Canlak Coatings (“Canlak”), a North American leader in wood coating systems, today announced the launch of two new products for cabinet, bathroom vanity, millwork, and furniture manufacturers: Canlak TUFF™, a patent-pending coating system built to greatly decrease the damage that costs manufacturers the most, and OakShift™, a single-coat solution that transforms red oak into the look of white oak.

Both products were developed in direct response to challenges manufacturers have outlined to Canlak, including the cost of damage sustained during production and handling and the growing difficulty of sourcing white oak at a price and volume that meets demand.

“Manufacturers work hard to make their parts perfect, only to see them damaged somewhere between the finishing line and final installation,” said James Bray, Director of Sales for Canlak. “With white oak in short supply and red oak considerably less expensive, manufacturers are caught between what customers want and what they can afford. These two new products were developed in direct response to their feedback.”

Canlak TUFF™: Built to Cut Manufacturers’ Most Avoidable Cost

Nicks, dents, and scratches are among the most common and costly issues manufacturers face, occurring on the finishing line, during assembly, in packaging, and through shipping and installation. Canlak TUFF is a patent-pending Conversion Varnish coating system, available in enamels and clears, engineered to resist that damage without compromising the flow, leveling, or hand feel manufacturers expect from a premium finish.

“Canlak TUFF, available on both painted and stained products, was engineered specifically to decrease that kind of damage and is backed by industry-leading color consistency and the ColorMate custom dispensing program, so the same finish holds up batch after batch,” said Robin Lemay, Managing Director for Canada and Technical Director for Canlak.

Built for Every Production Line

Canlak TUFF is optimized for flat-line, hang-line, hand and robotic-sprayed finishing in both low- and high-volume production environments. Wherever a manufacturer’s line runs a conversion varnish, Canlak TUFF runs on it.

Key features include:

  • Available in enamels and clears
  • Extremely resistant to marring and scratching
  • Exquisite hand feel and slip
  • Unrivaled flow and leveling on vertical and horizontal applications
  • Excellent color and gloss retention properties
  • Industry-leading color consistency
  • Exclusive ColorMate™ custom color dispensing and formulation program

OakShift™: A Single-Coat Alternative to a Scarce, Costly Material

White oak has become a preferred aesthetic in cabinetry, millwork, and furniture manufacturing, but tightening supply and rising costs have made it increasingly difficult to source at scale. OakShift addresses that gap directly with red oak supply currently outpacing white oak by 50%, and red oak costs considerably less, giving manufacturers a more available, cost-effective solution customers are asking for.

Unlike traditional two-component bleaching methods historically used to lighten red oak, OakShift, a water-based single component coating, is applied in a single coat and is compatible with manufacturers’ existing finishing lines. Key features include:

  • Single-coat application
  • Quick drying
  • Low odor
  • Stainable
  • Sprayable and compatible with existing finishing lines
  • Significantly safer than bleaching and other traditional conversion methods

Both Canlak TUFF and OakShift were unveiled to manufacturers at IWF Atlanta, held August 25–28, 2026, at the Georgia World Congress Center. Manufacturers interested in learning more can visit canlakcoatings.com or contact canlakTUFF@canlak.com for Canlak TUFF and OakShift@canlak.com for OakShift.

About Canlak Coatings

Canlak Coatings develops and produces high-quality wood coating systems and strives to be North America’s leader in wood coating systems by focusing on innovation, quality products, and exceptional technical service. For more information, visit Canlak Coatings.

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