Polyureathane Resins

[Jack Clark]

To achieve better final results, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about waterbased finishes. My experiece is pretty minimal, but I do have some decent tools now for HVLP spraying. Slowly I'm catching on to how to use the Walcom Slim gravity gun from Jeff at Homestead. Also, what appears to be much more important than I ever imagined, I'm learning how to thin the finish to an optimum viscosity for the nozzel size. Lots of notes, lots of test pieces. Progress is slow, but I think satisfaction is just around the next corner... And the good news is my wife is very patient.

In the thread on MinWax PolyCrylic started by Cliff Rohrabacher, Jim Becker states: "And it contains polyurethane resins which I normally avoid..."

Jim, when it comes to these waterborne polyurethane resins, what are you dislikes (and maybe your likes too)?

Thanks, and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all on Sawmill Creek.

[Jim Becker]

My choice has nothing to do with "water borne"...it has to do with poly. I don't like it. It often has less clarity; it's abrasion resistance and subsequent "softer" properties make it much harder to buff/rub/"finish the finish" and frankly, it's not necessary on 95% of what people put it on. But it's the market leader...because of marketing and shelf space. It's very hard to buy a non-polyurethane varnish (oil or waterborne) on a retail shelf unless you go to a specialty store or buy online.

I'll use poly on floors...it's appropriate. I might use it on my kitchen table again, but frankly, it hasn't held up as well as the Target USL I have on my cabinets. I need to refinish that table top in the spring and will make a decision on what will go back on it at that point. But I don't generally want to use poly anymore. Personal preference.

There are so many wonderful finishes available. I've come to love shellac. And you know what...it's a great finish for a large majority of things that people make. Easy to apply. Easy to clean up. Easy to fix. Hard surface that rubs out wonderfully. Super clarity. Is it the best top coat for a heavily used table? Probably not. But for so many other things, it's a great finish. When I need more "durability" (interesting term...), I use the waterborne acrylics such as Target's products. I also like wipe-on non-poly varnish products, such as Waterlox, Watco, etc., for turnings as they apply easily and buff out wonderfully. And my favorite is just oil and wax for decorative items. (Although I'll state right here that the cherry desk I made for Dr. SWIMBO over 7 years ago has only an oil and wax finish and it still looks nearly new with only two subsequent wax applications; one when we moved and the second when we re-arranged the house before bringing our girls home)

Oh, and don't take my comments about the Minwax product that Cliff asked about in the wrong way. It's not too bad of a product; easy to use, easy to clean up and readily accessable because it's on the shelf of all the 'borg stores. Brushes on fine. Sprays well. I don't think it looks as good as other non-poly acrylics (pretty much all water borne products are acrylic based), but I'd use it in a pinch if I had to.

The best advise I can give is to try a bunch of finishes. Find what you like, both from an application standpoint and from a qualities perspective. The finish is what culminates your project, so find the right one. And it may be different than from the previous project.

[Jack Clark]

Jim,

Wow, cool, appreciate your experience and candor. Sounds like you're a proponent of the KISS formula.

Do you have a preference for a particular, sprayable, pigmented topcoat, often called paint?