# SW Kem Aqua Plus or GF Enduro Poly?



## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

I have been using GF Enduro White Poly on cabinetry and was wondering if Kem Aqua Plus was similar or better than the Enduro Poly.

Which do you prefer and why?


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I don't use either one at the moment but I have used the Kem Aqua for a few jobs and liked it better than other brands I tested (Target Emtech, Polycrylic and a couple others). It was the finish I used when I had to spray a piano I had refurbished because I wasn't able to bring it to a location where I could spray precat lacquer.

I almost tried the Enduro product but I read several forum posts at Woodweb where cabinet shop owners said it didn't hold up for more than a few years in a kitchen. The Sherwin Williams Kem Aqua product is officially rated for cabinetry if I'm not mistaken. I put it on my computer desk in the shop and so far it has stayed intact where I have the mouse despite the fact that I've had my wrist in contact with it for hundreds of hours by now.

If government regulations should make precat lacquer unavailable in the future, I'll likely use Kem Aqua.


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

This was the Kem Aqua *PLUS* you are referencing? I think there is a Kem Aqua and a Kem Aqua PLUS available.

Interesting though. I'm looking forward to trying out the Kem Aqua Plus on my next project. I can certainly source the SW for considerably less than GF products.

While on the subject, what's a good SW substitute for the GF Enduro Var?


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Sorry, but I can't remember which one I used. It was one of the two and I think it was the Plus. I'd have to go ask the store employees to look up my records.

Is that GF Enduro Var you want to replace an oil-based polyurethane? If so, I don't have much experience with those poly finishes. I occasionally use Minwax polyurethane for fixtures around the shop but that's about it. The bulk of my finishing experience is with Sherwin-Williams precat lacquer since I've got a setup for spraying and the precat is really good.


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

I'm interested in starting to use non-water finishes.

I have a large garage with a box fan for ventilation. I turn the gas off to the hot water heater just to be safe when I spray BIN. I always use a P95 respirator mask. Is this sufficient?

What kind of SW pre-cat do you use? I checked out their topcoats page and was overwhelmed with the variety.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

P95 isn't good enough for vapors; IIRC those are for dust.
You want an organic vapor filter.


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## Woodendeavor (Apr 7, 2011)

I am working on changing out to a water based finish and picked up Kem Aqua plus. I found it tends to wash out the color when used as a self sealing product. They make a sealer for it that is supposed to give you that warmer color of lacquer but they only sell it in 5 gallons. I liked the way the product sprayed on leaving a great finish off the gun. A little weird seeing a finished piece turn blue as you are spraying it but all dried nice and clear. Want to try some others before I commit to buying a 5 gallons of sealer


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

Not sure what you mean when you say it washed out the color. Are you spraying it on bare wood with no primer?

The instructions for Kem Aqua Plus say to use their Surfacer as a primer.

It's available in single gallons - http://oem.sherwin-williams.com/us/eng/oem/products/sherwood_kem_aqua_plus_surfacer/


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## Woodendeavor (Apr 7, 2011)

I was using the clear finish not the colored. 
http://oem.sherwin-williams.com/us/eng/oem/products/sherwood_kem_aqua_plus_clear/?referringCategory=categories/wood/finishes_topcoats/

the sealer
http://oem.sherwin-williams.com/us/eng/oem/products/sherwood_kem_aqua_plus_waterborne_sealer/


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

Ok, gotcha.

How do these water-based sealers and primers work on bare wood? I would think there would be a lot of grain raising? Thus far, I have exclusively used BIN as a primer for paint to prevent grain raising, although I usually have to sand that down anyways…..


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## Woodendeavor (Apr 7, 2011)

The grain raising was not as bad as I thought it would be. I preraised the grain with a damp cloth and sanded back down before finish was applied and then sanded lightly with 220 between coats and had no noticeable raised grain


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## sgv (Mar 21, 2013)

I work for SW, Feel like I was reading a add for them keep up the good work  now seriously if you have specific questions send me PM I will be glad to answer them, I sell to a lot of cabinet shops in GA and NC, there are a lot of products to choose from based on what you are looking for and spray style.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I can't remember the product numbers but I'll do my best to remember to get that info and post it here. All I know about the precat I use is that I go to the store and ask for another 5 gallons of medium-rubbed precat and they do a scan on my purchase history.

I don't worry about the lack of warmth in the Kem Aqua product. I generally just pick stains that have extra yellow in them or add yellow to the stain to compensate.

If you intend to use a fan for ventilation when spraying lacquers or other flammable finishes, you'd better make sure that fan is explosion proof.


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

Explosion proof fan?

Can that really happen from a box fan?

I'm now getting worried about the alcohol BIN I have been spraying.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

Box fans aren't explosion proof. They have motors and brushes that create sparks that are seldom shielded or enclosed. Also, the moving components of the fan itself are generally not made from non-sparking materials. It's likely that people can get away with using one 999 times out of 1,000 but I'm not willing to take that chance myself. They are fine for non-flammable spraying and I've used one while applying Kem Aqua to the piano in my garage.

The explosion proof fans I've seen (and use) are belt driven and powered by a totally enclosed motor that is outside the airflow. They are also expensive.


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## JAAune (Jan 22, 2012)

I called the store and got the old order information. Kem-Aqua Plus was the product I used.

The precat that is the primary finish we're using in the shop is product number TT77 F37. We get the lacquer and the catalyst separately and mix it one gallon at a time as needed.


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## noone (Mar 6, 2012)

Thanks JA.

I'm looking forward to trying the Kem Aqu Plus Surfacer and White lacquer combo.

Maybe I'll explore the precat if the Kem Aqua Plus doesn't pan out.


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