Making a lacquer finish more water proof?

[John Kee]

Wayne what brand of 2K are you using in Taz and typically what projects do you use it on. The price/gallon would also be good for comparison. When talking to my Sherwin Williams tech rep he says the product for wood is going to operations producing tabletops. One of the issues is from them its only available in 5 gallon pails.

[Wayne Lomman]

John, I am using Valspar Poly-U-750 Clear. It is from their heavy duty industrial range. I am surprised that you can only purchase in 20 litres. I can buy all my urethanes in 5 litres or 20 litres. I'm currently paying $AU25 per litre for product that is around 60% solids. I don't know if that is a common brand where you are. Ameron do a comparable product in similar packaging. I mostly use it for wet area finishing and bench tops. For coloured work I am using International's Interthane 990. It is similarly priced. I am going to change to a new urethane from International when it is released shortly. It is Interthane something, I justcant remember the code. Cheers

[Patrick Chase]

I inquired with the customer about the use of any / possible contact with harsh chemicals like bleach or acetone, but they assured me that nothing like this ever touched the cabinet.

Hmm, given that this is a bathroom drawer I wouldn't want to put myself in the position of telling a customer that they shouldn't use chemicals like that (or admitting that a bathroom finish that I had applied might fail if they did). A bathroom cabinet that can't withstand that stuff simply isn't functionally suitable to its task. People do apply and remove nail polish in their bathrooms, and bathrooms sometimes require cleaning with bleach as a matter of sanitation.

[John Kee]

Unfortunately Patrick customers have to be educated on how to take care of any high quality wood product in their home and the consequence of improper cleaning methods. This education begins when you are contacted to make a piece and continues when the type finish is discussed and after its delivered/installed. 2K poly can't cover all the scenario's customers can come up with. Just like customers have to told about proper humidity levels in the home to prevent warping and buckling of solid hardwood floors and how to clean/maintain the many diverse finishes used today. People are generally dumb as shite when it comes to this.