If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it – that’s the philosophy behind Looper Cabinet Company’s 20-year relationship with Sherwin-Williams Product Finishes. This long-lasting partnership was built on Looper’s success in using a Sherwin-Williams clear vinyl sanding sealer in 1994.

“Finishing is a side of our business that can be a nightmare,” said Johnny Rogers, assistant to owner Chuck Looper and plant manager Chris Looper. “We design and build custom cabinetry and furniture – when there’s a flaw in the finish, the customer is definitely not going to be happy. Quality products and technical support from your coatings supplier are key components to prevent that from happening.”

Partnership stands the test of time

Looper, a third-generation family-owned business based near Augusta, Georgia, provides its custom wood products for both building and remodeling projects. While its primary market focus is the 10-county Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), the company has designed and installed products throughout the southeast. Its cabinetry products include all wood, furniture grade inset cabinetry and are warranted for life.

In 1994, the company was having issues with the nitrocellulose lacquer it was using to finish cabinets.

“Moisture from humidity, drips and spills around the dishwasher and kitchen sink areas of our installed cabinets was permeating the outside edges and causing the lacquer to come off,” Rogers said. “We needed help and elected to try a Sherwin-Williams clear vinyl sanding sealer – a new product at the time. Our callbacks problems disappeared.”

“We started out with five gallon containers, and, as our finishing got more and more involved, the quantities just got bigger,” Rogers said. “There have been times when we were tempted to try other finishes for the sake of price, but it’s never worked out. Whenever we tried to switch, it cost us in quality. We always had great promises but very little performance. We’ve stuck with Sherwin-Williams”

Rogers says that in the end, it’s about quality and consistency. “With Sherwin-Williams, it’s the same every time. Their product is so consistent we don’t have to check viscosity. We know it’s right.”

Expanded products and technical services

Today, Looper has expanded into stains and clear coats from Sherwin-Williams in addition to lacquers. The company uses acrylic-based pigmented lacquers and appreciates the fast drying times and ease of touch-ups and repair of these finishes. If a cabinet happens to be nicked during the installation phase, on-site repair is quick and simple with the acrylic-based lacquer.

Application methods vary, depending on the finish. Looper maintains side-by-side spray booths in its shop, one for paint; the other for staining.

“We offer a variety of finish techniques, including old-world specialty finishes that offer a distressed look, white with glaze on it – it’s wiped, but the glaze remains,” Rogers said. “We do use wipe-on stains, but the great volume of our stain work is spray staining.”

He noted that Sherwin-Williams technical expertise means a lot when special finishes are needed to match a customer’s specifications.

“When we need a special body glaze or special color glaze, Sherwin-Williams is always there to fine tune or tweak an existing stock color – they’re really helpful with product formulations,” he said. “They’re quick to respond, and they don’t rest until the product is right and the situation is resolved. Our Sales Rep (Roy McCrary ) makes regular visits and on a occasion will bring the Facility Manager along to make sure our needs are being met – I don’t know of any other finishing company that would do that.”

Color matching to meet exacting standards

Looper’s building and remodeling business typically involves designing the entire kitchen, including specifying appliances, countertops and hardware, to the exact tastes of the homeowner or builder. In-house designer Deanne Looper works with customers to coordinate the entire project – including color schematics. She works with the local Sherwin-Williams store in North Augusta to specify project wall colors and often sends customers to the store to coordinate wall and room finishes with Looper cabinetry.

“We also work with builders who have designers on staff,” Rogers said. “They see a particular color or shade that they really want, and they call us – Sherwin-Williams helps us respond to that request quickly.”

Most of the large volume, everyday finishes Looper uses for cabinetry and furniture projects are serviced from the Sherwin-Williams facility in Lexington, South Carolina. At less than an hour away, typical turnaround for product delivery occurs within a day. Some color matching can take an extra day, and for specific, quick-turnaround needs, Looper will utilize the North Augusta store.

“We know we can count on the both facilities to take care of us,” Rogers said. “The North Augusta store can match colors quickly if we really need something, and they keep a record of each custom match. That just makes it easier for our customers and us as well. We don’t hesitate to send customers there for their painting needs because we know they will be taken care of.”

Competition can’t even give it away

Perhaps the best illustration of the coatings partnership is in a story that Rogers recounted about a coatings supplier that actually gave Looper four 55 gallon drums of finishes to sample. The first two drums were used and worked as expected.

“But the rest showed a dramatic quality change,” he said. “We had to stop using it, and the rest is still sitting there. We just don’t see variations in the products we get from Sherwin-Williams, and overall, quality and consistency make the difference.”