Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Help !!! Amber Finish over Pwater based polyureathane

  1. #1

    Help !!! Amber Finish over Pwater based polyureathane

    So first I am not a novice nor an expert. I have some knowledge of finishing but have never worked with either of these products. I am hoping you experts out there will have a solution.

    I have the cabinets in my camper that are clear coated with a water based poly. ( Bought it this way ) I want to tone them to Amber such as in a vintage trailer. I have often used Zinzeer
    amber shellac thinned but not sure at all it will be the best choice for this project. I don't know a lot about Dewaxed Shellac or possibly a tinted gel top coat. Maybe general finishes with an amber transtint.

    I really truly don't know which way to go. My main concern is adhesion over the water based poly. Maybe it should't be but I have never top coated over that.

    Any and all info would be GREATLY appreciated.

    I have No ego so bring it on !!!!

    Palmer

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    Shellac sticks to pretty much "anything", so adhesion will not be an issue over the waterborne, although you should obviously clean things thoroughly before any finishing process. That's why so many of us actually use de-waxed shellac as a barrier coat between dissimilar finishes. If you use de-waxed shellac (which you can tint "more amber" if you choose by adding a little alcohol soluble dye) you can then re-top coat with another waterborne product if you want to.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    If you can spray then you can do a pro job of shifting the color to anything you want by putting Transtint dye in Sealcoat shellac. Once you have the color you want then spray another coat or two of WB poly. If you can't spray it's a lot harder to do by any hand applied process unless the pieces are pretty small. Cabinets aren't typically small, so I would look for another approach if you can't spray. For a hand applied process I would look at using a gel stain to get the color you want and then topcoating that with more WB poly. After you clean the cabinets you could spray them with a coat of rattle can shellac to assure good adhesion of what follows. Or just sanding them with 325 or 400 grit may be sufficient.

    Do some tests on the inside of a door, etc. to figure out what works.

    John

  4. #4
    Thank you for the great info...I sure do wish I could spray but not in the cards yet.

    Palmer

  5. #5
    If you are comfortable applying thinned shellac by brush or pad, then I would use Zinsser Sealcoat (which is a dewaxed, thinner version of the Bullseye you've been using). It's not quite as amber as the amber you use.

    You can then topcoat with an oilbased wiping varnish like Minwax wipe on poly or Arm R Seal or Waterlox Original Sealer Finish (Original Formula).

    These two will probably give you the amber color you are used to. However, if you need more cowbell, Transtint makes a color called "Amber Additive". You can add this to your Sealcoat. You can buy this in 2oz concentrate bottles. You will only need a couple drops per quart (YMMV).

    If you don't wish to apply the Sealcoat first, and if the finish is sufficiently old and in stable condition, you may be able to just sand it and wipe the poly on top.

    In fact, now that I think about it, Zinsser makes spray cans of Blonde shellac which are already dewaxed. This may be slightly more expensive than using the brushable version, but you will only need 1 thin coat on each side in order to create a reliable surface for the Wipe on poly (or whatever wipe on oilbased varnish) to adhere to.
    Last edited by Prashun Patel; 10-11-2017 at 9:00 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •