In contrast, woodworking is physics. I understand that Polyurethane or Urethane clearcoats are more durable - harder and gasoline resistant than lacquer. It was stained with a stain containing polyurethane. Oil-Based Polyurethane Looks . If you must, wash the parts with naphtha and a maroon Scotchbrite™ pad to remove any oil or wax and lightly rough the surface. Use a bristle brush, preferably of high-quality natural bristles, to apply the lacquer. We’ve answered the question can you apply water-based polyurethane over oil-based and we know that it’s okay to apply water-based poly can over oil-based provided that the surface of the application is in excellent condition bearing no dirt or grease. – Graphus Oct 8 '18 at 12:09 Its looking a little dull and I want to "re-poly" it but not re-stain it. Polyurethane varnish is one of the best finishes for a countertop-- it's durable and, when applied properly, can be just as subtle as lacquer. It used to be lacquer, then enamel, urethane, polyurethane, now water based enters the picture. Some people like that and others don't. Professional wood finishers, who work on fine wood furniture, almost exclusively use lacquers. Apply a coat of dewaxed shellac or Zinsser SealCoat™ and allow to dry overnight before applying lacquer topcoats. Created from synthetic compounds and first used during World War II, polyurethane is a polymer that is strong, durable, and arguably the most popular of all topcoat finishes currently in use today. Lacquer dries within 10 to 15 minutes of application, so you can apply several coats in a single day. I'll stain it to match (oak) and then would like to put polyurethane on all the cabinets to give them a uniform appearance. Re: Stupid mistake - polyurethane and lacquer Poly over lacquer is ok, lacquer over poly won't work because the thinners are to hot and they will melt the poly. Oil based poly offers more colour depth and shine. Answered. Spray lacquer is commonly used on new furniture and in new construction. Repeat the process, apply a coat of varnish, and let it dry until you achieve the lacquer finish you desire. You can either use a vinyl sealer or dewaxed shellac as the barrier coat. Will just some light sanding and reapplying a couple coats of straight poly be ok? The original cabinets have lacquer on them....well dried and well adhered. See Answer. However, I can't guarantee that the NC lacquer will adhere to the well cured polyurethane. A quick guide to wood finishes - what to use, and when to use them. The advantage of the water-based finish is ease of use, quick drying, no odor, and easy cleanup. Can you use polyurethane over lacquer on kitchen cabinets? It will be an adhesion problem. woodworking. Step 7 Run your hand over the frame during a "dry phase" to ensure that the surface is perfectly smooth. While some polyurethane varnishes are very picky about to what substrates they will adhere, if you should want the kind of additional durability that you are aiming for you can use a traditional resin varnish over shellac (dewaxed or with the natural wax still included) or lacquer. OldDupontGuy. Lacquer has a high VOC (volatile organic compound) content, which makes it dangerous to use without a respirator that has an organic vapor cartridge. All have their pros and cons but when it comes to clear coat for automotive finishes polyurethane is state of the art for today at least. Be certain to work quickly adding a thin coat, but don't over-brush your work. Best of all, applying polyurethane doesn't require spray equipment and is a job you can easily do yourself. The lacquer will not bubble the poly. It also can go over oil-based finishes and can be applied using synthetic-bristle brushes, a foam roller or a rag, as can other water-based polyurethanes. What are cons and pros of each and in what scenario you should choose one over the other? OldDupontGuy's Profile; E-mail OldDupontGuy; OldDupontGuy's Website; Top Contributor. Top Answer. Understanding the differences between lacquer vs. polyurethane durability can help you to make a wise choice when it comes to finishing your latest project. It will leave a sticky mess which won't every really dry. You can see that a band saw is a band saw and not a table saw (even though both have a table) and that a mortise-and-tenon is not a dovetail. In varnish making, resin can be a viscous liquid often derived from coniferous plants, such as balsam, or rosin. Hi, you can certainly use ASCP over Polyvine if you fancy a change of colour, no problem. Also, do you want to keep the bench outside after this? 5.8k. This product can actually be used on wooden floors. The thing about varnishing over wax is that wax is slippery old stuff and it takes an age to fully cure. You can put anything you want over shellac. 7 8 9. Hi Mark, can you be more specific about what you want to put on top? Minwax Polycrylic is junk, in my humble opinion. You can't sand down laminate in order to get the polyurethane to stick, so there's no way to improve the cohesion between the two. For example, polyurethane and lacquer look the same, both in a can and on the wood, even though they have very different characteristics. Oil finishes tend to soak into the grain and yellow. It can also be a fossilized resin such as amber or copal or Kauri gum (fossilized Kauri tree gum found in New Zeland and similar to amber.) You can never reconstitute polyurethane once it has hardened. It isn't unusual to clear-coat an acrylic paint finish on a metal surface, such as on an automobile, with CAB-acrylic or acrylic lacquer. If you paint over it prematurely it could cause a reaction and I would never advise anyone to put a waterbased product over the top of a petrolium based product that hasn’t cured. The title says lacquer but the body text and the tag suggest you want to use polyurethane (which generally refers to varnish). A brand of real tung oil is Hope's Tung Oil. You need to put a barrier coat in between the two. I proceed in the usual manner of sanding the wood to 320, then applying the General Finishes Seal a Cell as the first coat. Posted by 3 days ago. You got it backwards. Also, can you coat polyurethane? Water-based oil-modified polyurethane is a relatively new product that combines the durability of an oil base with the cleanup of a water base. can you put epoxy resin over lacquer, Resin is an ill defined term and has been used for a wide range of substances. Answer + 1. You can choose from polyurethane, lacquer, shellac, or even varnish. 4 answers Hillela G. on Mar 2, 2017. (Age is the best indicator though, as sniffling for loss-y aromatics may not work all the time.) If it really is tung oil, it won't work over lacquer or polyurethane. Some of these water-based finishes are not for use over lacquer or shellac. Subsequently, question is, can you put polyurethane on countertops? It dries way to fast, does not self-level, and has ruined more than one project of mine, so that wasn’t even an option. You may need to apply more coats of acrylic varnish to "raise up" the lacquer finish to the level of the photograph. 1968 Coronet R/T ACTS 16:31. View Entire Discussion (6 Comments) More posts from the DIY community . Lacquer can discolor over a long time. Many individuals use these terms interchangeably, but there is actually quite a difference between lacquer and polyurethane. Polyurethane varnish is one of the best finishes for a countertop-- it's durable and, when applied properly, can be just as subtle as lacquer. Dullness. With all the modern advances in coatings -- polyurethane, shellac, urethane, or varnish -- some confusion about formula is to be expected. Could I put polyurethane over old polyurethane? When you spray lacquer over a solvent-based acrylic finish, they combine to form a hybrid film, even if the acrylic is pigmented to form a paint. Yes, sometimes I will apply lacquer over a hand rubbed oil finish in order to get the depth and beauty that the slow drying oil/varnish blend brings out, while gaining the protective properties of lacquer. Tip. Brush-on lacquer will dry quickly but is formulated to give you at least a little bit of time to apply and even out the finish. The rattlecan finish was easy and cheap, but I would like something tuff. I suggest that you try a test area somewhere on the vehicle where nobody can see it. Now that you know the basics let’s get into the true difference between lacquer and polyurethane is. It is appropriate that you remove all the traces of grease on the oil-based finish using the procedures highlighted earlier on in this article. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder they say. It is necessary that the surface be abraded--220 or 320 grit will work fine--so that the varnish has some … I used it on a project; it was interesting to use, but really polyurethane is better. Polyurethane is a more durable coating. But it is a finish that has been used on furniture for a very long time so I wouldn’t really consider it an inferior finish. Wiki User Answered . I needed to just put a clear water-based polyurethane over the paint. It was fine, but I wasn’t impressed enough with it to use it again. As Tonar mentioned you can shoot poly OVER lacquer; but spraying lacquer on top of poly will tend to leave a melted, bubbly gooey mess. One word of caution – read the label carefully and follow the specific instructions. Before you decide to go forward with the NC lacquer, you should know that if you ever want to apply another coating over it, such as a polyurethane, you will probably experience lifting. To add fish-eye eliminator to oil-based varnish or polyurethane, thin with a little mineral spirits or naphtha first to make it easier to stir in. 2008-12-17 02:10:12. Last time I used Rust-Oleum water-based matte polyurethane. There is a problem with putting lacquer over poly. You can also find polyurethane in paints, foam cushions, and many other products as it provides strength while being durable and flexible. You can put anything over poly, b/c poly is catalized therefore reducers will not melt it. Poly, lacquer, waterbased poly…. Lacquer. Simply so, can lacquer be sprayed over polyurethane? Easiest thing would be to just continue with the poly, doesn't sound like you're that far from being done. Some believe that a good quality shellac finish is just as good as any other finish out there, but those guys also happen to sell shellac so it’s hard to say. You can add additional coats later to even out the finish as needed. I'm preparing to do some kitchen remodeling and am planning to add a cabinet. While you can add a layer of polyurethane to laminate flooring, it's really not the best material to use. On the bright side, polyurethane adheres well to most surfaces and can be applied over oil-based coats. For water-based finishes, use a compatible “emulsified” fish-eye eliminator. Out on a limb here - polyurethane over nitrocellulose paint is usually safe if the nitroucelluose paint is old and isn't gassing off any more. Most professionals agree that water-based varnish is the best product to use over paint. Top. A dust mask will not protect you from the vapors of lacquer. I have a butcher block counter top on the kitchen island. 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