Behlen's Rockhard Varnish Question?

[M Smith]

Hi Folks,

Quick question -- should be easy. I have a table I'm refinishing. It's going into the kitchen so I'd like to put a nice, hard finish on it (to protect the poor thing from the kids). I've used Behlen's Rockhard Tabletop varnish in the past, and like it. I think it's a good finish for this application.

I had a can that I haven't opened for like six months or so. I got the table ready to finish and started applying the Behlen's, but I noticed it didn't go on smooth or even. I'm wondering if the stuff gets old and whether I should buy a new can, or something else. I'm using a good stiff natural hair brush for the application. I didn't have any problems with my past uses, so I'm a little perplexed why it isn't going on nicely. Could user a little help from the gathered expertise here :).

Thanks

[John Lucas]

Yes, it could be the aging, but I think you would notice it first in a slow drying time. Is it drying OK? If so, strain it and use it. If it is staying tacky too long, use some solvent and wipe it off. Get new and start again. My gut feeling is that with all the time one puts into the building, it doesnt make sense to go cheap with the finishing. This means that I heave a lot of stuff that may have worked...but...

[M Smith]

Yes, it could be the aging, but I think you would notice it first in a slow drying time. Is it drying OK? If so, strain it and use it. If it is staying tacky too long, use some solvent and wipe it off. Get new and start again. My gut feeling is that with all the time one puts into the building, it doesnt make sense to go cheap with the finishing. This means that I heave a lot of stuff that may have worked...but...

I'll watch it and see how long it takes to dry. Honestly, it looks like it's beading -- similar to a water product applied over an oil product. Other than surface prep the top, should I have put down a coat of shellac? If

[Steve Schoene]

If it looks like it's beading, don't wait to see how long it takes to dry. Remove it while you can still do it with paint thinner. Check on how it is drying on some scrap.

If you used stripper on the old finish, you may have wax left on the surface that needed to be thoroughly removed. I'd first use plenty of thinner or better, naptha to be sure that there isn't anything left on the surface. You can't sand that stuff off.

A barrier coat of shellac won't hurt a thing here, I'd recommend it.

[M Smith]

If it looks like it's beading, don't wait to see how long it takes to dry. Remove it while you can still do it with paint thinner. Check on how it is drying on some scrap.

If you used stripper on the old finish, you may have wax left on the surface that needed to be thoroughly removed. I'd first use plenty of thinner or better, naptha to be sure that there isn't anything left on the surface. You can't sand that stuff off.

A barrier coat of shellac won't hurt a thing here, I'd recommend it.
Thanks for the help and advice. I've got the Behlen's pretty much removed before it totally dried. I'll try again after I'm sure I've got the surface prepped and cleaned well, but not before I make sure the Behlen's is still good on a piece of scrap.