Use your own judgment about the number of coats. Too many or too thick applications are likely to crack
and peel, so be certain the coats are thin and well polished in between.
TIPS ON USING LACQUER
Since most people have had much more experience with varnish that with lacquer, the best way to
explain the tricks of lacquer application is to contrast them with varnish.
- Instead of laying the material on, then smoothing it, you should try to flow lacquer on in a good wet
coat without too much brush back. Move fast, using long strokes. Keep a wet edge by working in small
areas. Usually a relatively long and narrow area is easiest to handle. To keep the action fast, use a
wider brush than you might like for varnish. Never apply lacquer with a tiny brush unless the project itself
is tiny. Width rather than fullness is the mark of a good lacquer brush, which need not have bristles as
long as are considered best for varnish. - Instead of using lacquer as thick as you can brush it comfortably, as you do with varnish, keep it thin
enough to flow out well. This may mean some thinner, even in a material such as Satin lac, which is
canned at a brushable consistency as it is. Be sure to buy a good thinner. There are many chemicals
that will reduce the consistency of lacquer, but not all of them produce good results. Thin all coats, if
necessary. - Sanding between coats is not necessary with lacquer to provide adhesion. Each coat tends to soften
the preceding one minutely, bonding to it. Thus, scarifying for mechanical bond, as with varnish, doesn't
help. However, you may want to scuff sand enough to knock off high spots and the few dust specks you'll
you will be bound to get, even with lacquer.
If you are working toward a high rubbed finish, you will always sand to plane the surface, if application is
rough. Do not use, water on between coat sanding with lacquer. Be sure to give lacquer at least four
hours to dry before sanding and re coating. Give the final coat overnight, before you do the last stages
of rubbing with pumice.
When using lacquer, you may encounter any one of several difficulties, which can be handled if you know
how.
THE PENETRATING RESIN FINISHES
These are manufactured by dozens of paint companies and sold at every paint store, have gained a
place among the most popular clear finishes. There is a remarkable list of reasons why: They are by far
the easiest of all finishes to apply.
They are among the most durable, so tough that they rank at the top in floor finishes. They have arrived