Hi all, i am currently making a head board from offcuts( see below) and i will be filling the channels with white resin. I was thinki g of finishing with a lacquer spray but i have never used it before ( normally use a tung oil on my projects) any advice on brand of lacquer or alternative finish? Thanks all
Advice on lacquer spray
- Thread starter tim ber
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Do you mean you'll be using a nitrocellulose lacquer, or something more complicated than that? Or waterbase type finishes?
Nitro lacquer itself is an evaporative finish like shellac (acetone instead of alcohol, I believe), it's pretty forgiving as long as you don't lay on too much at a time and induce cracking while curing. I've only sprayed guitars and a car with solvent, so I can't say too much about furniture, which I would assume will be a different formulation (plasticizers, that is, determining whether the finish is flexible and a little softer, or biased toward hardness with less flexibility).
Nitro lacquer here is cheap - very flammable, and indefinitely repairable. It's also used a lot less now compared to conversion varnishes and 2k finishes when it comes to furniture.
Nitro lacquer itself is an evaporative finish like shellac (acetone instead of alcohol, I believe), it's pretty forgiving as long as you don't lay on too much at a time and induce cracking while curing. I've only sprayed guitars and a car with solvent, so I can't say too much about furniture, which I would assume will be a different formulation (plasticizers, that is, determining whether the finish is flexible and a little softer, or biased toward hardness with less flexibility).
Nitro lacquer here is cheap - very flammable, and indefinitely repairable. It's also used a lot less now compared to conversion varnishes and 2k finishes when it comes to furniture.
I've used the rattle cans from halfords before. Goes quite far, relatively inexpensive and leaves a good finish. You will want to find a way to seal the grain prior to applying any lacquer to wood. Rustins do a decent grain filler but I've also heard that shellac/french polish does a good job.
I'm sure there's better brands out there and I know a lot of people will put down the use of aerosol cans full stop but it's a cheap and effective method. I think a 500ml can is about 12 quid, buy one and see how far you get, can always buy another further down the line.
I'm sure there's better brands out there and I know a lot of people will put down the use of aerosol cans full stop but it's a cheap and effective method. I think a 500ml can is about 12 quid, buy one and see how far you get, can always buy another further down the line.
profchris
Established Member
For nitro lacquer in the UK I've used the cheapest (51 brand in rattle cans) to finish some instruments. It goes on fine and dries very hard, which is what I was looking for.
Works straight onto raw wood, or you can use a sealer coat first.
But nitro has real downsides:
you have to spray it outdoors and then rush it inside before the bugs land on it
It stinks for a week
You need multiple coats (3 minimum, maybe 20 if you plan to rub back, recoat and finally buff for a mirror finish), though you can spray 3 or so in a day
Don't touch for a week until it hardens, and don't try to buff before a fortnight
After a few months it shrinks, so your level surface now corduroys with the grain
If you want to give it a go you can find this stuff on eBay, but for something that size I'd suggest a friendlier finish.
Oh, did I forget to say it's pretty flammable?
Works straight onto raw wood, or you can use a sealer coat first.
But nitro has real downsides:
you have to spray it outdoors and then rush it inside before the bugs land on it
It stinks for a week
You need multiple coats (3 minimum, maybe 20 if you plan to rub back, recoat and finally buff for a mirror finish), though you can spray 3 or so in a day
Don't touch for a week until it hardens, and don't try to buff before a fortnight
After a few months it shrinks, so your level surface now corduroys with the grain
If you want to give it a go you can find this stuff on eBay, but for something that size I'd suggest a friendlier finish.
Oh, did I forget to say it's pretty flammable?
Thanks for the responses…im more confused than ever. I think there are similarities between varnish and lacqeur both with varying bases. My plan was to use sanding sealer then spray on the finish with spray gun….maybe varnish is fine as it doesnt need to be too hard weariing
You need a professional set up with extraction and fire safety to spray lacquers. Better to stick to the rattle cans as they are more forgiving - they only stink for a few days ! 
Heat the cans in hot water first which disperses the lacquer and use a spray handle for cans as they will be too hot to hold. It's as close to a spray gun as you will get.
Heat the cans in hot water first which disperses the lacquer and use a spray handle for cans as they will be too hot to hold. It's as close to a spray gun as you will get.
Ooh, didnt think of that, cheers mate. Btw what finish would you go for considering its resin and wood?You need a professional set up with extraction and fire safety to spray lacquers. Better to stick to the rattle cans as they are more forgiving - they only stink for a few days !
Actually, the true lacquer that has acetone in it at the home stores here is just fine - the only real issue is that if you spray any significant amount, you can get a better lay-down of the finish with an inexpensive HVLP, and the cost of the lacquer bought for furniture purposes - even if it's similar spec to instrument lacquer, will be much cheaper. Or I guess I should say, unless you're only going to do it a little, the spray cans are expensive.
it has a sweet smell, but like profchris said above, while it's offgassing, it's very sharp and sweet and then for a long time, it's aromatic. I used to do the opposite with it here, spray it at the edge of the garage in the winter and then run outside and hang a guitar on a bird feeder iron (no bird feeder) at night to let it flash off. No bugs in the winter here.
I would bring guitar bodies back into the basement of the house because I'd been told "it will all flash off quickly" and then have my spouse complaining about the smell.
I either french polish (like by hand or with a pad) or spray water base with crosslinker for furniture now - it's just easier than dealing with the strong odor of solvent finishes, but some of the crosslinkers aren't particularly healthy, either. The benefit is no fire hazard, not that much smell, and the WB finishes that I've used usually stay atomized in the air and fall like snow (dust) without sticking to things like some two-part solvent finishes will.
A true varnish is a permanent finish and not just evaporative like lacquer. it's also slower to cure. Nitro lacquer will flash off quickly and feel a little dry, but then it continues to dry for a long time.
lacquer in the instrument world pretty much replaced varnish because it's faster to use. Still is in use for a lot of makers, and others have gone a different direction for various reason.
No flammable solvents spraying in a basement or closed garage. I know plenty of people who have sprayed at the edge of a garage just outside of the door and then after spraying will wheel whatever they're spraying into the garage to lessen trouble with ambient dust and bugs. I'd never get away with that - my spouse has a super sensitive nose and can smell even WB finishes that I try to sneak spraying while she's not home.
RickG
Established Member
When I was importing oak furniture from Poland and needing to re-finish small items we used to use Morrells rattle cans. It's relatively easy to use and dries pretty quick.
But as others have said, wear a mask.
When you spray and find you have small particles of dust in the finish, simply rub over the area with the back of some glass paper. This will remove the nibby bits without needing to go to too much trouble.
https://www.morrells.co.uk/products/wood-finishes/interior-wood-finishes/aerosol-lacquers/
But as others have said, wear a mask.
When you spray and find you have small particles of dust in the finish, simply rub over the area with the back of some glass paper. This will remove the nibby bits without needing to go to too much trouble.
https://www.morrells.co.uk/products/wood-finishes/interior-wood-finishes/aerosol-lacquers/
gregmcateer
Established Member
Give Chestnut Finishes a call or email - super helpful company
I have sprayed Morrells Pre-Cat Lacquers with great success, but with a fairly high end HVLP, can only think the standard would not go down much with Morrlls rattle cans, they would probably be my first choice if I needed to do some smaller items that would not justify getting out the spry equipment.
I use the Chestnut range of products because they are reliable and seem to give good cover. Needless to say it should have a good sanding up to 250 grit and blow the dust off with compressed air. One coat of sanding sealer followed by two coats of their Melamine gloss spray. Let it dry for 24 hours before using. Lacquer will cover resin inlays as well. For one off spraying, rattle cans are the most economical and there is no learning curve unlike setting up a spray booth.
