Brushing Lacquer over an Oil Varnish finish?

[KenOfCary]

Is that OK to do? I've normally used oil based poly as the last coat when I wanted to add durability to a table top or other surface I know will be well used.

I've tried a couple coats of Satin Lacquer (Deft brushing lacquer) on a test piece after a coat of Oil Varnish and it seems to be doing OK. Am I headed for trouble down the road though? Are the finishes compatible? I like the subtler look of the Satin Lacquer versus the shiny poly.

 

[Howard Acheson]

I am not a fan of mixing finishes. In most cases it can lead to trouble either immediately or down the road.

The solvents in lacquer are much more aggressive than the mineral spirits in oil based finishes. I've seen lacquer cause severe rippling when applied on top of recently applied oil based finishes.

In addition, lacquer is a step down in durability and protectiveness from an oil based varnish. I would suggest you test out an oil based satin varnish or poly varnish.

 

[Jeff]

Is that OK to do? I've normally used oil based poly as the last coat when I wanted to add durability to a table top or other surface I know will be well used.

I've tried a couple coats of Satin Lacquer (Deft brushing lacquer) on a test piece after a coat of Oil Varnish and it seems to be doing OK. Am I headed for trouble down the road though? Are the finishes compatible? I like the subtler look of the Satin Lacquer versus the shiny poly.

+1 to Howard's comments. A wiping varnish, like Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish, is easily applied, durable, and easily repaired too. The sheen can be knocked down with a Norton sanding pad (#74800) if you don't want too much luster and prefer a more satin look. :icon_cheers

 

[Rick M]

I would not apply lacquer over the varnish. I would skip the varnish and just use lacquer. I also don't agree that lacquer is a "step down" in durability. When it comes to finishes available to non-professionals there is a lot of variability in varnish, just read any durability test... one brand will fail with days or weeks while another goes for months or years. Lacquer is a lot more consistent. So in the end, you may or may not get a more durable finish with varnish but regardless lacquer is still a tough finish and any difference is negligible for home use. Prior to conversion varnishes almost all furniture was finished with lacquer, people will say that is because lacquer is easier to apply and it's true but shellac is even easier yet they used lacquer so there is more to it. Guitars (sometimes) take a lot of abuse but they are always finished with lacquer. Besides the durability issue, lacquer is easier to apply, dries faster, is much easier to repair and as you've observed it looks much better.