High-Gloss Finish Recommendations?

[Brian Leavitt]

Good morning,
I know this is a rookie question, but I haven't much experience with wood finishing so I'm just biting the bullet and asking for advice. I'm wondering what you all recommend for a finish on my project. I'm looking for a clear, high gloss finish for an arcade cabinet I'm building. It shouldn't really see much abuse since the part that hands will be hitting and sliding across will be covered with a laminated graphic. Essentially, what's in the photo below is what needs to be finished. The outside of the cabinet is Maple ply. I liked the look of the individual layers on the edges for this so I left them naked.

My first thought was just to get some spray polyurethane from Lowe's and use many coats, sanding in between, which is what I've done in the past on an aquarium stand/cabinet. But I figured, since I'm a member of this board it'd be best to get some advice from the experts before diving in to this stage. This piece will be touched a lot more than the last one. I don't have a spray gun so I need to use something in a spray can, or a brush-on finish if necessary. I just want it to look nice and last a good long time in my living room with my kids playing with it.

Any advice you all can offer would be most appreciated.

[Stan Calow]

Just a comment on using spray can poly. I use this for small projects, but you'd need a whole case of cans for multiple coats on a project this size. They are not cheap. I'd stick with brush-on.

[George Bokros]

GF ArmR Seal wipe on in gloss. Five or six coats should do it.

[Brian Leavitt]

Thank you for the input, Stan and George. I wanted a spray-on product for ease, but I see what you're saying about value of that. I don't mind a brush-on product. I want it to be good more than I want it to be easy.

I'm looking into the Arm-R-Seal product. How far would you say a quart would go? This game cabinet measures roughly 28"x28"x72". I'm wondering is one will be enough, or if I should get two.

Thanks,
B

[George Bokros]

I'm looking into the Arm-R-Seal product. How far would you say a quart would go? This game cabinet measures roughly 28"x28"x72". I'm wondering is one will be enough, or if I should get two.

Thanks,
B

According to GF a gallon will cover 400 sq ft. See link to tech info

https://generalfinishes.com/sites/default/files/file_downloads/Tech-Data-GF-Arm-R-Seal-050311.pdf

Good thing about ArmrSeal is it will not run on vertical surfaces.

[John TenEyck]

If you want to spray then GF's Enduro Clear Poly would be a very good choice. Clear as water and the gloss is super glossy. Sprays like a dream and is very durable.

John

[Brian Leavitt]

I went ahead and ordered the Arm-R-Seal in Gloss. I looked at the Enduro, but it looks like it doesn't come in aerosol cans, which would be the only way I could spray it on. Not running on vertical surfaces is going to be very important on this one! Looking forward to finishing this sucker up.

Thanks again for all the input, fellas.

[Prashun Patel]

"Not running on vertical surfaces is going to be very important on this one!"

Your Arm R Seal is not going to be sprayed. I agree though that it's a good choice for this. Wipe your coats on thin; don't 'paint' it on with a rag, and you'll do fine without drips.

[Brian Leavitt]

I've been reading on it a bit and I'm seeing a lot of people using disposable blue shop towels to wipe it on. I have never applied a varnish this way (wiping). I doubt I've ever done it in any way other than spraying with an aerosol can, so this will be a new experience.

Is this still the preferred method for a larger surface area?