August 2022
Believe it or not, summer will soon be winding down and that means it’s time to book your fall/winter project. In order to wrap up your project before Christmas, please give us a call to get on our schedule before Labor Day!
The Cadence Experience: The Finishing Process
In our last newsletter, we walked through the Cadence Cabinetry design-build and pre-project phases. In this edition, we will cover the finishing process, which is part of the project process.
Choosing custom cabinets from Cadence affords clients the luxury of selecting any color or finish they desire. We will match any color requested and ensure the color match by providing a sample before proceeding with the finish. Using superior materials drastically improves the end result of stained and painted wood products, and Cadence uses the finest materials available. However, we believe that the steady, disciplined approach of our craftsmen makes all the difference.
A brief overview of our eight-to 11-step finishing process:
- Before moving to the finishing section of our workshop, each piece is sanded to 150/180 grit and then thoroughly inspected under powerful lights by our finishers, whose hands and eyes somehow find blemishes or swirl marks that inexperienced people wouldn’t notice until the primer is applied.
- Just prior to primer, all dust is removed and the pieces are moved to our spray booth. The first coat of primer is applied, which amplifies any wood irregularities. Those irregularities are then repaired before the next coat is sprayed.
- This sealing/priming process is a total of four to six steps (priming/sanding).
- When the primed surface passes inspection, it is sprayed with a lacquer-based conversion varnish top coat. Conversion varnishes are two-part materials that give a harder, more durable finish.
- Nothing leaves the finishing area without final inspection. Any imperfections in the final coat will require the piece to be sanded, and the primer phase will start over.
Coincidentally, while this newsletter was being composed, one of our finishers was sanding down and re-spraying a large panel because a fly had landed on the wet paint and made a small imperfection. Although it would be hard to detect that small imperfection on that large of a piece, it didn’t pass the Cadence quality check. We take great pride in our deliverables and enjoy delighting our clients!
A Mid-Century Kitchen Renovation
This was such a fun project! As you can see, this design varies from what most of our clients typically desire and we really enjoyed showing our versatility. This mid-century home renovation was done for the client of a designer we work closely with, Meg O’Sullivan from Chicago Home Curator. The light maple cabinetry for the island and range wall contrasts nicely with the white refrigerator wall cabinetry and white quartz countertops.
The homeowner was very involved in the process and general-contracted the renovation himself. Cadence often serves primarily as the custom cabinetry shop. That was the case in this project, which was design-build and install!
Employee Profile: Raul
We’d like to introduce our lead finisher, Raul. Aside from owner, Benjamin Hughes, Raul was the first full-time Cadence employee. Benjamin hired Raul very early on in the development of Cadence over 14 years ago. Since then he did demos, built cabinets, performed installs, and did just about any other renovation-related task you can think of before dedicating himself full-time to finishing.
Thanks to Raul’s high standards, Cadence has developed a high-end finishing process. He’s also largely responsible for making sure Cadence creations are always top-quality. Raul says he “treats everything as if it’s being installed in the White House.”
Raul credits Benjamin’s leadership for developing a tight-knit team that is committed to excellence as well as being a joy to work with. Raul enjoys sharing his knowledge with others and has trained the other finishers at Cadence. His keys to a quality finish include the right lighting, limiting dust, top-notch materials, and constant inspection. He is very proud of Cadence’s quality.
Personally, Raul (aka “Mo”) has been married to Hope for 11 “glorious” years. They have two daughters, Jojo (7), and Lulu (5), and they’re joined by Lobster, their amazing Old English bulldog. Raul says he’s always “striving to be a Godly man – a better husband and father” and he regularly meets with other men in his church to strengthen and support each other. He’s a passionate gardener and we’re glad he’s part of the Cadence Family!
What Our Customers Are Saying…
“I cannot speak highly enough about the positive experience we had with Benjamin and Cadence Cabinetry from the first phone call to post-installation follow-up. We wanted to maximize storage and upgrade the appearance of our laundry room. Benjamin really listened to our specific needs and gave us great design advice. The quality of the cabinets was top notch and being able to customize to our exact measurements meant that we had no wasted space. Pricing was similar to other semi-custom options which would have required compromise and lower overall quality. Will definitely use them again!”
~ Beth
The Best Compliment You Can Offer Is a Referral… & Get Rewarded!
If Cadence Cabinetry has met your highest standards, please consider telling others about us. We have a great referral program where you are rewarded up to $500 for a completed project that you send our way as well as $25 for a booked appointment.
Our website, cadencecabinetry.com, is a wonderful source for family and friends who are considering custom cabinetry or a home remodeling project. You might find pictures of your project there, too!