Fred's Finishing Quality Wood Finishes

Among numerous other elements, services were to include complete prepping of wood varnished cabinet island, cabinet panels, doors, and drawer faces for application of lacquer to provide a smooth, gloss color finish to [quote] exactly match [end quote] the paint color sample as provided by me. 1. When asked by me about filling cracks and holes prior to lacquer application to ensure that a smooth, gap-free finish resulted, the owner stated that all would be completely filled and sanded and that this is definitely part of their preparation process. 2. During and at close of performance of your services, I expressed my strong dissatisfaction for the following reasons: 3. The color of the lacquer sprayed on the cabinet island and cabinet panels was drastically different from that of the paint sample provided and as was promised would match ?exactly?, and 4. The owner very unprofessionally pointed fingers and laid blame on the company that mixed the lacquer when the owner is the contractor providing the services and receiving payment for services of whom is responsible for ensuring that the services he provides and the products used for said services are of the quality he promises the customer, and 5. The finish of the lacquer was that of over spray -- a dull, rough matte that was still transparent ? shadows of the wood finish still showing through, and appeared as though it was just the white primer, and 6. None of the cracks ? spaces between trim moldings and cabinet and cabinet corners ? had been filled, and 7. Holes that had been filled were grossly dimpled caused by not filling and sanding properly and by not allowing putty to completely dry prior to primer and lacquer application, and 8. It was also quite apparent that sanding of all surfaces had not been done and that all that was done was primer sprayed on prior to lacquer application, and 9. I, the customer, had to make two trips into Eureka to speak with the company who had mixed the lacquer to ensure that the lacquer color was matched correctly for the remainder of the project, and to obtain correctly matched oil-based paint so that I could fill cracks, sand, and re-paint all surfaces they had lacquered. I was told by the manager of the paint company that it was clear that the owner is not fully educated on paint and lacquer products and the behavior of said products, and that it is the painting/refinishing company's responsibility to verify color matching and to educate and properly advise their customers to ensure the best possible end result, and 10. I, the customer, had to invest 3 full days to fill cracks, sand, prime, and re-paint the island cabinet and cabinet panels, and 11. Painter?s tape that is designed specifically to not tear off existing dry paint, no less tear of wall board when applied and removed as per instruction, had been ripped off my walls, causing damage to the kitchen painted walls and wall board, and 12. Repair of the above damage to walls was left for me, the customer, to repair, and 13. When I stated that the lacquer finish looked like overspray -- dull matt primer -- and that this is unacceptable and I wanted to ensure that the doors and drawer fronts had the correct gloss finish, the owner then stated that he could always add a clear coat to obtain the gloss finish. When working with lacquer, a clear finish coat, whether matte, satin, or gloss, is standard practice ? it finishes the surface -- and it appears, just as with the lack of proper prepping, as though he was attempting to cut corners, and 14. Once the cabinet doors and drawer fronts were finally brought back for installation, (2 weeks after project initiation), it is obvious that filling of cracks was not done prior to priming and lacquer application and that he attempted to just use the lacquer to fill cracks. Many of the cracks between the molding and the door faces remained, which is unacceptable for painted/lacquered finishes, and 15. There were fingerprints in the lacquer finish on a couple of the door fronts where someone had handled them before the lacquer was dry, and 16. I, the customer, had to fill the cracks, sand, prime, and re-paint all of the door faces and drawer fronts using oil-based paint. 17. Not only was the job not as promised and of unbelievable poor quality, the job was not complete on July 12, 2013 as promised. Not only did I not receive the doors and drawer fronts back from them until 2 full weeks from project inception, I , the customer, had to completely re-finish the entire kitchen cabinets, doors, and drawer fronts myself.