Finish on kitchen island doesn't stand up to water

[Second Chance]

I don't know why a different finish was chosen for the kitchen island in our 2016 Reflection 337RLS than for the rest of the woodwork, but it acts like cheap shoe polish when water gets on it. There are streaks down the inside of the cabinet doors and, if any water is splashed while washing dishes and runs down the outside, it picks up the stain from the cabinet and ends up as a dark puddle on the floor. This will stain the floor permanently if not cleaned up immediately (ask me how I know...).

My question for Grand Design (Janice) is this: was is the type of dark finish on the kitchen island (doesn't seem to be oil-based) and what type of clear coating would be safe to put over it to make it waterproof and stop the collateral damage?

Thanks,

Rob

EDIT: My wife just brought it to my attention that much of the trim has a semi-gloss, sealed finished on it; the panels, for the most part, are the areas where you can just rub off black finish/stain with your finger or a paper towel. it's a real mess!

 

[GDRV Service]

I don't know why a different finish was chosen for the kitchen island in our 2016 Reflection 337RLS than for the rest of the woodwork, but it acts like cheap shoe polish when water gets on it. There are streaks down the inside of the cabinet doors and, if any water is splashed while washing dishes and runs down the outside, it picks up the stain from the cabinet and ends up as a dark puddle on the floor. This will stain the floor permanently if not cleaned up immediately (ask me how I know...).

My question for Grand Design (Janice) is this: was is the type of dark finish on the kitchen island (doesn't seem to be oil-based) and what type of clear coating would be safe to put over it to make it waterproof and stop the collateral damage?

Thanks,

Rob

EDIT: My wife just brought it to my attention that much of the trim has a semi-gloss, sealed finished on it; the panels, for the most part, are the areas where you can just rub off black finish/stain with your finger or a paper towel. it's a real mess!

Hi Rob (@Second Chance),

I will need your unit VIN to research this for your RV. Please add your 17-digit RV VIN to the "About Me" section of your forum profile and reply back to this post to let me know it is done, or send me a private message with your VIN, name and phone number. Thank you in advance...

Best regards,
~ Janice

 

[Second Chance]

Janice,

I just added our VIN to my profile and PMed you with the VIN and my phone number. Thanks for looking into this.

Rob

 

[Bamaman]

It almost looks like a white melamine bead board that's had a latex stain applied to it. I've been very careful with mine not to have to clean it very hard.

 

[Cate&Rob]

It almost looks like a white melamine bead board that's had a latex stain applied to it. I've been very careful with mine not to have to clean it very hard.

x2 on Bamaman's comment. The finish on our island is very soft and almost looks like it never got it's "top coat". Wiping it with a dry cloth picks up stain.

Rob

 

[Lingerlonger]

I haven't seen that problem on the island in our 337, but I do see it on the bathroom vanity.
Drop a bit of water on the front of the vanity, try to wipe it off, and the stain comes right off.

K

 

[Mgtann]

I have the same problem in our 2016 29 RS which we have had for about two weeks. I wipe up any water that gets on the island cabinet doors the paper towel is black. Very poor finish on the island cabinet. The other cabinets have a quality finish. Would love to know if a finish canbe applied to keep the stain from coming off.

Jon and Margaret
2016 29RS
Western Colorado

 

[GDRV Service]

Janice,

I just added our VIN to my profile and PMed you with the VIN and my phone number. Thanks for looking into this.

Rob

Hi Rob (@Second Chance),

Thank you. I will research this with our supplier, and keep you posted. Or alternatively, you may also want to check with your local paint or hardware store to see if they offer a close match -- if so, you may want to stain a small test area first (keeping in mind it could require more than one application of stain to build to a matching color) to see if that repairs the damage.

Best regards,
~ Janice

 

[james quinn]

Hi Rob (@Second Chance),

Thank you. I will research this with our supplier, and keep you posted. Or alternatively, you may also want to check with your local paint or hardware store to see if they offer a close match -- if so, you may want to stain a small test area first (keeping in mind it could require more than one application of stain to build to a matching color) to see if that repairs the damage.

Best regards,
~ Janice

Sorry, I would disagree. Until the supplier says what the finish is (ie: water or oil based) you cold run the risk of making a big mess. Dark colour stains on some materials (ie: maple) don't work typically unless a base material is applied first so the stain tends to "sit" more on top rather than soak in. Not at all the same as pine or oak for example. Not knowing what or how cabinets were made of or what finishes were used, could result in making things worse. Patience Grasshopper ... its not life threatening that you can't wait for the proper info.

JimQ

 

[WhittleBurner]

The finish on the island is the same way on our 303. I'd like to add that the back splash on the hutch also bleeds. . I had thought about a top coat but was not sure what the base finish is. From the way this finish washes of my first guess is it's a water base.

I'm actually surprised it has held up as good as it has so far, with three dogs the island gets a regular wipe down especially near the food dishes.

 

[Second Chance]

Sorry, I would disagree. Until the supplier says what the finish is (ie: water or oil based) you cold run the risk of making a big mess. Dark colour stains on some materials (ie: maple) don't work typically unless a base material is applied first so the stain tends to "sit" more on top rather than soak in. Not at all the same as pine or oak for example. Not knowing what or how cabinets were made of or what finishes were used, could result in making things worse. Patience Grasshopper ... its not life threatening that you can't wait for the proper info.

JimQ

I agree, Jim. The issue is not replacing the stain that I can rub off or that runs with water contact. The issue is putting something on top of it that stops this from happening. I will wait to hear what Janice comes up with.

Rob

 

[2hams]

Our 303 island is the same.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[J&G garage]

I just went out to the trailer to check this. The paneling on the island and the hutch back splash does turn a paper towel black but only the paneling. The trim doesn't seem to exhibit the same issue. I took off one of the outlet plates from a plug on the hutch back splash and wiped around the edge of the outlet in case the stain came completely off it wouldn't show. What I found was that after wiping with a damp paper towel the towel was black. But if I took another clean, damp towel and wiped it again in the same area the towel was clean. No matter how much I rubbed no more stain showed up on the towel. So I'm wondering if it could be over spray that got on the paneling during manufacturing. It could be partially dry and sit on the surface of the paneling like dust (very black dust). Anyone want to rub in the middle of a panel and see you get down to bare wood?

 

[GDRV Service]

I agree, Jim. The issue is not replacing the stain that I can rub off or that runs with water contact. The issue is putting something on top of it that stops this from happening. I will wait to hear what Janice comes up with.

Rob

Hi Rob (@Second Chance),

I did a search because I remembered answering questions similar to yours... I will still try to research the stain with our supplier for your RV; however, in the meantime the threads below may be of help to you or to others who have commented in this thread:

http://www.granddesignowners.com/forum/showthread.php/1809-Wood-Stain?highlight=wood+stain
http://www.granddesignowners.com/forum/showthread.php/3871-Wood-Stain-Color?highlight=wood+stain

Best regards,
~ Janice

 

[Bamaman]

On my 323BHS, I have the stained beadboard on the wall to the right of the refrigerator, the far left wall, behind the televsion and on the island. So far so good, but I remember someone a year ago mentioning a finish problem.

 

[mageorge]

We had the same problem with our 2014 303, but only on the inside of the islands doors. It appears the supplier didn't finish the panels. Since they need to spray and heat finish like any kitchen cabt., we had our dealer order replacement doors, and the new ones are fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mgtann]

My problem is mainly on the sink island cabinet doors, especially the upper portion of the door and the inside. I have not noticed any problem with the hutch panel or other parts of the island. I think they may have forgotten to put a finish coat on the doors. I will say that overall I am happy with our Reflection, however, some of the little things like split trim wood, wrinkled wall paper, and corner trim coming off are annoying, but can wait to be fixed when we are back near the dealer we purchased from. After reading Mike's post, I'm wondering if I should give them a head's up about the island doors.

Margaret and Jon
Reflection 29RS
Western CO

 

[Second Chance]

Hi Rob (@Second Chance),

I did a search because I remembered answering questions similar to yours... I will still try to research the stain with our supplier for your RV; however, in the meantime the threads below may be of help to you or to others who have commented in this thread:

http://www.granddesignowners.com/forum/showthread.php/1809-Wood-Stain?highlight=wood+stain
http://www.granddesignowners.com/forum/showthread.php/3871-Wood-Stain-Color?highlight=wood+stain

Best regards,
~ Janice

Janice,

Perhaps I didn't express myself well. The issue is not re-staining areas; the issue is a top coat on the problematic areas to prevent the stain from coming off. What I need to know is what product is safe to apply over the existing stain.

Thanks again,

Rob

 

[J&G garage]

Whatever material is used to seal the stain will probably have to be sprayed. I think a brush would make a mess of things. It would really be an exercise in masking.

 

[james quinn]

Whatever material is used to seal the stain will probably have to be sprayed. I think a brush would make a mess of things. It would really be an exercise in masking.

... and building yourself a plastic bubble room ...