Gloss white finish: lacquer or paint?

[fergy]

I've got a piece I'm working on that the client wants in gloss white when finished. I'm building it frame and panel style out of birch and poplar. I'll be spraying the finish.

Should I go with a white pre-cat lacquer, or oil-base paint? And does any sort of sanding sealer help in this situation prior to the top coats?

 

[Robb Parker]

Lacquer for sure. Oil based too SOFT for cabinets and furniture. By the way, I'm back in town of you want to come up sometime.
Robb

 

[fergy]

Thanks, Robb! I'm still buried, but I'll get with you soon about coming up.

I'm assuming I'll be able to get a "Piano lacquer" finish that way? I was leaning toward lacquer just due to dry time as well.

 

[JWBWW]

No question... pre-cat. Gloss (65) will reveal every imaginable blemish and flaw so spent extra time in prep. Paint and opaque lacquer jobs are blessing and curse for me: blessing in that I don;t have to go round and round with color samples and customers. Curse because opaque finishes test anyone's scraping and sanding abilities.

 

[fergy]

You guys have preferred opaque pre-cat brands? I've been spraying ML Campbell gloss and semi clear for other projects, and it seems pretty forgiving with temperature and humidity.

Any sort of pre-treatment finishing to do prior to the lacquer?

 

[JWBWW]

Over the last few years I have shifted to Mohawk just because I'm less and lass likely to buy 5 gallon pails nowadays. I tend to like them because their tech folks are incredibly helpful and willing to help troubleshoot problems in the phone. Can't say I have ever had a problem with MLC either... although I've never had much appreciation of their sealers for some reason.

I tend to want to sand to 220 on a paint/opaque project and then spray tinted vinyl sealer (2 coats). Then sand 320 and really examine for problem areas under the harshest light and most critical eye you can manage. Then spray two coats of finish.

 

[fergy]

I've been buying MLC by the gallon due to the amount I use at a time as well, being a hobbyist. Though I can certainly blow through a couple of gallons each time I do something. I tend to wind up with 3-5 coats in the end, but I'm not using a sealer except when I'm using Sealcoat to lock in a dye. I can get Mohawk as well, but I haven't tried it yet.

Any tricks/tips for spraying a vinyl sealer? And are you getting it pre-tinted or doing it yourself?

Thanks for all of the help on this, I really appreciate it. I've got two projects in the pipeline at the moment that I need to finish, and both involve finishing techniquest that I haven't done before.

 

[Robb Parker]

Fergy,
Vinyl sealer is not normally used in a finish schedule other than the need for barrier coat (don't know whats on in refinish), to sandwich glazes or to improve water resistance with nitro lacquers to meet KBIC requirements. It does not sand as well as sanding sealers in thc MLC line. Your better off and I suggest using sanding sealer as the primer for any gloss 45+sheen. You'll be able to block sand it smooth easyly and it will give great smooth finish and superior adhesion. Don't get me wrong vinyl is great for what it is and it's intended use. It sprays exactly like your pre or post cat clear products but a little less thinning for viscosity. Very forgiving and fast dry. Mil thickness will be less, as less solids normally.
Robb

 

[JimD]

I like white tinted Resisthane, a water based finish that is somewhat like a pre-cat lacquer. It needs a white primer under it. Hood finishing sells Resisthane and also offers a good stain blocking primer you can spray. I've used several gallons on several sets of plantation shutters. I've also used a lot of clear Resisthane on furniture. It can be brushed (like for a touchup) but dries pretty fast so you can't keep messing with it. It sprays great. I'm trying a gallon of target EM6000 next on a current project after trying some General Finishes water based poly. I'll see what I think of the EM6000 but I didn't like the General Finishes enough better to pay the higher price. Target had a sale that made it almost as inexpensive as the Resisthane. I think a gallon of Resisthane was about $43 delivered to my house.

Clear resisthane needs nothing under it - no sealer. The main reason you need a white primer under the white resisthane is to get good coverage in fewer coats. A couple coats over the primer should be enough. And you can spray every couple hours.

Jim

 

[fergy]

Thanks again, everyone.

As for water-based finishes, I'm still not sold on them either. I understand the need for them, and I think they have their place, but I don't trust them for what I'm doing on these projects. Maybe it's because I don't have a lot of experience with them, but I've got to go with what I know since I'm not in a situation where I can experiment. I did that with General Finishes...twice. That's another story altogether...

Robb: Looks like I'll be looking for Magnaclaw under my usual Magnamax application, after looking at MLC's sheets. I may try to run out there to catch up with you before I spray this.

Thanks for everyone's help.