Right now I’m struggling with the finish of a series of landscape cabinets and would love some fresh ideas.  The doors are laminated reliefs inspired by the coastal landscape. As a ‘medium’ it’s got huge potential to explore the things that excite me about this place, but I can’t get the right finish.  Anyone got any ideas?

Using Farrow and Ball water-based satin paints was OK-ish but left a lot of brush marks and looked like a surface that was trying to be smooth, but failing.  So I tried exaggerating the brush marks to make them more purposeful.  I’ve always loved to look at the surface of great artists’ work.  Seeing the brush marks on Van Gogh’s canvasses is as exciting as the image they create.  So I tried a hand painted acrylic finish using art brushes as if I were working on a canvass.

Thought it would work because the larger scale relief of the laminated layers would then deliver more as you get closer and see the fine scale relief of the impasto paint.  But I’m not happy with it.  Too fussy, more home-made than hand-made.

Now I’ve tried graffiti spray paints on the basis that if it’s good enough for Banksy, it’s good enough for me.  Montana Gold primer, sanded back and followed by Shock White top coat.

I like the fact that it really leaves the laminates to do the talking, but I‘m getting a mix of rough, sand-like matt areas and patches of sheen

plus the spray doesn’t want to go in the narrow channels between raised areas, and it’s very unforgiving of any tiny gap round the edge of the laminates.

I’m worried about having to add the cost of getting them professionally sprayed to the sale price, and I don’t think it’s a particularly easy job to find someone to do.

So what to do?  Buy some kit and learn to spray them myself (appeals to the control freak) or hunt for a good pro and just accept the cost?  Or is there another approach that I’m missing here?  Anyone got any experience or thoughts?

Diolch / Thanks