waterlox finish problems, help

[Brian Runau]

I used waterlox satin finish, original, on a piece. It sat for over two weeks before I placed anything on the surface. When I did place a ceramic candle holder with a felt bottom left a ring on the surface where it made contact. I e-mailed chip at waterlox and he was very helpful, but did not solve my problem. He tells me it should cure 98% in seven days. So I lightly sanded with 320 and applied an additional coat of finish. It set for two more weeks and I put stuff back on the surface this morning. By tonight it had marked the surface again. It looks crinkly, uneven and rough where the felt made contact with the surface. Even where the feet on a small lamp sat made the same impression.

Could I have applied this so thick that it still has cured out at this point?

Thanks.

Brian

[John TenEyck]

Most OB finishes take at least a month to cure. How many total coats did you apply?

John

[Brian Runau]

4 or 5 with the recoat Waterlox told me 98% cured after 7 days so I waited 2 weeks.

[John TenEyck]

4 or 5 with the recoat Waterlox told me 98% cured after 7 days so I waited 2 weeks.

Hard to believe; in fact, I can't. Every OB varnish I've used may seem pretty hard in just a few days but takes at least a month to fully cure. Simple hardness tests show the difference.

Anyway, did you apply the coats with a brush or wipe them on? If you used a brush then 4 or 5 coats could take a really long time to cure. Your comment about the finish looking "crinkly" suggests it wasn't cured or, possibly, that some chemical in the felt is reacting with the finish, another sign it wasn't cured. If you wiped on the coats then the mystery gets a little deeper. What was the temperature where you did the finishing? If it was below 65 - 70F it will take a lot longer for a finish to cure. If the temperature was above 65F then I would start to think the product was bad.

At this point I would put it somewhere where the temperature is 70F or higher and let it sit for another 2 weeks. Then I'd sand the top pretty severely, but not to bare wood, and apply another one or two thin coats. Let that sit a month before sitting stuff on it. Good luck.

John

[Ron Citerone]

I have used Waterlox quite a bit, no problems with curing. However, I would never put anything on a furniture top in 7 dys or even 2 weeks with any finish.

Cool temps, heavy coats not given enough time or high humidity could be suspect too.

[Brian Runau]

Hard to believe; in fact, I can't. Every OB varnish I've used may seem pretty hard in just a few days but takes at least a month to fully cure. Simple hardness tests show the difference.

Anyway, did you apply the coats with a brush or wipe them on? If you used a brush then 4 or 5 coats could take a really long time to cure. Your comment about the finish looking "crinkly" suggests it wasn't cured or, possibly, that some chemical in the felt is reacting with the finish, another sign it wasn't cured. If you wiped on the coats then the mystery gets a little deeper. What was the temperature where you did the finishing? If it was below 65 - 70F it will take a lot longer for a finish to cure. If the temperature was above 65F then I would start to think the product was bad.

At this point I would put it somewhere where the temperature is 70F or higher and let it sit for another 2 weeks. Then I'd sand the top pretty severely, but not to bare wood, and apply another one or two thin coats. Let that sit a month before sitting stuff on it. Good luck.

John


John, it was in a heated basement. waited 24 hours between coats. I did brush them on. Finish has been on for a month now, but the top got screwed up when I sat something on it after it was already upstairs in my heated home for 2 weeks. then I sanded and added a light coat and it sat upstairs in my heated home for two weeks and still disfigure yesterday. Happened to spot when felt was in contact and where I sat a small lamp- wooden base, so rule out the felt. I am working on the night stand now and when I finish them I will sand and add a light coat and wait a month a we'll see thanks. brian

[Brian Runau]

I have used Waterlox quite a bit, no problems with curing. However, I would never put anything on a furniture top in 7 dys or even 2 weeks with any finish.

Cool temps, heavy coats not given enough time or high humidity could be suspect too.


Ron, how long do you wait before sitting items on the finish? brian

[Jim Becker]

Was the finish purchased new or something you've had on the shelf and previously opened?

[Brian Runau]

Was the finish purchased new or something you've had on the shelf and previously opened?


it was new unopened until I opened it. probably had it here 3 months before I opened it. Brian

[Adam Herman]

what wood is it on? any other finish steps, stain, conditioner?

if your wood choice can take it, you could set it out in the sun for an hour or 2. this does wonders to a slow curing finish for me, esp. in the winter time. we get good sun all year though.

[John TenEyck]

John, it was in a heated basement. waited 24 hours between coats. I did brush them on. Finish has been on for a month now, but the top got screwed up when I sat something on it after it was already upstairs in my heated home for 2 weeks. then I sanded and added a light coat and it sat upstairs in my heated home for two weeks and still disfigure yesterday. Happened to spot when felt was in contact and where I sat a small lamp- wooden base, so rule out the felt. I am working on the night stand now and when I finish them I will sand and add a light coat and wait a month a we'll see thanks. brian


Sure seems like you got a can of bad product. No way a small wood base lamp should cause a problem on a finish that's cured for 2 weeks.

John

[Brian Runau]

Sure seems like you got a can of bad product. No way a small wood base lamp should cause a problem on a finish that's cured for 2 weeks.

John

stumped me, I can't explain it. brian

[Brian Runau]

This is what Chip at Waterlox had to say. He know his stuff. It was under the lamp and candle holder, both had felt under them, and it cleared up already. I plan to replace the felt with cork. thanks brian

Most likely something leached out of the felt, and it will leach back out again.


Is it a new felt pad? An old one probably won’t have a problem. Dark pads (black or dark brown), also tend to mark less on varnished surfaces as the white or creme pads leave a white residue.

Wiping with vinegar and water or wiping with mineral spirits may speed that process up. If you see an improvement, then repeat until it comes back out. Most likely the finish will recover on its own if you decide to do nothing, especially since it will not show up in a photo.


As the finish gets older it will be less active but there are plasticizers leeching out of the felt pad.

[Ron Citerone]

Ron, how long do you wait before sitting items on the finish? brian

Brian, I don't have any set time, but I would give it 30 days as somewhere I read that is when Waterlox finish reaches full cure. ( Waterox sight I believe) Usually, when I make a piece of furniture I make the top after I make the case so that I can finish it and let the finish cure while I do drawers and doors etc.

[Brian Runau]

Brian, I don't have any set time, but I would give it 30 days as somewhere I read that is when Waterlox finish reaches full cure. ( Waterox sight I believe) Usually, when I make a piece of furniture I make the top after I make the case so that I can finish it and let the finish cure while I do drawers and doors etc.

Great idea, thanks brian

[John TenEyck]

I've had problems with plasticizers damaging finishes, too. Never thought that would happen with felt though. I always thought Waterlox was nearly bullet proof.

John

[Alan Lightstone]

I've had problems with plasticizers damaging finishes, too. Never thought that would happen with felt though. I always thought Waterlox was nearly bullet proof.

John

I've had this exact thing happen on a Waterlox entertainment center that had cured over 30 days. I also thought it was the plasticizer. And it seemed to ruin even what should have been a fully cured finish.

[Prashun Patel]

I've come to believe manufacturer's recommendations for cure times are aggressive. The issue is more exaggerated as the coats get thicker and or the number of coats goes higher. I have a waterlox countertop that gets all manners of spills and things sitting on it with many kinds of 'feet'. It's 12 years old and rock solid. I have a Waterlox shower bench that gets water and soap doused on it daily. It's 6 years old and rock solid.

If you can treat it a little gingerly for a few months, I suspect you'll find all the durability claims to be more accurate.

[John TenEyck]

I completely agree, Prashun. It takes months for OB varnishes to completely cure and develop maximum durability. WB coatings are better, but still take a lot longer than manufacturers claim, as we saw with the testing I did on EM-8000CV. Not very good after 10 days, but darned near bulletproof after a couple of months.

John

[Alan Lightstone]

Does waterlox become imperviable to plasticizers after fully cured (lets say months)? I love the finish's look and ease of application, but I've been burned a few times when objects (coasters, TV feet, etc.) have been put on tables I built and finished with it.

[Prashun Patel]

LMK what to test it with and I will. I've had mouse pads, plants, hot mugs, and computers on it for years.

[Alan Lightstone]

LMK what to test it with and I will. I've had mouse pads, plants, hot mugs, and computers on it for years.

This was with the feet on a computer monitor. Coasters too.