What type of product do I need to make a hard glossy finish on a desk?
Question:My husband and I will be building a desk. We are planning on staining it, and we want a smooth hard finish on it. I'm wondering what we should use to make it this way. We bought a test piece of wood, and have a clear gloss polyurathane that we put on it, but I'm not sure that it is going to be like we want. What other clear finishes are there that would be better?
Answers:
try a lacquer finsih. it dries fast and seems to be a little harder than polyurthane. spray about 4 or 5 coats and it will endure.
Lacquer will work the best for your project. However, it is difficult to work with, but if you ask the guys at the paint store, they should lay it out for you clearly.
If they don't you can always call a contractor, most will help you with a little free advise.
Go to http://www.businessbusinesscontractors.c... and follow the links to find local contractors that can give you some professional advise.
I'd sure use the polyurethane. It's rugged and it lasts forever.
Multiple coats of lacquer will work, if you are trying to emulate fine furniture. Shellac will also work, although it usually has an orange cast to it. The problem with lacquer and shellac is that you end up with a rather fragile surface, and if you work at the desk when it's hot, the sweat from your arms will deteriorate the finish.
Marine spar has many of the qualities of lacquer and shellac, but has more resistance to sweat.
Enamel will also give you a hard, glossy finish. You can get clear automotive enamel at your local NAPA store. While it is intended for spraying on metal, it can be used on wood.
If you like the Haversham Plantation look, you can rub the wood with wax instead of applying a durable finish. It's not quite the "hard smooth" finish we associate with desks, but it is attractive in its own way.
Epoxy paint will give you an even more rugged finish than polyurethane, but it is difficult to apply. It's also relatively hard to find clear epoxy finish.
Good luck!
My first choice would be a waterborne polyurethane. It does not have the yellow cast that is typical of an oil based poly. Dries faster and harder. Several thin coats instead of one.
Depending upon the type of wood, tung oil may be a good choice as well. It is a penetrating finish instead of a built up finish like poly or lacquer. It takes several coats with a good rubbing between coats, but it is about as durable as you will get for wood. It does not make the surface considerably harder than it already is, so it would be better on a hardwood like oak or maple than softwood like pine.
Lacquer is not brushable and must be sprayed, as well as very "intoxicating" whether or not you use a respirator...It also will 'yellow within a few years... A water borne polyurethane is good, brushable, and some is "self leveling" which will allow your brush strokes to "lay down"..the reason you probably didn't like the effect from what you tested is that polyurethane needs sanded inbetween each coat, dusted and redone...each caot will make it shinier and shinier as you go..do not rush inbetween coats even if it seems dry to the touch, for recoating too soon if it isn't cured inbetween coats can give you a buckle..'wrinkling effect on the finish..Here is a link to many manufacturers of "self leveling" products, however, I'm sure your local diy store has them..99% of them do..just ask for self leveling poly's or read the containers
I agree with the other posters about the waterborne polyurethane.
One award-winning product that's often recommended is General Finishes High Performance -
http://www.generalfinishes.com
Plus, on their waterbased finishing page, they give tips and step-by-step instructions. Also, they have a video. It was done a few years ago, so they now have different products than the ones that are highlighted in the video; however, the steps for finishing remain the same.
http://www.generalfinishes.com/tips/wate...
First you should have an "Orbital Sander" it is for finishing furniture. For ripping existing finish I use a belt sander.
If I have to rip I use an 80 Grit sandpaper. Once I get to the bare wood I do the following:
1. I sand with 100 grit sandpaper to get my surface even, if i have to plane it first I plane by hand ."Better Control." If there are holes or gouges that need to be filled in I use wood filler and allow this to totally dry(24 hours) before I even begin to sand.
2. Once the surface is even I move on to a 150 Grit sandpaper.
3. I wet the surface with water and wait a little bit before I apply my stain. The water helps the stain to really penetrate the wood.
Once this stage is complete I sand with a 220 Grit paper and use a #0000 Steel Wool on the surface to "knock down any raised fibers."
Finally, after all of this is done if a second coating is needed with the stain I just apply the stain, and repeat iwth the steel wool.
Now I apply my actual finish, you can go two ways.
1. Polyeurathane is nice hard and glossy finish.
2. Polycrylic also gives a nice solid glossy finish you will need more coats to get there but it dries a lot faster and it is a water based ( environment friendly) * this is my favorite.
Generally speaking, you are sanding off the old, then want ot get it level with the next grade paper. Then want to clean up whatever is left behind.
Once you start with the 220 you can stain before or after, and this is only to smooth out the surface not to sand off the stain and you use the steel wool to deal with raised fibers caused by the stain & water.
You should sand between coats but not heavily like this - make it a light sanding in one direction wth the grain only. I never sand before applying my final coat. I can tell if I need another coat after my current coat is dried so I know now if I'll be sanding or not. If it really needs to be sanded then I know I will apply two more coats The Final one with no sanding.
For polyeurathane three coats is the normal.
For the water based I go four coats but often will do a fifth - it makes for a much better end product ( thicker finish).
floor.refinisher is right. laquer does the job, just the way he says!
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