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Thread: cheesecloth vs foam brush on arm r seal

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    84

    cheesecloth vs foam brush on arm r seal

    Morning!

    this is my first go with arm r seal. semi gloss oil. the first two coats I used cheesecloth to apply.
    looks only ok, theres some streaks that I can see in a raking light. hoping they will come out with 800 paper.
    as a test , u tried a foam brush on some drawer bottoms instead of the cheesecloth. it looks better, however,
    im worried that it looks thick? would more experienced finishers please give their opinions on the best way to work
    this finish?

    regards
    eric

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Posts
    1,359
    No finishing expert here....but I have found that you have to use a VERY light touch on the LAST stroke when wiping on Arm-A Seal to try and avoid streaks.

    Jim

  3. #3
    Thin it 5-10 percent with mineral spirits and try wiping it again. Go quick and don’t work the surface too much.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    3,222
    I just use T-shirt material. I would think cheesecloth is too textured. I’ve posted this link before, but essentially follow this method:

    https://youtu.be/iPtoPBMbAP8

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    I normally wipe it on with a folded paper shop towel. Most cloth materials have too much fuzz in them, which always ends up in the finish. Cheesecloth? I agree with the comment that it's too coarse. The key to wiping it on is to use enough that it will flow out to eliminate any streaks and not to go back over it. It's a lot like applying shellac.

    I have applied ARS with a foam brush, too, and I usually use that approach now for the first few coats on large surfaces, anything more than about 2 x 4 ft. I thin it about 25% with mineral spirits so that it will flow on and out in a thin coat. You might consider doing that, too, if it's coming out too thick.

    John

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Bucks County, PA
    Posts
    198
    I apply Arm-R-Seal and Waterlox with cheesecloth all the time without issues. I work in my basement where it’s cooler, not sure if that makes a difference or not. I prefer multiple thin coats rather than a few heavy coats.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Cincinnati, OH
    Posts
    924
    There was a recent discussion on this forum about using 4x4 gauze squares for finish application but maybe not with Arm-R-Seal. My personal experience is that gauze also leaves some fibers on the finished surfaces. Some suggested wrapping them inside a cloth like the pads used for French polish.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

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