need help with a finish please

[vickie]

Hi,

Hoping someone can help me... I have painted a table in stone effect paint (all priming, sanding and preparing was done), and i now need to make the surface durable. At present if i wanted to i could scratch the paint off with my nail. What's the best but cheapest thing to use to give it a clear non shiny hard durable finish??

Someone recommended ultimate polyurethane but does anyone have any experience with this or can you recommend something else?

Thanks in advance, i wait eagerly for your replies

cheers
vickie :roll:

 

[Ian down london way]

Hi Vickie.

I've used (branded) polyurethane vanish -I don't know what 'ultimate' is - on a home made welsh dresser, and its lasted 15 years and hasn't shown a scratch yet.

I can say how I did it, but to tell the truth, I don't know how it would work over stone effect painting - but I've no reason to suspect it would be problematic.

(so how about you prepare a test piece so you can try out the process?)

I took my time and did it in three layers. As I was varnishing both side of everything, that actually meant 6 varnishing sessions per item. You need a dust free environment - really important.

The first layer, applied with a non-dropping brush (buy a new one, nothing fancy, but one that can't drop 'cos all the 'hairs' are just extruded plastic from a solid lump). Don't worry about brush marks, the varnish is very liquid and will spread out. LET IT DRY REALLY REALLY WELL - maybe 24 or 48 hours. Then denib all those dribbly bits hanging down / up from the edge, with fine (180ish) sandpaper, and LIGHTLY sand all over (maybe 300 sandpaper). If the nips are not dry inside - then stop and wait longer. You are sanding the nips, not spreading them out.
Make sure any ripples are rubbed away. Blow off all the dust (maybe best done outside). Given your paint finish, it will be important not to over sand. In my case, I could just varnish an additional layer if I got down to wood anywhere. So do it by hand and take your time. Don't worry that sanded vanish goes opaque, the next layer of varnish will make it transparent again.

Second coat, applied the same way, let it REALLY dry. De-nip same way.
This layer - gently rub down the surface with 0000 wire wool only Then make sure that there are NO remnants of wire wool anywhere on the surface.

The third layer needs to be applied using a balled up cotton cloth, kind of like french polishing. You are really just applying a skim of varnish, so there is no risk of nips / dribbles. This will fill in any fine scratches from the sanding.

No rubbing or anything afterwards.

That's it. Wait and admire.

Don't do anything till you hear more responses though. Maybe my suggestion will be shot down.

Good luck !

 

[cornucopia]

hello this is what I use in high traffic areas but when a dead flat (completely matt) finish is specified
http://www.polyvine.com/category/show/p ... arnishes/6

 

[vickie]

Thank you I will have a go

 

[beech1948]

Obviously teaching you to suck eggs but try the varnish finish on a spare sample first as occasionally there can be reactions between paint types.

Al

 

[vickie]

Will do beech, thank you

 

[Ian down london way]

Ah, I see you are monitoring this one. I posted a reply on the other instance of this thread.

 

[vickie]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your response, I didn't realise i'd posted two! Thanks for your advice, I will try your method also on a sample piece.

Thank you

 

[pip1954]

hi you say you could pick the paint of with your finger nail did key it(sand down) before you painted it
pip

 

[vickie]

Hi Pip,

Yes i sanded it and primed it as my original post says.

Vickie