If you ask any master craftsman how they consistently achieve the best possible outcome in their craft, they’d all tell you (unless they’re keeping secrets) that one of the keys to success is following their process. David Soskin, owner of Dave’s Decorative Painting and Custom Refinishing in Wilmette Illinois is without question one of the best Kitchen Refinishers, and his process is reflected in every job. Kake Multimedia recently sat down with Dave to learn a little more about what it takes to perform consistently as a top quality Kitchen Refinisher, and to learn a little bit more about Dave’s process.
One of the first things we came to really understand is that Dave has taken every consideration possible to make the experience for his customers as minimally intrusive as possible, while following a very detail oriented process. Here’s what we learned inside the process with this master Kitchen Refinisher.
Step 1: Location Preparation.
Upon initial arrival, Dave and his team prepare their work space. Tools are carefully loaded into the customers home and organized on a drop cloth in order to minimize clutter during the process and to make the load out upon completion quick, clean, and easy. Tables, countertops and other surfaces like refrigerator or stove tops are cleared and items are placed safely out of the way. Dave’s goal is to operate in a manner that the homeowner can continue life as normal during the kitchen refinishing process as much as possible.
Step 2: Hardware and Cabinet Dismantling.
After careful area preparation, Dave begins dismantling and disassembling the hardware first, which is carefully labeled and organized to ensure perfect replacement. All cabinet doors, drawer faces, and any side panels which are able to be removed are prepared and loaded for transport to the paint studio. Any hardware parts including cabinet and drawer hardware, as well as any appliance parts which are being painted or refinished to match will be carefully packed for return to the paint studio.
Step 3. Pre-paint Preparation.
After all parts and hardware have been carefully dealt with, Dave and his team begin sanding and scuffing all of the surfaces which are painted in the customer’s home. Dave and his team take a considerable amount of care to minimize the mess from this task and clean up dust with a detailed level of care. Then, prior to beginning the task of painting, all edges are carefully taped in order to minimize any paint drip or brush spread on unwanted surfaces.
Step 4: In Home Painting.
Now, all surfaces needing to be painted are ready. Dave adjusts any drop cloths to the appropriate location and uses his fine tuned experience and tool sets to apply primer and paint to the cabinets and drawers which are not able to be removed. First, primer is applied, and then top quality paint is applied using a tested, tried, and true combination of brush and rolling techniques. Upon completion of paint applications in the clients home, Dave’s team performs a thorough clean up of the work area.
Step 5. Studio Spray
Items which can be transported to the studio are prepped and then painted in Dave’s custom built spray room. Doors and panes are first examined for any dings, dents or other blemishes which are filled with repair materials, and then sanded and scuffed in the sanding room. They are then prepped on various custom built rolling devices which allow for an efficient spray painting process to begin. Each are then carted into the spray facility where Dave’s highly tuned spray equipment is used in a custom ventilated spray area with multiple layers of precision mixed paint. This allows for the paint to dry quickly leaving a brand new (or better) finish.
Step 6. Reinstallation
After the cabinet doors, drawer panels, and any other items at the studio are dried and completed, they are carefully loaded and delivered back to the customer’s home. Dave and his team carefully re-install the newly refinished doors and panels, and carefully re-assemble the hardware connections to look like new or better. Lastly, Dave and his team clean up any remaining project materials, pack tools, drop cloths, and any other equipment, and leave the project kitchen in like new condition.
For updated tips and information regarding Dave’s Decorative Paining and Custom Refinishing, but sure to subscribe to Dave’s blog, or follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/davidsoskinpainting. If you’re interested in getting a quote from a master kitchen refinisher, visit https://davidsoskin.com/contact.