Cabinet Finisher

Oak, walnut, pine, cherry—whatever your preference, there are wooden cabinets to match your style. But those trees don’t turn into cabinets by themselves. First, they are cut into boards at the mill, then shipped to the cabinet manufacturer, and finally put together by the Cabinet Maker. After all of that the Cabinet Finisher get his or her chance to add the finishing touches before delivering the cabinets to the customer.

Cabinet Finishers generally spend their days staining or painting wood, veneer, laminate, and other materials. As Cabinet Finisher, you know which type of paint to use on each material, so you set up the spray booth, tape off Plexiglas and other portions that do not get painted, mix the proper paint, glaze, clear coat, or stain, and apply it to the cabinet.

Your job might require you to hang doors or trim using nails, glue, or other tools. You might also attach hardware, help assemble the frame, or even help install cabinets on the job site. Often, you are responsible for sanding down the wood so that the paint properly adheres to the cabinet.

As a Cabinet Finisher, you might work for a manufacturing company, mass-producing prefab cabinets for the likes of Home Depot or Lowe’s. You might also spend your days sanding and painting individual cabinets at a custom cabinet shop, where each cabinet is hand-built with a particular space in mind (think homes, yachts, airplanes, and RVs).