# duralaq waterborn cabinets



## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)

I have been experimenting with Sherwin's new waterborne lacquer and I am pretty impressed really , 
I have a small 12 door cabinet job coming up and I was going to use it but my store can only get 20 sheen and she wants 30, so I jumped the gun and ordered 30 sheen lenmar duralaq from the BM store. But I can't fine a lot of information on using it for cabinets. If it's similar at all to the Sherwin Waterborn lacquer I would be happy . My rep told me the Sherwin waterborne was self sealing and in my tests it worked well without a primer or undercoat .

Is a separate undercoat/primer recommended for the duralaq? - I am set up to spray BIN if I have to. 

I did just try Renner for the first time this week on a mantle - and it's great. But I have the duralaq ordered already.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

I believe the Lenmar has a maximum dry film thickness of 4-5mm. I would always worry about going over an old coating as well as compatibility without a primer. I'm sure coco will give you the full deets on this. All the same, I hear its a great product.


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## Masterwork (Sep 13, 2020)

Can you post results when you're done? I've been wanting to try it as well.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

finishesbykevyn said:


> I believe the Lenmar has a maximum dry film thickness of 4-5mm. I would always worry about going over an old coating as well as compatibility without a primer. I'm sure coco will give you the full deets on this. All the same, I hear its a great product.


I don't stock duralaq for the reason you mention its really designed for new wood only and not repaint. Kem aqua and most other WB acrylic lacqures are the same with with maximum mil thickness ~4 mils DFT for the whole system. Even though it works fine it comes without any product support using them in repaints.


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## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)

finishesbykevyn said:


> I believe the Lenmar has a maximum dry film thickness of 4-5mm. I would always worry about going over an old coating as well as compatibility without a primer. I'm sure coco will give you the full deets on this. All the same, I hear its a great product.


I went with BIN as the primer but it still wasn't covering . With the film thickness at 4mm it was running too much and not covering on the edges.


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## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)

Masterwork said:


> Can you post results when you're done? I've been wanting to try it as well.


We decided to BIN the cabinet doors first .
OK - sprayed the backs of the cabinets and it was very thin and not hanging on the edges. I don't know what the technical term for this is , but it sagged down the sides leaving the edges light/Bare. The guy I am working with on these did not want to continue with the duralaq .Mainly because we could both see that spraying the cabinet frames in place was going to be very difficult , multiple very light coats, and it was thin enough spraying it horizontal . I think we could have made the duralaq work , but what we ended up doing definitely worked better. We considered our options and decided to go back to Sherwin's waterborne lacquer . Honestly, I was trying to find something I could use that was stocked locally but next time I will either order Renner , or go with this Sherwin WB lacquer . This client wanted semi gloss which is the only reason I tried the Duralaq in the first place , because Sherwin can only get the WB lacquer in 20 sheen . And thats what she is going to get . I have had multiple clients request semi gloss because they say " it cleans up better , or more durable , " or whatever . Anyway , 20 sheen is what she gets , and if she doesn't like it maybe I will spray







some of the duralaq clear 30 over it . But I can about 99% guarantee that she is going to be thrilled with these doors.

I've sprayed Renner a couple times , and I think I will use it in the future on cabinets, just because I know its the bomb proof option. But this Sherwin WB lacquer is not bad at all . It's thicker than the duralaq , covers better , sands smooth as **** , and I can go down to sherwin and get it whenever I want for $40 a gallon . The cabinet guy who's spray room I borrowed for this job told us not to tell anyone else about it -I don't know if he is worried about supply or not giving his competition and edge , but , whatever , its a $40 can of sherwin . I do see the line down the middle of that one door , but these are repaints and I did what I could . I already spent 2 days filling in knots.


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## Masterwork (Sep 13, 2020)

Good info. Thanks for the update. 

I don't know if the Duralaq is worth trying if it's going to take too many coats.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

What were using 


DittonWilson said:


> We decided to BIN the cabinet doors first .
> OK - sprayed the backs of the cabinets and it was very thin and not hanging on the edges. I don't know what the technical term for this is , but it sagged down the sides leaving the edges light/Bare. The guy I am working with on these did not want to continue with the duralaq .Mainly because we could both see that spraying the cabinet frames in place was going to be very difficult , multiple very light coats, and it was thin enough spraying it horizontal . I think we could have made the duralaq work , but what we ended up doing definitely worked better. We considered our options and decided to go back to Sherwin's waterborne lacquer . Honestly, I was trying to find something I could use that was stocked locally but next time I will either order Renner , or go with this Sherwin WB lacquer . This client wanted semi gloss which is the only reason I tried the Duralaq in the first place , because Sherwin can only get the WB lacquer in 20 sheen . And thats what she is going to get . I have had multiple clients request semi gloss because they say " it cleans up better , or more durable , " or whatever . Anyway , 20 sheen is what she gets , and if she doesn't like it maybe I will spray
> View attachment 112137
> some of the duralaq clear 30 over it . But I can about 99% guarantee that she is going to be thrilled with these doors.
> ...


We're you using airless or hvlp? I could see airless being a bit tricky or aggressive. Does the SW lacquer have a max film thickness?


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## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)

View attachment 112136



finishesbykevyn said:


> What were using
> 
> We're you using airless or hvlp? I could see airless being a bit tricky or aggressive. Does the SW lacquer have a max film thickness?


Airless - , I don't know about the max film thickness. I know its around 6mm per coat. But what you said about the duralaq was" ~4 mils DFT for the whole system" - which I am taking as the whole system with the undercoat and 2 coats? thats pretty thin. 
What does DFT mean?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

DittonWilson said:


> View attachment 112136
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Basically all lacquer systems waterborne or otherwise will be specified maximum dry film thickness (DFT) 4-5mils for the whole system, this includes the SW water based lacquers. This is one discerning difference between lacquers and urethanes/paint grade products and thus why lacquers are undesirable for repaint.
Kem Aqua plus for example says:
_"Maximum dry film thickness of the system must not exceed 4 mils dry."_


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## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Basically all lacquer systems waterborne or otherwise will be specified maximum dry film thickness (DFT) 4-5mils for the whole system, this includes the SW water based lacquers. This is one discerning difference between lacquers and urethanes/paint grade products and thus why lacquers are undesirable for repaint.
> Kem Aqua plus for example says:
> _"Maximum dry film thickness of the system must not exceed 4 mils dry."_


What are the disadvantages of exceeding the dry mil? The spec sheet does say 4 mils dry . But I did this piano a couple months ago and I am sure that I exceeded that in some places .


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## DittonWilson (Jun 16, 2018)




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## Krittterkare (Jul 12, 2013)

Looks great! I have used the solvent based Duralaq a lot on new woodwork but only used the waterbourne once, sanding sealer and two finish coats and it can run even with being quite careful. I believe I used a 610ff spray tip but most of the runs had flattened pretty well by the next day.
I don't quite see how it could be built to 4 mils and don't believe it is a high build product. 
Good to know the SW is thicker product.


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