website and they’ll set you up with the right people local to you I’m sure.
I also bought an earlex 5500 and sold it 😂. My thoughts are maybe its good for oil based or very thin finishes. I had got a qtech q5 now and it seems much better but wondering now if should have bought an airless system
Yes thin finishes only I think, and slow. So that Qtech is a more professional grade turbine system? I remember looking a little into turbines but then went to air assisted airless, and that is the technology I hear most talked about lately for spray booth work
Great info thanks .i want to have a go at the chunky floating shelves. My alcove is 450 deep 1000 wide . I want two shelves. Proportional how thick and deep would you make them i wonder .regards David
david osullivan personally I just stick with my method, 18mm top and bottom over 18mm wall battens; 56mm lip (theoretically 54mm but you can trim it back from 56mm). I’ve just fitted some with this method at almost exactly the dimensions you have and they are plenty strong enough: instagram.com/p/BubAXlTgORZ/?igshid=ie0504fawt0h
Freebird Interiors . Thanks very much .i really appreciate pros sharing advise and methods .i think you have a fantastic business model and a great system while all the time trying to make improvements
Hi Alastair, I've just purchased your ' Fitted furniture Apprenticeship' series. In it, you mention the Wealden router bit for the round over. Is that the one in this video on the Erbauer trimmer? As I've just bought the Wealden bit for mine and realised that the collet supplied with the Erbauer is 1/4" but the wealden bits are 8mm. Can you get a 8mm for the Erbauer or is this a different bit. Cheers, Josh
Ah, you’ve got me there…. I do remember not long ago need to find an 8mm collet for a particular purpose and just couldn’t get one for the router in question but I think that was the new dewalr we’ve got. And I think this related to a specific variation of that arris round over bit that has an extra small bearing. The standard bit I’m pretty sure IS a 1/4” shank. I suggest to7 clarify all this with Wealden direct. Sorry I’m a bit hazy on the detail as Brady is doing all of that actual work with the routers these days!
@@Alastair_Freebird Hi Alastair, Thanks for the reply. I've just looked, and you're right they are 1/4", but I've ordered the 8mm variation by mistake! Also, the fitted furniture course has been really helpful to me so far. Definitely some tips in there that have saved me a lot of headaches in the future! Thanks again, Josh
@@joshwibberley9364 hi Josh ok that’s all good. You are the first purchaser of the course to give me direct feedback so far, thanks for that and I’m pleased you’re finding it valuable. (In case any one reads this and wonders what we”re talking about here is the direct link www.buymeacoffee.com/Freebird/e/50990
Hi Alistair, May I ask as to how much you're thinning down? As I'm having a similar issue with the fan pattern on my airless. Would you say around 10% or more? Thanks Luke
@@Alastair_Freebird great thanks. Can I please ask what tip you use also? I have thinned paint 10% which has sorted the tails but still get a slight orange peel! I'm using a 310. Also ...did I see you on Alan Carr interior design show 👏
@@lukegadd3209 Hello, I think we wee using a 310 for a while. Honestly, I forget what Brady is using now, he is the sprayer. You could ask him by sending a message on the @freebird_trade instagram account. And yes I do work on the Interior Design Masters show whenever they will let me! I find it a great escape from the pressures of running a business.
I'm currently looking into Movac vs Morrells and so far the only issue I have is that I need to send items to Nottingham for a colour match as they can't do it in the local branches. I have a Morrells around the corner from me, so I need to see if they can colour match locally. Are all of the Morrells WB paints suitable for spraying without an air fed respirator? I do refinishing work on site and need something safe for use outside of spray booths.
I’ve heard a lot of bad things about Morrells waterbased. They are great for AC etc but I’d recommend Movac (Sayerlack) or Symphony (Renner paint) for waterbased
We don’t spray in customers’ houses (mainly because it seems such a faff to mask up and sheet out) but sometimes I brush on the Sayerlack paint and there is no smell that I can detect.
tom ah ok; for now it makes more sense for us to use mdf because you can cut and sand smooth the edge with fairly basic sawing equipment without the chipping you get with MFC, and we don’t currently do any edgebanding.
How does the sayerlack take to the mfc panels? Do you still use the primer on the mfc also or just use the topcoat? Interested in trying this paint. Great content and insight
Humble10 1 hi I wouldn’t use it on MFC, I think there are other paints out there designed to better stick to Melamine. Glad you like the content, thanks
I really hope you see this and are able to respond. My decorator is painting my walls and will be starting the woodwork in a few days. I didn't want to go down the oil gloss route as previously the paint has turned yellow. Is there a primer paint you would recommend for mdf skirting and a different paint for top coat? Every single person I speak to says something different.
Hi, I'm not checking much while away on holiday for 2 weeks but did just see this! Yes oil based is prone to yellowing. I'd say take your decorator's advice if he is applying it!! They will likely have more experience than me in the range of brush applied waterbased decorator's paints (unless they are a stanch traditionalist who prefers oil!) However if you really want my opnion, and if you're looking for gloss, some waterbased ones are quite poor; the only one I've used that I was very impressed with was the Johnstones aqua system gloss - good opacity, gloss level, and durability. I'd say go with the higher-end Johnstone's range in general, if you're looking for easily available decorator's paints. But I'm no expert, it's just a brand I tried, worked for me, and I stuck with it for a while! A step up from that would be the Movac paints described in this video, or other industrial spray paint brands like Tikkurilla, but they are not so easy to go out and buy as a consumer.
Hi Alastair, great video, very informative. I too use sayerlack good paints, only having trouble with deliveries to my workshop, anyway my question is how do you find those infrared heaters? Are they helping a lot? What spec are they? Thanks Peter
Peter Nikitorowicz yes they are brilliant and noticeably speed up drying time - as we head into winter I recommend you get some! We have 2 of these exact ones: www.sunswitch.net/industrial-infrared-heaters-c1/varma-v400-2kw-radiant-infrared-heater-p23
Plus these: www.sunswitch.net/accessories-infrared-lamps-controllers-and-more-c10/heater-controllers-c30/sunswitch-cc1-2-energy-saving-comfort-controller-p42
Did you consider the wagner range. Very good explanation by the way of airless made sense to me. Been dabling with compressor and gravity fed LVLP gun using Tikkurila base coat and helmi 30 finish. Results okay but had to thin 20-25%. Anyway why Graco?
Hi, really enjoyed the recording - currently were using a different manufacturer and having a few problems with the temperature altering the colour shading of the pigmented hydro paints. We will have to raise the temperature in our drying room - and I am a bit funny about the type of heating needed. I see you use some infrared heaters, is it possible to ask what type etc and how you find them?? Tim
Hi Tim sorry I missed this message, if you find me on Instagram I’d be happy to reply with a more comprehensive voice message. In short yes we used infra red heaters for a while - wall mounted Vama brand from Sunswitch, 2kw I think - and they are helpful but very directional so they only really dry the surfaces not in shadow. Eventually we built a separate drying room (in the new bigger workshop) and had much better results with a simple Thermobile electric blower heater, and a simple bathroom trickle extraction fan at the other end of the room. A controlled warm environment and constant airflow works really well.
Any idea if Movac are trade only? I'm not a business, more of a maker. I have a 50 sqm MR MDF cabinet project to paint and could do with some advice on appropriate paints to use.
Very similar to my experience. Started with hvlp and moved to Graco airless. Use the same paints as you were and couldn't get a perfect flat finish. Used lots of diamond White but always found install difficult due to the tacky nature that didn't seem to improve. Am considering trying teknos water based finishes. Gid joiner uses a simple compressor and gravity gun with 2 pack paint and gets a great hard finish. So many options and am always slightly disappointed that it is not perfect. Thanks for the info. So what is your honest opinion on movac?
sicpac66 I have been very happy with the Movac AT99 waterbased paints however I have never personally used the non water based AC/PU/2 pack professional options so I am no expert. These weren’t an option for us due to extracting into the neighbour’s garden 😆. In all honesty I suspect the traditional chemical laden paints are still the hardest/most durable options. However the Movac water based is a massive step up from the decorators paints in every way. We have never had problems with it EXCEPT just a couple of weeks ago we had a ring stain from a wet cup that seemed to impregnate the painted surface with a brownish stain that couldn’t be removed. On raising this with a Movac I was advised that for maximum performance I should always be using the crosslinker additive which we just never got into the habit of using because the results seemed so good with the paint anyway.
@@Alastair_Freebird I didn't. I went with your rec of sayerlack. Am getting a better finish and much more durable. Am thinning the top coat with water but find it needs 2-3 coats. Have you tried the activator and if so what is like?
sicpac66 do you mean better/more durable than Teknos after direct comparison. We had the rep out, trialed it, it seemed similar at first but it doesn’t have a formal BS or FIRA rating for durability like the Sayerlack stuff does. It also seemed to scratch a little easier but we were comparing freshly dried Teknos paint to fully cured Sayerlack
Hi Alastair. I have been searching through all the videos I have watched previously to try and find the particular MRMDF manufacturer you recommended that has the less "fluffy" edge. Would you be kind enough to remind me please. Thank you so much and keep up the great work.
EjitWebDesign I lost faith in Dulux early on after trying their waterbased exterior wood paint on some Exterior woodwork (I used to make gates and hang doors etc). It seemed very poor quality, didn’t apply very wall or flatten off; seemed kind of thin and translucent however many coats you put on, didn’t seem at all hardwearing. I did since then experiment with the silicone diamond range for our interior work but didn’t feel it has any clear advantages over the Leyland/Johnstone’s products we were already using. But now having discovered the Sayerlack paint I consider that to be in a different class than any of those products.
Another brilliant video. I have a Graco 495 airless sprayer and Graco handheld that use FFLP tips. Have you used a full airless system and if so what tips have u used? PS I a member of your Buymeacoffe page but couldnt find an area to ask a question.
Hi Andy thanks for the feedback; at one point the buymeacoffee platform has a chat area but they pulled it for some reason, and have suggested using a platform called ‘discord’ but I am not familiar with it, and reluctant to ask members to sign up to yet another platform. A lot of people use Instagram to message me however I accept that we aren’t all users of Instagram! Messaging me via these comments works too! We are still using the Graco Finishpro 395 and I think Brady is mainly using a 310 tip at the moment.
Hi Alistair, it's great to see the stuff you're doing. I have a similar home workshop setup, and pretty much the same kind of rudimentary spray and drying area! I'm currently about to make the switch from zinsser BIN primer and Tikkurila everal aqua top coat to sayerlack at99 and sayerlack AU406 or 474.... what's drying times like in 'real world applications' ? Both BIN and everal are sandable within a couple of hours in the current temperatures we have(bloody cold!) Does sayerlack compare to these times? I have a small drying area so being able to get components out and stacked quickly is quite important
Matt Irvine aha, well I’ve been considering trying BIN as a primer!! But the sayerlack works pretty well, we do rely on infrared heaters in this weather though. Sandablenin similar time or less. Brady (who actually does all the spraying now) says he prefers to leave about 4 hours between recoats on top coat (maybe less on primer), and both could be less at a push in better weather
BIN is a great primer on MDF for its edge sealing capabilitiesand the fact you get zero fibre raising (or zero noticeable anyway). It dries very quick, but it stinks, its stinks a lot! And at £80 for 5 litres its expensive stuff. I use chinese diesel heaters that are used in campervans, they put out serious amounts of heat with out the expense of electricity being used, and a couple of air movers. Just make sure the area is dust free... I'll see how I get on with the sayerlack stuff, cheers Alistair 👍👍👍
Sure, I use two of these, the exhaust runs through the external wall of the spray/drying area, I power them using a 12v PSU. They heat a space of around 6m x 3m up very quickly! They cost around 3 pound to run them constantly for 24hours... there is a bigger 12kw unit available too 👍👍
FlowerW 5KW Diesel Air Heater 12V Parking Heater with 2 Silencers for TrucksTrailer Boats www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WCWHQ3N/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_rU2jEb41A774Y
I use an mdf seal /high build filler from HMG sand back then a 2k 7015 primer then top coat. acrythane works well get a glass like finish. And also a decent spray gun makes a big difference use a gravity fed gun like a 1.4 FLG5 DEVILBISS for top coat. and 1.8 for filler / primer
colin Jennings mk2 leon sounds like you really know what you’re doing. Sadly I have no experience with the professional 2k etc products, sticking with water based largely due to our rudimentary extraction booth blowing into a residential neighbour’s garden! Have you ever tried waterbased? I understand that it does require much more flattening back due to grain raising issues but it’s all we’ve ever known!
Really interesting Alistair ! Im using leyland primer and eggshell top coat with a roller at the moment. I'm doing 2 coats of primer - de nib - top coat - de nib - top coat. Is that about right? I'm pretty pleased with the result
Sounds about right Jason! I have a feeling we used to do 1 primer coat and 2 top coats with Leyland, we didn’t really know a ‘proper’ way, that’s just what we did if I remember rightly! Definitely denibbed the primer coat. The acrylic eggshell was harder to denib because of that rubbery softness, it just clogs the sandpaper! I think you are right to prime twice and do one topcoat.
@@Alastair_Freebird thanks Alistair, really appreciate the reply. You are right about denibing the 1st coat of eggshell! I love it how the you tube community comes together. You and Peter are great sources of inspiration! Thanks
Hi Alastair lovely video!!! I would like to test this paint but I went in the website and I realised that they don’t sell the paint online, so I sent 2 emails in the last 10 days but I did’t get any answer from them. Any advise will be welcome. Many thanks
I've used Leyland Primer for over a decade but not in the way you used it & not for the reason either. I use it because of the quick drying property & because of the fact it can take a sand to an extremely smooth finish. I water it down & certainly don't use it because of how thick it is. I also use oil based paints to finish as they are in my opinion superior to the water based top coats & for the most part i do it all by brush. With the right brushes & paint a glass like extremely tough finish can be achieved. No need for Zinsser products as suggested by others. GLA
@@Alastair_Freebird it's a oil based I only use oil most of the time but this one is as good as the old oil based stuff I normally just use a pure bristle brush.
I've heard many positive things about the Leyland Acrylic Eggshell. I went and bought some a few weeks ago, and it'll be going on my interior doors, door architraves, and skirting in a few days. Hopefully it's as impressive as the reviews suggest.
Jay K it’s amazing how many independent joiners in this line of work all seem to settle on the Leyland eggshell as the product of choice after trying various options. It does the job for hand application, though as discussed here, better options are available!
I honestly can't remember ever having an issue with smell in years of using this paint! But we did always prepaint and dry in a airy workshop before fitting in a house so maybe that's the difference
here’s one link of many many articles and studies on MDF and formaldehyde glue. HSE.gov.uk . If it isn’t a direct link then type in Medium Density Fiber board. w I cannot believe that an experienced person as yourself would not be aware of Formaldehyde off gassing or are you just looking for a spat? Aside from that if a latex or acrylic paint does not specify NO VOCs then it WILL off gas . However even the term No VOCs is no guarantee that it is non toxic. The company must specify that it is completely free of any toxic materials and or does not off gas. Seriously , you know this , yes?
Sirios Star no spat here! It’s a subject that interests me so I’m always looking for other people’s take on it. I renew my own research on the matter from time to time and have found it not easy to get entirely to the bottom of. Or at least I mean I have found no evidence that MDF is as bad as some people say. The level of formaldehyde in MDF has, in different sources online, been stated as comparable to other timber, or even on a par with a pear! Yes a piece of fruit. www.google.com/search?q=mdf+formaldehyde+infographic&rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB798GB804&hl=en-GB&prmd=isnv&sxsrf=ACYBGNSW5pG1-oQqqk7DlOYeLG1-l8dG-g:1571415046276&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjF1oKdmablAhV6SxUIHfHsB4cQ_AUoAXoECA8QAQ&biw=414&bih=722&dpr=2#imgrc=dFehGiIqz1w5OM&imgdii=RFTkfk0z9aoZsM
Please post the direct link to the exact issue that is causing you concern. The main possible harm from MDF is exposure to the dust. This is the woodworkers concern, not the end user. Note that good old natural hardwood dust is carcinogenic. The responsible woodworker simply needs to apply appropriate measures to protect himself in what is an inherently dangerous profession.
Regarding the paint we use, it is much lower in VOCs than the non-waterbased alternatives we could use but it does continue to cure and to some extent ‘off gas’ for maybe a couple of weeks after application. Achieving the level of hardness this paint offers requires a certain amount of chemical cleverness. What is your main concern here, is it that the effects may be as yet not fully known and causing harm we are not yet aware of?
It is funny how I had very similar progress from unprofessional basic paint Leyland up to professional waterbased sayerlack, Milesi and Renners but i was using also polyurethane paints but now just waterbased mainly sayerlack
![Painting MDF Doors [video 407]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZIwNJGlVtwc/mqdefault.jpg)
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thanks Alistair, I've been making fitted furniture for about a decade now, and want to standardise the painting. I've watched this video before, but now I have an application for the information in mind, it's of more use to me.
Thank you for taking the time to make and share it. I'll "buy you a coffee"
Why on earth would you make such informative content so logically and understandably presented!?!
Where are we heading in this world were years of your professional experience gathered by painstaking trial and error are just available for all of us to build upon!?!
I've been thinking of this exact same business model for a while so this is exceptionally interesting to me.
Absolutely brilliant stuff. Please keep them coming!
Glad it’s so helpful to you and thanks for letting me know 👌😊
Gone are the days of asking a guy in the pub.
These videos are great but kids have no wonder or failure anymore. Answers at thumb tips. ✌🏻
brilliant video, im just off watching about 4 of your videos - super informative, to the point, and genuine information that has clearly been gathered through years of experience and lots of mistakes. I've just started focusing on bespoke furniture and its not easy getting this level and quality of advice! thank you very much.
Thank you, Alastair, for the genuine and informative content! Your willingness to share your experiences and expertise with others is yet another feature that sets your craftsmanship apart from the rest.
Thanks for saying that!
Just found your videos by chance. You are a very generous man and I wish I had your guidance when I first started. Thank you.
What a nice comment to read, thank you!
Thank you for the well thought through opinions Alistair. Just looking at getting into spray for my cabinet work down in Essex. Huge help, much appreciated.
improjects69 you’re welcome!
It's all about the end result and you've certainly helped in explaining paint choice.
At present i use 4inch roller with harris fluffy sleeve and Hamilton Expression brushes as I don't work in a workshop.
Ultimately sprayed finish is where its at for evenness and Mirka abranet is fantastic, you can also use it wet! MDF I avoid!! but nevertheless your workshop is a master class in showing what you need to get on spraying or not.
Good video. Like the body warmer you have on.
It is very warm!!
Really helpful and informative. Always enjoy your videos
Thanks I'm glad you think so!
Hi Alistar, great video. I’ve been spraying in one form or another for about 30yrs ( 10 years as a tech rep). I use airless for big jobs and a four stage turbine for site work. In my new shop I have a 150l compressor and have just started using it for spraying , quick to set up and clean with great control. I find the hvlp turbine guns can be a bit finicky to get a good seal on the lids but not so with the compressor gun.
spudian65 that’s really interesting Ian and I may want to pick your brains further sometime about getting a compressor based system because I think it would be good to have the option of not filling all those tubes with paint for a ball jobs and just grabbing a gravity fed gun or whatever. There’s lots more I want to learn about different spray setups, I have always found it difficult to get my head round, having no past experience of using different systems.
No problem, I’ve got £500 guns that I use on cars but for woodwork you don’t need to spend much. I am getting good results with a £20 lvlp gun, nice quick colour changes too
spudian65 ah LVLP yes my friend Jamie Jackson has been talking about that - yet another confusing variant! So is that a very low powered but easier to control system ?
Freebird Interiors in spraying it doesn’t feel much different to compressor hvlp just uses less air but you would still benefit from a decent sized compressor
Thanks for the really informative video. Would you recommend the products in your video for MDF kitchen cabinet doors? Thanks Paul
Hi Paul I thought I’d replied to this comment but it seems I hadn’t! The Sayerlack waterbased products mentioned in this video are used by high end kitchen companies such as Devol, so yes!
Have you tried renner paint? Did you also find any isocyanates within any of the catalysts?
Hi! Never seriously tried it but heard it’s very similar. I think there is a small amount of nasty stuff in the catalysts. We actually never use the additives now
Really helpful, thanks Alastair. I recently hand painted some MDF cupboards using a Lick water based eggshell paint and am finding the paint is very soft/ easily dented. Did you generally find the Layland/ Johnstone's acrylic to be reasonably hard wearing? Also considering adding a clear protective coat but am reluctant to add in further coats to the process..!
On the whole I remember being happy with it, but the Sayerlack paint we now use is definitely a different class. You could brush or roller that too
Hello Alastair. any recommendations on white durable floor paint on previous water based floorboards ?
My recommendation is to ask Ultrimax our paint supplier! Since I haven’t personally used floor paint. Use code FREEBIRD10 on your first order and get 10% off www.ultrimaxstore.com/
I'm so glad you made this video. I've got a set of alcove units to make that need to be painted in F&B studio green. I was going to go morrells but they sound hard to deal with. Can the sayerlack be mixed in any colours?
Dan Smith absolutely it can! Last week I did these alcoves in two colours perfectly mixed to match a farrow and ball blue and a Dulux grey. instagram.com/p/BubmkybgQK6/?igshid=16p9m5kwo5srt At all costs do NOT use original Farrow and Ball! Last time we made that mistake the paint simply would not dry properly and we couldn’t turn the tall doors on the racks to paint the other side without leaving slight marks from the rack. I blamed unusually high humidity in the air (muggy day last summer) because I thought F&B was meant to be a good paint, but decorators have since told me it is not good paint at all!!
Fantastic video !!! Well explained.
I’m glad you thought so!
Great video, are you still using the Sayerlack? I’ve just sprayed my kitchen in it but didn’t use the crosslinker, wondering how it will hold up.
Yes we do use it and find it to be pretty durable, we don’t typically use the cross linker at all, but if we were doing kitchens I think we would
How about Zinsser BIN for priming mdf with a roller? Have you tried it?
you don't need to use bin on mdf you can just diluted oil undercoat or acrylic primer undercoat
B-I-N is a lovely product. Although you'll need some meths to clean up.
Hi there,
I am using the AT99 topcoat on kitchen doors and it's very easy to peal it off from the edges I do slight rounds. Are you using the hardener in primer every time?
Thanks
If you want a glass finish on the edge of mdf, you rub the mdf down to a smooth finish. Then go round the edge with shellac /French polish, rub down a repeat process until you have glass smooth finish and spray the edges with bin Zinseser. You can get away just using bin by Zinseser when dry rubs down lovely then spay with any wood paint.
Found your channel through peter👍👍
Silver Fox Peter is a good man, I sometimes ring him for a chat! Did he mention me in a recent video or post?
Freebird Interiors on his podcast 👍👍
Hi Alastair - epic vid, and a name-check too! Thanks for going through the paints and primers - I took a look at the Sayerlack website and thought, you know what, I’ll just ask Alastair… 😂 BTW I had exactly the same response from Morells - all keen as mustard until we started talking about water-based then they lost interest totally. Weird. BTW I've found Wealden’s arris roundover bits to be good for putting a very fine round-over on doors.
How do you order Sayerlack - is it online, phone-a-rep, or available locally to you? Thanks again, Peter 👍
More of a ‘name-drop’ Peter! 😁 Movac say everyone else’s waterbased isn’t half as good so they’re not keen to promote it. They WOULD say that of course however it does appear Morrells prefer to stick to promoting what they do best.
Funnily enough, we have just changed from using a chamfering bit to using a 2.5mm roundover bit for most arrises, from Wealden tools! The job currently in the workshop is the last one using the chamfering bit because we agreed halfway through it the tiny roundover looks better when we tried it on a smaller job.
But I do have you to thank for the Wealden tools connection - you may remember you put me onto them a while back when I asked where you got the deep grove cutter for your shaker doors. You were absolutely right they are better allvroubd did router cutters than trend so I haven’t looked back since (well, apart from the occasionally dally with cheap Chinese eBay cutters, but I drew a line under that when the bearing wheels started exploding 😂)
Oops and finally, I originally ordered via my Movac area rep Joe Monterrosso, then once we established we really just needed those 2 paints, we created a standard email template with the correct codes to use for ordering direct to the Coventry depot. Get in touch with Movac through their website and they’ll set you up with the right people local to you I’m sure.
Freebird Interiors Thanks Alastair! I’ll definitely take a closer look at at Movac this week. 👍👍
Hi Alistair .
What size fftp tip do you use for wood work or flat tip .(209 or 207)
FFTP .210. _ 310
Thanks
I also bought an earlex 5500 and sold it 😂. My thoughts are maybe its good for oil based or very thin finishes. I had got a qtech q5 now and it seems much better but wondering now if should have bought an airless system
Yes thin finishes only I think, and slow. So that Qtech is a more professional grade turbine system? I remember looking a little into turbines but then went to air assisted airless, and that is the technology I hear most talked about lately for spray booth work
Is the primer also the undercoat?
Yes. You only need that product between the bare board and the top coat
Great info thanks .i want to have a go at the chunky floating shelves. My alcove is 450 deep 1000 wide . I want two shelves. Proportional how thick and deep would you make them i wonder .regards David
david osullivan personally I just stick with my method, 18mm top and bottom over 18mm wall battens; 56mm lip (theoretically 54mm but you can trim it back from 56mm). I’ve just fitted some with this method at almost exactly the dimensions you have and they are plenty strong enough: instagram.com/p/BubAXlTgORZ/?igshid=ie0504fawt0h
Freebird Interiors . Thanks very much .i really appreciate pros sharing advise and methods .i think you have a fantastic business model and a great system while all the time trying to make improvements
Hi Alastair, I've just purchased your ' Fitted furniture Apprenticeship' series. In it, you mention the Wealden router bit for the round over. Is that the one in this video on the Erbauer trimmer? As I've just bought the Wealden bit for mine and realised that the collet supplied with the Erbauer is 1/4" but the wealden bits are 8mm. Can you get a 8mm for the Erbauer or is this a different bit. Cheers, Josh
Ah, you’ve got me there…. I do remember not long ago need to find an 8mm collet for a particular purpose and just couldn’t get one for the router in question but I think that was the new dewalr we’ve got. And I think this related to a specific variation of that arris round over bit that has an extra small bearing. The standard bit I’m pretty sure IS a 1/4” shank. I suggest to7 clarify all this with Wealden direct. Sorry I’m a bit hazy on the detail as Brady is doing all of that actual work with the routers these days!
@@Alastair_Freebird Hi Alastair, Thanks for the reply. I've just looked, and you're right they are 1/4", but I've ordered the 8mm variation by mistake! Also, the fitted furniture course has been really helpful to me so far. Definitely some tips in there that have saved me a lot of headaches in the future! Thanks again, Josh
@@joshwibberley9364 hi Josh ok that’s all good. You are the first purchaser of the course to give me direct feedback so far, thanks for that and I’m pleased you’re finding it valuable. (In case any one reads this and wonders what we”re talking about here is the direct link www.buymeacoffee.com/Freebird/e/50990
Hi Alistair, May I ask as to how much you're thinning down? As I'm having a similar issue with the fan pattern on my airless. Would you say around 10% or more?
Thanks
Luke
Yes it’s advisable not to go more than 10%
@@Alastair_Freebird great thanks. Can I please ask what tip you use also? I have thinned paint 10% which has sorted the tails but still get a slight orange peel! I'm using a 310.
Also ...did I see you on Alan Carr interior design show 👏
@@lukegadd3209 Hello, I think we wee using a 310 for a while. Honestly, I forget what Brady is using now, he is the sprayer. You could ask him by sending a message on the @freebird_trade instagram account. And yes I do work on the Interior Design Masters show whenever they will let me! I find it a great escape from the pressures of running a business.
I'm currently looking into Movac vs Morrells and so far the only issue I have is that I need to send items to Nottingham for a colour match as they can't do it in the local branches. I have a Morrells around the corner from me, so I need to see if they can colour match locally.
Are all of the Morrells WB paints suitable for spraying without an air fed respirator? I do refinishing work on site and need something safe for use outside of spray booths.
I’ve heard a lot of bad things about Morrells waterbased. They are great for AC etc but I’d recommend Movac (Sayerlack) or Symphony (Renner paint) for waterbased
@@Alastair_Freebird And would you be comfortable using them inside a customers property if need be? Are you happy using a standard respirator?
We don’t spray in customers’ houses (mainly because it seems such a faff to mask up and sheet out) but sometimes I brush on the Sayerlack paint and there is no smell that I can detect.
Great video Alastair 💪👍
Did the infrared heaters help with the Leyland paints and their drying times?
No Skills yes. They make anything waterbased dry quicker
@@Alastair_Freebird thanks 👍
Super generous info.. thanks
for flat doors have you considered using p g b instead of mdf
Hi Tom what is PGB?
Freebird Interiors hi
It’s paint grade board .m f c really but takes paint
tom ah ok; for now it makes more sense for us to use mdf because you can cut and sand smooth the edge with fairly basic sawing equipment without the chipping you get with MFC, and we don’t currently do any edgebanding.
Freebird Interiors yes I can understand that
Great Channel by the way and your work looks to be of high standard
How does the sayerlack take to the mfc panels? Do you still use the primer on the mfc also or just use the topcoat? Interested in trying this paint. Great content and insight
Humble10 1 hi I wouldn’t use it on MFC, I think there are other paints out there designed to better stick to Melamine. Glad you like the content, thanks
@@Alastair_Freebird I thought you'd use it on the plinth and side scribes to colour match your doors.
If it’s a painted job we would cut all the cover strips etc ourselves from mdf and paint all to match 👍
I really hope you see this and are able to respond. My decorator is painting my walls and will be starting the woodwork in a few days. I didn't want to go down the oil gloss route as previously the paint has turned yellow. Is there a primer paint you would recommend for mdf skirting and a different paint for top coat? Every single person I speak to says something different.
Hi, I'm not checking much while away on holiday for 2 weeks but did just see this! Yes oil based is prone to yellowing. I'd say take your decorator's advice if he is applying it!! They will likely have more experience than me in the range of brush applied waterbased decorator's paints (unless they are a stanch traditionalist who prefers oil!) However if you really want my opnion, and if you're looking for gloss, some waterbased ones are quite poor; the only one I've used that I was very impressed with was the Johnstones aqua system gloss - good opacity, gloss level, and durability. I'd say go with the higher-end Johnstone's range in general, if you're looking for easily available decorator's paints. But I'm no expert, it's just a brand I tried, worked for me, and I stuck with it for a while! A step up from that would be the Movac paints described in this video, or other industrial spray paint brands like Tikkurilla, but they are not so easy to go out and buy as a consumer.
Hi Alastair, great video, very informative. I too use sayerlack good paints, only having trouble with deliveries to my workshop, anyway my question is how do you find those infrared heaters? Are they helping a lot? What spec are they?
Thanks
Peter
Peter Nikitorowicz yes they are brilliant and noticeably speed up drying time - as we head into winter I recommend you get some! We have 2 of these exact ones: www.sunswitch.net/industrial-infrared-heaters-c1/varma-v400-2kw-radiant-infrared-heater-p23
Plus these: www.sunswitch.net/accessories-infrared-lamps-controllers-and-more-c10/heater-controllers-c30/sunswitch-cc1-2-energy-saving-comfort-controller-p42
Did you consider the wagner range. Very good explanation by the way of airless made sense to me. Been dabling with compressor and gravity fed LVLP gun using Tikkurila base coat and helmi 30 finish. Results okay but had to thin 20-25%. Anyway why Graco?
Hi, really enjoyed the recording - currently were using a different manufacturer and having a few problems with the temperature altering the colour shading of the pigmented hydro paints. We will have to raise the temperature in our drying room - and I am a bit funny about the type of heating needed. I see you use some infrared heaters, is it possible to ask what type etc and how you find them??
Tim
Hi Tim sorry I missed this message, if you find me on Instagram I’d be happy to reply with a more comprehensive voice message. In short yes we used infra red heaters for a while - wall mounted Vama brand from Sunswitch, 2kw I think - and they are helpful but very directional so they only really dry the surfaces not in shadow. Eventually we built a separate drying room (in the new bigger workshop) and had much better results with a simple Thermobile electric blower heater, and a simple bathroom trickle extraction fan at the other end of the room. A controlled warm environment and constant airflow works really well.
Do you have to spray the Sayerlack paints or can they be rollered? Thanks Alistair for another helpful vid.
Chris Allen they should roller ok, we brush them on for touch up in less visible areas but haven’t actually rollered with them
@@Alastair_Freebird OK, thanks.
Any idea if Movac are trade only? I'm not a business, more of a maker. I have a 50 sqm MR MDF cabinet project to paint and could do with some advice on appropriate paints to use.
ShortWorx trade only really I think, you need to set up an account. You can always ask them though. Find numbers on their website.
Very similar to my experience. Started with hvlp and moved to Graco airless. Use the same paints as you were and couldn't get a perfect flat finish. Used lots of diamond White but always found install difficult due to the tacky nature that didn't seem to improve. Am considering trying teknos water based finishes. Gid joiner uses a simple compressor and gravity gun with 2 pack paint and gets a great hard finish. So many options and am always slightly disappointed that it is not perfect. Thanks for the info. So what is your honest opinion on movac?
sicpac66 I have been very happy with the Movac AT99 waterbased paints however I have never personally used the non water based AC/PU/2 pack professional options so I am no expert. These weren’t an option for us due to extracting into the neighbour’s garden 😆. In all honesty I suspect the traditional chemical laden paints are still the hardest/most durable options. However the Movac water based is a massive step up from the decorators paints in every way. We have never had problems with it EXCEPT just a couple of weeks ago we had a ring stain from a wet cup that seemed to impregnate the painted surface with a brownish stain that couldn’t be removed. On raising this with a Movac I was advised that for maximum performance I should always be using the crosslinker additive which we just never got into the habit of using because the results seemed so good with the paint anyway.
Did you ever try Teknos? We recently had the rep out to do a demo and I was quite impressed
@@Alastair_Freebird I didn't. I went with your rec of sayerlack. Am getting a better finish and much more durable. Am thinning the top coat with water but find it needs 2-3 coats. Have you tried the activator and if so what is like?
sicpac66 do you mean better/more durable than Teknos after direct comparison. We had the rep out, trialed it, it seemed similar at first but it doesn’t have a formal BS or FIRA rating for durability like the Sayerlack stuff does. It also seemed to scratch a little easier but we were comparing freshly dried Teknos paint to fully cured Sayerlack
Hi Alastair. I have been searching through all the videos I have watched previously to try and find the particular MRMDF manufacturer you recommended that has the less "fluffy" edge. Would you be kind enough to remind me please. Thank you so much and keep up the great work.
Hi! It’s the Fibrapan Hidrofugo from Finsa. You can get it from James Lathams and Falcon Panel products.
I mention it and show it briefly at the start of this video th-cam.com/video/3SEc4cOj7z4/w-d-xo.html
@@Alastair_Freebird Perfect. Thank you very much Alastair.
Thanks for that information, good to know
stuart williams I’m glad it was helpful 👍
Good video
do you always spray airless or hvlp?
Always airless now
Excellent video
thanks!
On which forums can I learn how to make paints especially primers/undercoats
I don’t know where you would go to learn how to make them. I just buy them!
Decorators Forum
Have you ever used Dulux Trade? I swear by their primer and acrylic eggshell on MDF.
EjitWebDesign I lost faith in Dulux early on after trying their waterbased exterior wood paint on some Exterior woodwork (I used to make gates and hang doors etc). It seemed very poor quality, didn’t apply very wall or flatten off; seemed kind of thin and translucent however many coats you put on, didn’t seem at all hardwearing. I did since then experiment with the silicone diamond range for our interior work but didn’t feel it has any clear advantages over the Leyland/Johnstone’s products we were already using. But now having discovered the Sayerlack paint I consider that to be in a different class than any of those products.
The Johnstone's products are very well rated and more affordable.
Another brilliant video. I have a Graco 495 airless sprayer and Graco handheld that use FFLP tips. Have you used a full airless system and if so what tips have u used? PS I a member of your Buymeacoffe page but couldnt find an area to ask a question.
Hi Andy thanks for the feedback; at one point the buymeacoffee platform has a chat area but they pulled it for some reason, and have suggested using a platform called ‘discord’ but I am not familiar with it, and reluctant to ask members to sign up to yet another platform. A lot of people use Instagram to message me however I accept that we aren’t all users of Instagram! Messaging me via these comments works too! We are still using the Graco Finishpro 395 and I think Brady is mainly using a 310 tip at the moment.
Hi Alistair, it's great to see the stuff you're doing. I have a similar home workshop setup, and pretty much the same kind of rudimentary spray and drying area! I'm currently about to make the switch from zinsser BIN primer and Tikkurila everal aqua top coat to sayerlack at99 and sayerlack AU406 or 474.... what's drying times like in 'real world applications' ? Both BIN and everal are sandable within a couple of hours in the current temperatures we have(bloody cold!) Does sayerlack compare to these times? I have a small drying area so being able to get components out and stacked quickly is quite important
Matt Irvine aha, well I’ve been considering trying BIN as a primer!! But the sayerlack works pretty well, we do rely on infrared heaters in this weather though. Sandablenin similar time or less. Brady (who actually does all the spraying now) says he prefers to leave about 4 hours between recoats on top coat (maybe less on primer), and both could be less at a push in better weather
BIN is a great primer on MDF for its edge sealing capabilitiesand the fact you get zero fibre raising (or zero noticeable anyway). It dries very quick, but it stinks, its stinks a lot! And at £80 for 5 litres its expensive stuff. I use chinese diesel heaters that are used in campervans, they put out serious amounts of heat with out the expense of electricity being used, and a couple of air movers. Just make sure the area is dust free... I'll see how I get on with the sayerlack stuff, cheers Alistair 👍👍👍
Matt Irvine yes BIN must get expensive! Can you link to the sort of heater you use?
Sure, I use two of these, the exhaust runs through the external wall of the spray/drying area, I power them using a 12v PSU. They heat a space of around 6m x 3m up very quickly! They cost around 3 pound to run them constantly for 24hours... there is a bigger 12kw unit available too 👍👍
FlowerW 5KW Diesel Air Heater 12V Parking Heater with 2 Silencers for TrucksTrailer Boats www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WCWHQ3N/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_rU2jEb41A774Y
I use an mdf seal /high build filler from HMG sand back then a 2k 7015 primer then top coat. acrythane works well get a glass like finish. And also a decent spray gun makes a big difference use a gravity fed gun like a 1.4 FLG5 DEVILBISS for top coat. and 1.8 for filler / primer
colin Jennings mk2 leon sounds like you really know what you’re doing. Sadly I have no experience with the professional 2k etc products, sticking with water based largely due to our rudimentary extraction booth blowing into a residential neighbour’s garden! Have you ever tried waterbased? I understand that it does require much more flattening back due to grain raising issues but it’s all we’ve ever known!
Really interesting Alistair ! Im using leyland primer and eggshell top coat with a roller at the moment. I'm doing 2 coats of primer - de nib - top coat - de nib - top coat. Is that about right? I'm pretty pleased with the result
Sounds about right Jason! I have a feeling we used to do 1 primer coat and 2 top coats with Leyland, we didn’t really know a ‘proper’ way, that’s just what we did if I remember rightly! Definitely denibbed the primer coat. The acrylic eggshell was harder to denib because of that rubbery softness, it just clogs the sandpaper! I think you are right to prime twice and do one topcoat.
@@Alastair_Freebird thanks Alistair, really appreciate the reply. You are right about denibing the 1st coat of eggshell! I love it how the you tube community comes together. You and Peter are great sources of inspiration! Thanks
Jason Hook you’re welcome!
@@Alastair_Freebird Yes exactly the clogging problem I have.
Paint the cut edge before sanding gets you a nice finish easier so i've read.
Hi Alastair lovely video!!!
I would like to test this paint but I went in the website and I realised that they don’t sell the paint online, so I sent 2 emails in the last 10 days but I did’t get any answer from them.
Any advise will be welcome.
Many thanks
To Movac? Direct message me somewhere and I'll send you a mobile number you can use
Yes to Movac.
Ok
I've used Leyland Primer for over a decade but not in the way you used it & not for the reason either. I use it because of the quick drying property & because of the fact it can take a sand to an extremely smooth finish. I water it down & certainly don't use it because of how thick it is. I also use oil based paints to finish as they are in my opinion superior to the water based top coats & for the most part i do it all by brush. With the right brushes & paint a glass like extremely tough finish can be achieved. No need for Zinsser products as suggested by others. GLA
Interesting! Thanks
for eggshells little greene tom's eggshell best eggshell ive used.
jack wardley ok I haven’t tried much little green. What do you apply it with?
@@Alastair_Freebird it's a oil based I only use oil most of the time but this one is as good as the old oil based stuff I normally just use a pure bristle brush.
crown trade next generation undercoat and gloss lovely stuff.
jack wardley never tried Crown , interested to hear it’s good. What do you apply it with?
@@Alastair_Freebird I use axus decor blonde wool mini roller and hamilton pure bristle brushes
This is EXACTLY the kind of things I'm wondering about lately. Big thanks! Did you take a look at Fuji sprays products?
Hi! Somehow I missed this comment until now, very sorry! No I haven’t tried Fuji products.
@@Alastair_Freebird no problem! Thanks and keep on.
I've heard many positive things about the Leyland Acrylic Eggshell. I went and bought some a few weeks ago, and it'll be going on my interior doors, door architraves, and skirting in a few days. Hopefully it's as impressive as the reviews suggest.
Jay K it’s amazing how many independent joiners in this line of work all seem to settle on the Leyland eggshell as the product of choice after trying various options. It does the job for hand application, though as discussed here, better options are available!
How do you find the smell of it ??
@@davidrichards2339 Inoffensive
I just used the Leyland acrylic in my bathroom 2 weeks later the smell is driving me insane it smells awful worst paint I've ever used
I honestly can't remember ever having an issue with smell in years of using this paint! But we did always prepaint and dry in a airy workshop before fitting in a house so maybe that's the difference
Kremlin Airmix is another option.
Teknos.
MDF and off gassing paint ? What a lovely toxic soup.
Sirios Star what is the information source that you are basing your concerns about mdf and gases on?
here’s one link of many many articles and studies on MDF and formaldehyde glue. HSE.gov.uk .
If it isn’t a direct link then type in
Medium Density Fiber board. w
I cannot believe that an experienced person as yourself would not be aware of Formaldehyde off gassing or are you just looking for a spat?
Aside from that if a latex or acrylic paint does not specify NO VOCs then it WILL off gas .
However even the term No VOCs is no guarantee that it is non toxic. The company must specify that it is completely free of any toxic materials and or does not off gas.
Seriously , you know this , yes?
Sirios Star no spat here! It’s a subject that interests me so I’m always looking for other people’s take on it. I renew my own research on the matter from time to time and have found it not easy to get entirely to the bottom of. Or at least I mean I have found no evidence that MDF is as bad as some people say. The level of formaldehyde in MDF has, in different sources online, been stated as comparable to other timber, or even on a par with a pear! Yes a piece of fruit. www.google.com/search?q=mdf+formaldehyde+infographic&rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB798GB804&hl=en-GB&prmd=isnv&sxsrf=ACYBGNSW5pG1-oQqqk7DlOYeLG1-l8dG-g:1571415046276&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjF1oKdmablAhV6SxUIHfHsB4cQ_AUoAXoECA8QAQ&biw=414&bih=722&dpr=2#imgrc=dFehGiIqz1w5OM&imgdii=RFTkfk0z9aoZsM
Please post the direct link to the exact issue that is causing you concern. The main possible harm from MDF is exposure to the dust. This is the woodworkers concern, not the end user. Note that good old natural hardwood dust is carcinogenic. The responsible woodworker simply needs to apply appropriate measures to protect himself in what is an inherently dangerous profession.
Regarding the paint we use, it is much lower in VOCs than the non-waterbased alternatives we could use but it does continue to cure and to some extent ‘off gas’ for maybe a couple of weeks after application. Achieving the level of hardness this paint offers requires a certain amount of chemical cleverness. What is your main concern here, is it that the effects may be as yet not fully known and causing harm we are not yet aware of?
Ridiculously expensive
It is funny how I had very similar progress from unprofessional basic paint Leyland up to professional waterbased sayerlack, Milesi and Renners but i was using also polyurethane paints but now just waterbased mainly sayerlack
What made your switch to waterbased only from polyurethane?
And why did you settle mainly on sayerlack not Milesi or Renner?