# determining an existing clear coat



## sayn3ver (Jan 9, 2010)

Looked at a bar the other day in a customer's finished basement. There is a section on the top she claims was fogged by a piping hot pizza box.

The bar was built by a contractor they had hired a few years ago. Customer cannot find a receipt, remember the name of the contractor, and gave me the old side eye when I asked if she happened to know what type of finish they applied. 

She said it wasn't sprayed on site. It looks sprayed so I'm going to assume the gentleman finished the skins off site. 

It looks to have a decent mil thickness. And it's gloss. 

I want to say it's an epoxy or conversion varnish.

Assuming I can't buff out the fogging my assumption is the top needs to be sanded down to bare or however deep the fogging goes and recoat. 

Is there a way to determine what the existing finish is?


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

Try a lacquer thinner rub on the haze, it might just come out.


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## sayn3ver (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks. I'll give that a go if I get back to that site this upcoming week.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

I vote the lacquer rub test first as well. 

Chances are if it looks and feels like it's laminated, it's probably an epoxy bar top finish. If it looks sprayed however, I'd guess maybe a conversion varnish of some kind. If the contractor was really stupid maybe they just sprayed regular lacquer on the bar top, which would be an easy fix for you. 

If it is an epoxy and it's hazed, the only way to get it out is to sand the whole piece back down/take epoxy off. Most epoxy isn't sprayed, so if you say it's a sprayed finish then this probably is off the list. Epoxy is a poured on finish typically, very thick (equivalent to 50 coats of varnish), and feels like the piece is plastic/laminated. 

Good luck and let us know what comes of it.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

You may try rubbing with Methyl hydrate first to make sure it's not an acrylic. You can brush alot of that stuff on pretty thick and as most of it is self leveling it's hard to tell whether it was sprayed or brushed sometimes.. 
I wouldn't think that an epoxy would be harmed by a hot pizza box. Never know I guess..


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