# High quality exterior finish advice saught



## sean_jackson (8 Aug 2014)

Hi, does anyone have experience of using any of the Sickens range of exterior finishes by spray application, particularly the solvent borne ones? 

I'm a finisher of 20+ years, french polising/lacquers/paints etc, usually all internal finishing jobs. I regularly field calls from homeowners wanting best quality finishes for front doors, both in the clear and coloured. These jobs usually end up unresolved for one reason or another, sometimes it's the price quoted to do it properly or they'll end up using a a decorator/do it themselves, or I struggle to advise on a product.

The point being I'm looking for a steer from anyone who's sprayed the sickens range (or other) of exterior finishes - preferably solvent borne ones. I understand correct thickness application and sticking to application instructions is paramount with these products - also that they generally last 2 + yrs before maintenance is needed. For me it's the solvent part that would help greatly in laying out colour and finish onto verticals that have been bleached of colour (door surrounds/panels) in a way that i'd be struggling with a water based version..I didn't even think a solvent borne exterior finish existed until a few weeks ago. 

Happy to be corrected if anyone has been this route before?  



Sean


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## sean_jackson (11 Aug 2014)

:| my mistake, the solvent part of the sickens external finish is white spirit, so there is not much mileage in that for a spray finish!
If anyone wants to share opinions/experience of good waterborne exterior finishes for spraying I'd be interested to hear.


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## RobinBHM (11 Aug 2014)

Hi Sean,

The joinery industry uses almost entirely water based microporous paint for factory finishing.

The market leaders are Sikkens, Teknos, Sigma, Remmers. Symphony coatings can supply Remmers products.

Solvent based products are designed for brush application. As you mention white spirit based. These can be sprayed, but drying times are very slow!

The difficulty with spraying the water based paints is that they are high viscosity products designed for air assisted airless application. They can be thinned slightly and applied with a gravity gun (say with a 2.0 or 2.2 tip set up), but it isnt so easy to achieve recommended wet film build. Usually 1 base coat and 2 top coats are applied. Wet film thickness is in the region of 180 microns, 60 dry per coat.

The durability of the paint is determined by much more than just the paint quality. The design of the joinery (drip angles, rounded edges etc), painting before assembly, painting of rebates, panel edges, all faces of glazing beads. End grain should be treated with end grain sealant prior to painting. All these influence the lasting quality in service.


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## sean_jackson (15 Aug 2014)

Thanks Robin, great input for me. The products you mention i've noted and i'm familiar with Smphony. I use HVLP mainly, not enough production to warrant an AAA (but want one). Was going to try the Cetol system from Sickens, i've sprayed morrells water based products on clients' worktops though i've yet to spray any external water based product. 

In nearly every external finish job (only done a handful) it's usually about getting colour back into a job so i'm looking to establish a good colour product and a good top coat product for both workshop and on site as most front door jobs come with on site surrounds to deal with. Spraying water based finished externally and onto verticals with a strong colour element sounds interesting/scary. It looks like the colour mediums in external finishes aren't just dyes/pigments in a water or solvent base (like furniture stains) but thicker with a body more like a finish?

I realize that finishing outside is generally a seasonal thing with our climate in the UK or the finish is just not going to co operate, esp in regard to spraying - probably another reason why spray/paint finishing on houses is more prevalent in countries like US. Input from anyone who sprays external joinery is welcomed.

Sean


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## Bradshaw Joinery (16 Aug 2014)

The water based products are maximum 60% gloss and its quite hard to get a wet smooth looking finish at that without the proper equipment, aaa and a booth, correct application temps and drying times. really it needs to be sprayed onto warm joinery, in a cool room then left for 10 minutes, beofre being put into a warm drying area, allowing the paint to level out before drying. 

Never let the paint go below 10 degrees.... It really messes it up any you dont find out until its dried. 

i dont spray front doors, usually get them hand painted onto spray applied primer, with something like sikkens XD. I havent tried, but im sure that would spray though HVLP, if you experimented with different thinners. drying times would be an issue!...

Sorry i cant be of more help, I would however fully advise you speak to Morrells or Teknos/whoever your buying the paint from directly. they would be happy to advise. They have been great to me, and will probably come out with you to a job and show you how to do it.


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## RobinBHM (16 Aug 2014)

External transluscent joinery finishes are usually comprised of a stain basecoat and a transluscent top coat. Teknos for example would be typically a teak 2900 basecoat and a light oak 2600 top coat as the recommended lightest coat for full uv protection.

The transluscent top coat means the film thickness determines the depth of colour. So double spraying at rail/stile junctions results in a stripe. These are classed as high build finishes so can look somewhat plastic in appearance. Very tricky to repair if damaged.


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