# Transporting Freshly painted cab doors



## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

I've just painted some cabinet doors with BM Advance. Ten of them are large heavy Oak cabinet doors. 

What do you use to wrap them up for safe transport?

I was thinking of using waxed paper (per repaint Florida) and wrap each up in a drop sheet runner. Not sure where to buy the waxed paper. I've only seen the small rolls at the grocery store.

Does anyone have a better method? The Benjamin Moore Advance takes so damn long to cure I'm a bit worried. These are very heavy doors and some have glass. I'll wait 4-5 days to flip them because they could make an impression on the back side.

Do they manufacture a THIN sponge-like material that is covered with cotton fabric? Those moving blankets are not soft enough and will probably scratch them.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Uhaul or box store packing foam. As long as the finish is good and hard, a thin piece of packing foam between faces and shrink wrap 2 at a time. Easy. Dont stack them on the floor, stack them on their sides against the side of the transport vehicle. Stacking them on the floor will be too heavy and lea ve impressions in the finish. 

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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Cheap wood/laminate flooring underlayment is great for that kind of thing. I'd go to Lowes or HD and grab a roll. Its like 1/8" foam sheet a couple feet wide. Reusable. Something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-...NiZCLqC3J82_z_N1chvSDMuGgVKXAmYUaAtVeEALw_wcB

You can probably find it cheaper, but IDK where.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Funny that Woodco mentioned the underlayment, I've used that a lot too.

I mostly use pipe insulation and stretch wrap as pictured. The pipe insulation is reusable, and when stacked, they wont slide on one another no matter how hard you might hit the brakes. 

I’ve had the wax transfer onto WB finishes when using wax paper if they’re not packaged tightly due to movement when transporting, even burnishing the finish. When using wax paper with stretch wrap they’re fine but it offers no protection.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Yeah, I forgot to add the part where I use the plastic wrap roller to wrap either two or four cabinet doors together at a time, with the underlayment between each door.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

I use the cheap underlayment like Woodco described. I stack about 5 doors to a stack with the largest on the bottom. I trim the underlayment so that it is a minimum of three inches bigger than the door on all four sides. 
This will provide a drape to cover the sides of the doors beneath. When wrapping with the plastic if you need more protection just take some of the underlayment scraps and add as you wrap. I use GF Pigmented Poly or Kem Aqua + Pigmented so I can stack and go 24 hr after last coat.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

Underlayment and wrap.


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

Tprice2193 said:


> Underlayment and wrap.


Where do I buy that plastic wrap and wrap holder?


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Home depot or lowes. 

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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Or Uhaul, or fedex.

When you wrap them up, they dont move around. Its added protection.


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

In the past, I've used bed sheets as the first layer and then a drop cloth runner to wrap 3-4 together. No problems with typical doors but these doors are large and heavy oak. 

Thanks, I'll probably use the underlay wrapped tightly with plastic.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

I stack them with moving mats in between. It's quick and easy but I'm using either breakthrough or Cali Ultraplate, both of them are super hard in 24hrs.

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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Alchemy Redux said:


> Funny that Woodco mentioned the underlayment, I've used that a lot too.
> 
> I mostly use pipe insulation and stretch wrap as pictured. The pipe insulation is reusable, and when stacked, they wont slide on one another no matter how hard you might hit the brakes.
> 
> I’ve had the wax transfer onto WB finishes when using wax paper if they’re not packaged tightly due to movement when transporting, even burnishing the finish. When using wax paper with stretch wrap they’re fine but it offers no protection.


I gotta say that THIS is nothing short of BRILLIANT! it sparks several other uses for the insulation.

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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

lilpaintchic said:


> I gotta say that THIS is nothing short of BRILLIANT! it sparks several other uses for the insulation.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk


Yeah, I always keep a box of them around. We use them on horses when prepping and finishing, on stickering racks when finishing 2-sided workpieces and pieces aren’t quite cured enough to flip to do opposing sides. At times when we’re finishing on site and don’t have enough space to lay out pieces, we’ll extend a 40 ft ladder across two horses and pop them on the ladder side rails. We use them when installing cabinet doors before bumpers are installed so the finishes don’t adhere to face frames. I’ve never had them leave imprints in finish. They’re particularly useful when removing heavy doors from jambs, slipping them under the bottom of the doors. The carpenters are always stealing them too, having found uses for them as well. 
Just have to be careful when working with some of the solvent based or catalyzed WB finishes, the out gassing of certain solvents can sometimes melt them, same with the polystyrene you mentioned in your post.
Don’t critique the open pore finish on the oak cabinets. Client didn’t want them pore-filled🙂


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

Alchemy Redux said:


> Yeah, I always keep a box of them around. We use them on horses when prepping and finishing, on stickering racks when finishing 2-sided workpieces and pieces aren’t quite cured enough to flip to do opposing sides. At times when we’re finishing on site and don’t have enough space to lay out pieces, we’ll extend a 40 ft ladder across two horses and pop them on the ladder side rails. We use them when installing cabinet doors before bumpers are installed so the finishes don’t adhere to face frames. I’ve never had them leave imprints in finish. They’re particularly useful when removing heavy doors from jambs, slipping them under the bottom of the doors. The carpenters are always stealing them too, having found uses for them as well.
> Just have to be careful when working with some of the solvent based or catalyzed WB finishes, the out gassing of certain solvents can sometimes melt them, same with the polystyrene you mentioned in your post.
> Don’t critique the open pore finish on the oak cabinets. Client didn’t want them pore-filled


It looks and sounds like you're running a nice, tight ship. My hats off to you and thank you for sharing! These types of experiences are the reason I like paint talk. Once in a while you find a little gem that likely wouldn't be found elsewhere.

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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

why not use a paint that drys hard in a few hours instead? seems like a lot less headache and a lot less wasted labor to me.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

PACman said:


> why not use a paint that drys hard in a few hours instead? seems like a lot less headache and a lot less wasted labor to me.


It makes no difference. You still have to transport them carefully. And sometimes you have to use a product you dont care for. Im about to bid a decent size job, but I will have to use PM 200 on the walls, and PM 200 alkyd on the trim. Im not happy about that, but it is, what it is. I either deal with it, or I say no, and I would like to do this job regardless.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

Woodco said:


> It makes no difference. You still have to transport them carefully. And sometimes you have to use a product you dont care for. Im about to bid a decent size job, but I will have to use PM 200 on the walls, and PM 200 alkyd on the trim. Im not happy about that, but it is, what it is. I either deal with it, or I say no, and I would like to do this job regardless.


well yes and no. If you are going to have to put so much into packaging materials and the labor involved doing a job with a product you don't care for, you could end up losing some serious cash. Hope you figured this into your bid.


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

Alchemy Redux said:


> Yeah, I always keep a box of them around. We use them on horses when prepping and finishing, on stickering racks when finishing 2-sided workpieces and pieces aren’t quite cured enough to flip to do opposing sides. At times when we’re finishing on site and don’t have enough space to lay out pieces, we’ll extend a 40 ft ladder across two horses and pop them on the ladder side rails. We use them when installing cabinet doors before bumpers are installed so the finishes don’t adhere to face frames. I’ve never had them leave imprints in finish. They’re particularly useful when removing heavy doors from jambs, slipping them under the bottom of the doors. The carpenters are always stealing them too, having found uses for them as well.
> Just have to be careful when working with some of the solvent based or catalyzed WB finishes, the out gassing of certain solvents can sometimes melt them, same with the polystyrene you mentioned in your post.
> Don’t critique the open pore finish on the oak cabinets. Client didn’t want them pore-filled🙂


I have steel wire dry racks and place cardboard on them when using a long curing paint like BM Advance. I found out the hard way that it will leave imprints in the finish even after 4-5 days of drying. Heavy doors are the worst. I like your idea of placing the pipe insulation under the doors for protection. Thanks for the tip. They might come in handy when hanging the doors too. I usually wear clean cotton gloves so the hand oils don't ruin the finish.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

Mr Smith said:


> I've just painted some cabinet doors with BM Advance. Ten of them are large heavy Oak cabinet doors.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Just a note on the wax paper Q...Butcher paper! My family has owned a meat locker in the midwest for 3 generations & the butcher paper they use to wrap meat is wax coated. You can buy it in almost any width roll. Never used it for transport, but fo use it for disposable palette when mixing so if your ever in need, thats an option.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

Alchemy Redux said:


> Yeah, I always keep a box of them around. We use them on horses when prepping and finishing, on stickering racks when finishing 2-sided workpieces and pieces aren’t quite cured enough to flip to do opposing sides. At times when we’re finishing on site and don’t have enough space to lay out pieces, we’ll extend a 40 ft ladder across two horses and pop them on the ladder side rails. We use them when installing cabinet doors before bumpers are installed so the finishes don’t adhere to face frames. I’ve never had them leave imprints in finish. They’re particularly useful when removing heavy doors from jambs, slipping them under the bottom of the doors. The carpenters are always stealing them too, having found uses for them as well.
> 
> Just have to be careful when working with some of the solvent based or catalyzed WB finishes, the out gassing of certain solvents can sometimes melt them, same with the polystyrene you mentioned in your post.
> 
> Don’t critique the open pore finish on the oak cabinets. Client didn’t want them pore-filled




OMG my mind is blown!!! I’m lookin @ those pics & thinkin of a million ways I could use small bumpers that wrap- thank u for sharing such an ingenious tip! 

Gunna pick some up tomorrow & put them on the sample board stack- will make it easier to flip thru & no worry about damage when moving um around! So smart....


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

I just used them today and it worked great. It saved me a few days time for flipping cab doors coated with Advance.

I bought both the large and small sized tubes. The large tubes are great for 2x4's or 2x8's on a sawhorse. The smaller pipe insulation tubes are great for sitting drawer faces on top of the drawer boxes. great idea! I think I'll use them for transport too.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

I wonder if dollar store pool noodles would be cheaper....


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

Woodco said:


> I wonder if dollar store pool noodles would be cheaper....




I’ve got a fee of those (use them to keep my boots upright in the closet) so just went n looked @ um...they’re super thick & not very flexible so cutting them would be a b*tch & would take up a lot of space for wrapping edges...but they would work!


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Home centers are probably wondering why the sudden spike in pipe insulation sales by people dressed in painter's whites...

Once again, always best to test. 

There was only one instance where out gassing of solvents caused the foam to melt, the solvent being a citrus solvent in an oil PU I use. Never had any problems w/alkyd oil finishes. 

Had used them when shop finishing and transporting Marvin's first production run of their hardwood window & door series, ~220 units, some of the quad units weighing in at a couple of thousand #'s. Was concerned with having to ratchet down on the units w/ tie downs in the truck, having used a very soft TO/phenolic resin spar on exteriors, the finish printing easily, and the manufacturer supplied packaging cardboard adhering to finishes.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

PPD said:


> I’ve got a fee of those (use them to keep my boots upright in the closet) so just went n looked @ um...they’re super thick & not very flexible so cutting them would be a b*tch & would take up a lot of space for wrapping edges...but they would work!


I was at a punk/metal show a couple months ago, and someone brought two huge boxes of pool noodles, so it turned into this mega pool noodle samurai slam pit. It was awesome!


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

PPD said:


> OMG my mind is blown!!! I’m lookin @ those pics & thinkin of a million ways I could use small bumpers that wrap- thank u for sharing such an ingenious tip!
> 
> Gunna pick some up tomorrow & put them on the sample board stack- will make it easier to flip thru & no worry about damage when moving um around! So smart....


I've found the self adhesive felt furniture pads useful for polished plaster sample boards and others, placing one at each corner and one on the center on the back sides. They can be stacked and transported to meetings without getting those abrasions, particularly on the high polish finishes. I often cringe at meetings when clients start shuffling through the stack like it's a cheap deck of cards. I also keep a bolt of craft felt handy, rolling out glue on backs of sample boards, applying the felt, and razor trimming when dry. A lot of time, money, and thought goes into samples. I hate seeing them get trashed.


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

Alchemy Redux said:


> I've found the self adhesive felt furniture pads useful for polished plaster sample boards and others, placing one at each corner and one on the center on the back sides. They can be stacked and transported to meetings without getting those abrasions, particularly on the high polish finishes. I often cringe at meetings when clients start shuffling through the stack like it's a cheap deck of cards.


Never thought about using the felt circles...yet another brilliant idea! I've seen um at the dollar store too so that'll be inexpensive to impliment!

Takes a lot for me to keep my mouth shut when sample boards are thrown around or mishandled...never easy for to watch. I usually pack up most of the sample boards & then grab 5-6 after I've got a feel for what they're after but always worries me when hauling larger sample boards outside the crate. 




Alchemy Redux said:


> I also keep a bolt of craft felt handy, rolling out glue on backs of sample boards, applying the felt, and razor trimming when dry. A lot of time, money, and thought goes into samples. I hate seeing them get trashed.


I use rolls of craft felt to back my drywall plaster samples too!!! Hot glue it over the back after edges are taped to give the board some grab while troweling. 

Had a woman in her early 20s who'd bought her 1st house & had NO idea what she wanted, just that she wanted a finish of some kind. I recommended she find some idea on Pinterest & Houzz, send um to me and we could go from there. She insisted she wanted to make a decision that day & asked if she might just go look @ all the samples to help her decide. Handed her my keys n told her to go for it while I measured. 

Finished up & she wasn't back so went to see if I could be of any help. Step outside to 5 samples laying on the driveway & she says "I'm trying to see if the trim color works with any of these".... My stomach sunk as I walk over & see the trim color has been smeared DIRECTLY ON THEM using her fingers :vs_shocked: 

I wanted to cry but remained calm to ask why she'd painted on the sample boards rather than a separate piece of cardboard or paper? Turns out she thought the samples had been made specifically for her (all 20 or so in the car??) so she was free to play around with them :vs_no_no_no:. 

Knowing she hadn't ruined them intentionally I explained that wasn't how it worked & that I'd have to charge her. Tried to wipe the paint off but was no use. I thought I'd just cut them down so they remained in the shop for awhile but finally realized it would make them too small to use & scrapped um :vs_sob:


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

Here's how I shipped the cabinets.

1. Used underlay to wrap the doors. Needed two rolls at about $30/roll

2. Used 'no name' stretch wrap I bought at the grocery store. A huge roll was less than $10 and I still have 70% of the roll left over.

3. Masking tape for added stability.

Bottom line is not any of the cabs were damaged during transport. I saved all the cut sheets of underlay for the next job.

Thanks everyone for their contributions and ideas to this thread.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Trust me though. That masking tape is not needed. That shrink wrap will NEVER come loose.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

I've been stocking up on old pillow cases from thrift stores. I slide the doors in those and stack them in a blue box for transport..can be reused over and over..

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