# Lacquer over oil based stain



## steveinaz (Mar 9, 2015)

I've just started experimenting with lacquers. I stripped a chair bare, stained with an oil based stain and started to put clear satin pre catalyzed lacquer on it. I got some sagging, so I stopped, cleaned up just the sagged parts with thinner, naturally, some stain came off, I put on a little more stain to even it out. I was looking for a weathered/distressed look so the unevenness didn't bother me. Then I started reading a number of things online and in books that said oil stain and lacquer don't mix, especially the way I did it. Problems will occur, the lacquer will lift and curdle the oil stain. If this is going to happen, when? The first coat of stain dried for 24 hours (I live in AZ where its very dry, no humidity). I plan on letting my retouch dry at least that long. Have I offended the gods? I'm doing this for a friend (selling my labor cheap in return for material costs and experience). If it's going to crack and bleed and heavens knows what when he gets it home I'd rather stop now before I make it harder to re-strip. Comments please.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

Lacquer over oil works fine, you just have to wait for the oil to cure. I live in Tucson, and always let the oil cure at least a week or two. A month is even better.

It depends too, on the oil. A pure tung oil will take longer than a modified oil with hardeners. You gotta play it by ear.


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## HTown (Feb 25, 2015)

For years I've used lacquer over minwax oil based stain and never had a problem.


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

Oil stain and solvent precat lac work just fine. In Az 24 hrs dry time should be enough ( days for danish oil type stuff tho) The touch up area may give you problems. If the stain is laying on top of the 1st coat of lacquer even at an edge, as the 2nd coat is sprayed and dissolves the 1st coat (burn in) the oil and lacquer arent going to play well. Make a test piece and see how it goes, you may be fine.


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