# Spraying water based lacquer



## fobos8 (25 Apr 2006)

Hi

Is anyone using water based lacquer to spray finish cabinets? 

How do they perform in comparison to nc laquer?

I need to finish some bedroom units and am just wondering what alternatives there are to nc lacquer. I don't have an explosion proof set up and would like to use something safer and more enviromentally friendly. 

The only water based lacquers I've come accross on Google seem to be aimed at finishing floors. Are these okay to use?

Many thanks, Andrew


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## Scrit (25 Apr 2006)

Hi Andrew

The two main downers to using water-based is that they raise the grain a bit more and they generally have a longer flash-off time between coats. For wood finishing I prefer to stain/dye before puttingh on a clear top coat - and I do like Dulux Diamond Glaze - a floor finish....... Acrylics tend to look blue/grey(white) cloudy when they go on but always dry OK - at least the smell isn't too bad so they can be used in client's houses. If you want a wider range of water-based products contact a trade finish supplier such as Morrells. Oh, and one other thing, you mustn't let them get down below 3 to 4 degrees as near freezing conditions tends to kill them dead.

Scrit


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## Chris Knight (25 Apr 2006)

Don't worry about the "Flooring" designation, they work just as well for furniture.

Don't be tempted to thin water borne stuff unless the mfr. specifically recommends it, or at least don't use more than about 5% of water at max, otherwise the emulsion tends to fall apart and it becomes unusable.

I recommend going always for a gloss finish. If you find it too glossy for your taste, just flatten it with a mild abrasive like 0000 wire wool or gray webrax. Stsrting out with a satin finish - which has "flattener" in it, can give you a dead look.


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## scruffyduck (25 Apr 2006)

I use water based all the time as a bit of a contribution to the environment (and my lungs  ) Not really a problem if you are spraying but putting a water based laquer straight over a water based stain with a brush will have a very undesirable result - you need a sealer between the two otherwise the laquer tends to drag the stain


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## Terry Smart (25 Apr 2006)

We do of course supply an Acrylic Lacquer which can be sprayed..

Meanwhile, if I could just clarify Jon's statement about water based lacquers being better for his lungs... there are certainly less/no fumes but it's still probably best not to inhale the overspray so suitable precautions need to be taken to prevent this. Collecting all those little droplets of lacquer in your lungs might not do them any favours.
I'm sure this is what Jon meant and I'm probably worrying unnecessarily as all the UKW forum readers are an intelligent lot, but still couldn't stop myself from saying this!


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## scruffyduck (25 Apr 2006)

Yep I always wear a respirator when I am spraying


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## fobos8 (25 Apr 2006)

Hello again

I'm mainly working with veneered maple at the moment. One of the things I like about nc lacquer is that is warms/yellows the timber slightly. Scrit says that Acrilyc lacquers give a slight blue colour to the wood <- that doesn't sound very good for Maple as I'm sure it would be exagerated.

Are there other water based lacquers which would bahave in the same way as nc lacquer with maple?

Andrew


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## Colin C (25 Apr 2006)

Scrit means ( I think ) is that it looks alittle blue before it drys clear but if you want the yellow/warms colour you could use a little sealer first, you would also get less grain raising


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## Scrit (25 Apr 2006)

fobos8":gippwj8l said:


> Scrit says that Acrilyc lacquers give a slight blue colour to the wood <- that doesn't sound very good for Maple as I'm sure it would be exagerated.


Hi Andrew

To clarify, a lot of water-based acrylics I've used have a slightly "milky" appearance, which could be described as a blue/white-grey opacity _at application time_ - once they have dried this disappears entirely and they are neutral. I wouldn't say that they "warm" the timber colour, though neither do pre-cats I've used. It's just a case of trying finishing systems until you find one that suits you, IMO.

Scrit


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## Colin C (25 Apr 2006)

I will have to get this one finger typing quicker


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## Scrit (25 Apr 2006)

What do other people use as a sealer? I use very weak (i.e. diluted) white polish - although that means we're back on the VOCs again  

Scrit


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## Colin C (25 Apr 2006)

I use sanding sealer as it also has a grain filler with it ( not heavy but helps fill the grain so not so much polish is used)


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## houtslager (25 Apr 2006)

Phil it really depends on the following -

1.type of timber

2.use of said timber - floor, cabinet, table, chair etc...

3. desired level of shine

4. end use of said item of furniture

For heavy use furniture - pre cat laquers with the necessary primers, colour laquers of clear- final sight spray with "super gloss" if required.

For more traditional furniture - french polish if a full shine is required,
hand rubbed in varnish for a simerler look but more hard wearing,
wax or oil finish for that "soft " look.

For each finish there's a different technique, for which you have in previous postings well explained. ccasion5: 

After 25 years in the finish "game" I thought I could stop, 8) \/ , but it seems my parents have given out my contact details to their old clients 
:-k and next week I am off to Oslo, to refinish a 16'6" dining table :shock: 8) 

For a lot of my "new furniture" that I make, I make a specific choice on the finish and usually end up using a Dutch product usually for flooring  called TRAELUX its an ACRYLIC water based laquer, that CAN be diluted by 8 % MAX. Normally rolled onto what ever surface and with a good quality brush "stroked out" But the last few jobs, I actually sprayed it using my APOLLO 700 system, this actually speeded up the flash off time, due to the fact its "blows" warm air through the gun / and can.
Although this creates another MINOR problem ( same for ALL paint / laquers) DAMHIKT  of solid build up by the nozzle opening. BEWARE , must clean this, when refilling the can.

I hope this post is of use, any queries do not hesitate to aask more by pm.

All the best from HS , busy packing all my polish supplies for a long trip to Oslo 8)


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