Bought the wrong stuff, Lacquer insted of Poly. Any one use Lacquer?

I used lacquer many times it lends it self to spraying better than brushing because it drys so fast usually you need a reducer to be able to brush it well . but you can re-coat and sand in between coats and even us it as a toner with a little color thrown in.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I have used laquer for years and it’s a good finish..I have used 2 different kinds..1 is a bartop laquer which in my opinion is a little tougher and a little more water resilient..and the other is a production laquer which has a more amber tint to it and is not quite as durable.. I cut them 2 to 1 with thinner and like a1Jim says use a retarder to slow drying time and allow the finish to lay down clean.. be very careful though for on various pourous woods such as red oak.. it will tend to blister if your not careful and it dries too fast..I usually spray 2 or 3 coats of sanding sealer first, knocking them down between each coat before actually spraying the laquer..it has worked well for me and I usually get a glass smooth finish..remember..it’s also extremely flammable so use pleanty of ventilation and a respirator too

-- Randall Child

This stuff has “Brushing Lacquer” on the front label, I don’t do much spraying, cleanup time vs a brush is so much longer.

-- Life is to short to own an ugly boat.

I use it all the time, more durable than poly and easier to repair.

Brushing lacquer is great stuff, but it handles a lot different than oil varnish (poly). Just carefully flow it on and let it dry. Don’t overbrush or “tip off”. Each coat will melt into the other, which gives lacquer it’s superior repairability. The very fast drying time keeps lacquer far more dust free than varnish. It’s helpful to dedicate some brushes to lacquer. If they get stiff, simply dunk them in lacquer thinner and they’ll soften right up.

HEED THE WARNINGS on the label about open flame, pilot lights, and ventillation. Solvent based lacquer is far more flammable than oil based paints and varnishes, and has very strong odors. The good news is that the stink and solvents flash off quickly.

I respectfully disagree with the comment about lacquer being more durable than poly. While lacquer is harder when dry than polyurethane varnish, which makes it fantastically wonderful to rub out and adjust sheen, poly is far more resistant to moisture, heat, like pots and pans, and solvents.

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