# Help Getting a Better Finish Spraying Clear Lacquer



## Dailey Woodworks

I do mostly custom work. Built-ins, Murphy Beds, Tables and Indoor Dog Kennels. I''ve been trying to adapt to spraying lacquer on my projects mainly because of the speed of drying. Closing shop for a day waiting on poly to dry was killing productivity. 

Most of what I do is "rustic" so I use stainedSouthern Yellow Pine. I sand up to 220 grit, stain with color of choice, allow to dry about 24-48hrs, then clear coat with Sherwood Pro Hi-Bild Lacquer, Satin, T70-FT7. I get a rough finish for the first two coats, buff with those scotch 000 pads and do 2 more to get an ok smooth finish. How do I get it looking and feeling smooth as silk like I've seen other guys use? 

Set up 
Sprayer: Kobalt Siphon Feed Cup Sprayer 
Air Comp: 10 Gallon set to 50PSI, It keeps up and I fine tune the airflow at the tool.
Hose: 1/4 100' hose with Kobalt inline filter
Material: 75% Sherwood 25% Lacquer thinner

I find I'm working in a fog, and I have to buff the hell out of it to get is clear and smooth. 

When I'm painting my projects (I used DuraPoxy by KM) I use my Titan 440 with a 1.25gallon hopper and 310 fine finish tip and get amazing results. But for a tabletop it seems overkill to run the big sprayer, and I'm worried about switching between latex and lacquer based products. Should I use the Titan instead? 

I haven't been impressed with the handheld airless sprayers I've tried (although they would be perfect). What about a gravity feed, air compressor powered, HVLP? 

You can see my work at DaileyWoodworks.com


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## RH

I don't spray lacquer. Just too many potential negative issues with it IMO. 

I do use a lot of Emtech's 8000 product which is a Pre-Catalysed Waterborne Conversion Varnish. I use a Fuji HVLP with a gravity cup gun and have excellent results.


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## Jmayspaint

Just a guess but if your “spraying in a fog” as you say then the problem could be overspray contamination. If your spraying in an area where dried overspray is floating around in the air, it’s going to settled on your fresh work. 

I had that problem a few times when I didn’t have good ventilation in the spray area. 

Are you spraying several door at a time laid out side by side? When I used to do that I would have that problem sometimes. Now I spray one door at a time in front of the exhaust fan then move it to the drying rack in semi-separate area. 

Lacquer is great for some things, but it can be finicky. Especially when it comes to airborne contamination. 


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## Dailey Woodworks

Jmayspaint said:


> Just a guess but if your “spraying in a fog” as you say then the problem could be overspray contamination. If your spraying in an area where dried overspray is floating around in the air, it’s going to settled on your fresh work.
> 
> I had that problem a few times when I didn’t have good ventilation in the spray area.
> 
> *Are you spraying several door at a time laid out side by side?* When I used to do that I would have that problem sometimes. Now I spray one door at a time in front of the exhaust fan then move it to the drying rack in semi-separate area.
> 
> Lacquer is great for some things, but it can be finicky. Especially when it comes to airborne contamination.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes, I have everything laid out side by side. I prefer to spray outdoors but the weather has sucked and been unpredictable for the last few weeks. I do get better results outside, but still a lot of orange peel.


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## Jmayspaint

Could have to do with your thinning ratio also. The PDS for the Sherwood high build allows for thinning as needed up to %5. A %25 thin is quite excessive. Could be the extra thinner is flashing off so fast, the product isn’t leveling right. 

Have you tried the SW pre-cat lacquer? It’s better than the old nitro lacquer like your using in my opinion. 


https://www.paintdocs.com/docs/webP...0000000000000000000000000005a909f260071a4f084



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## MikeCalifornia

Whatever you are using, you might need to turn down your psi, seems very high. With these fast dry finishes, you need to spray a very wet coat. The mils are extremely small 4mil, dry to 1mil. Once dry, sand as normal, then more coats till you are happy with it. The problem though with lacquer is your wood needs to be extremely smooth to start, if its rough then you will need to build too many coats for a smooth finish which is bad for lacquer and clears. My other advice would be to talk to SW and have them turn you on to a higher solids product that may fill pine faster then what you are using.


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## ThreeSistersPainting

I have been using Rudd NuWave Water-Base Lacquer and runnning it through the SprayIt LVLP gravity gun 1.3mm tip. No thinning required.

Everyone is going to have their personal favorite that is there go to. I would try to branch off and look into other products that better suit your needs.


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## Woodco

My 2 cents: Use a high build sanding sealer for your first coat. I would ditch the 000 pads and sand with 320 paper instead. Sand your first coat really good. The sand sealer is super soft, and sands very easily. Then do two double-wet coats of your finish, and barely even touch it with sandpaper in between your two topcoats. I've personally found that airless sprays lacquer way better than HVLP. I use a 411 tip, and double up quick passes, and I get a damn good finish every time.

Also, any light roughness or "sugaring" on your top coat from overspray can be remedied with simple notebook or masking paper. Fold in and gently polish the area with the paper. It acts like ultra fine sandpaper, but only hits the tiny little spots sticking up.

If you use an HVLP, turn your air down, like they said above. Air makes it dry too quick.

I've always thinned my lacquer just about 10% Any more than that could ruin your batch. They also make a product called 'smoothee' that is a lacquer additive than helps prevent fisheyes, and makes the surface a little better. Its like 25 drops per gallon or something.


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## Dailey Woodworks

Woodco said:


> My 2 cents: Use a high build sanding sealer for your first coat. I would ditch the 000 pads and sand with 320 paper instead. Sand your first coat really good. The sand sealer is super soft, and sands very easily. Then do two double-wet coats of your finish, and barely even touch it with sandpaper in between your two topcoats. I've personally found that airless sprays lacquer way better than HVLP. I use a 411 tip, and double up quick passes, and I get a damn good finish every time.
> 
> Also, any light roughness or "sugaring" on your top coat from overspray can be remedied with simple notebook or masking paper. Fold in and gently polish the area with the paper. It acts like ultra fine sandpaper, but only hits the tiny little spots sticking up.
> 
> If you use an HVLP, turn your air down, like they said above. Air makes it dry too quick.
> 
> I've always thinned my lacquer just about 10% Any more than that could ruin your batch. They also make a product called 'smoothee' that is a lacquer additive than helps prevent fisheyes, and makes the surface a little better. Its like 25 drops per gallon or something.


Thank you and everyone else. I was away from my computer all weekend, which is the reason for the slow reply

I think based on everyone's comments I'm using the wrong spray set up. I'm having to thin and run the pressure high just to get my lacquer to spray right. I'm going to try my airless next time. 

Any specific steps I should take in switching over from water-based paints to lacquer? I don't want to ruin my sprayer


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## Mr Smith

Dailey Woodworks said:


> Thank you and everyone else. I was away from my computer all weekend, which is the reason for the slow reply
> 
> I think based on everyone's comments I'm using the wrong spray set up. I'm having to thin and run the pressure high just to get my lacquer to spray right. I'm going to try my airless next time.
> 
> Any specific steps I should take in switching over from water-based paints to lacquer? I don't want to ruin my sprayer


You will definitely need a new rig for traditional lacquer only. Keep the other sprayer separate.


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## AngieM

I remember trim "blushing" after we lacquered it. Because the humidity was high it caused moisture to cure in the film making it appear cloudy. We used lacquer retarder but I can't remember the ratio to thin it with. Here's some info I found.
https://www.woodfinishsupply.com/RetarderIBIB.html


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## dirtyjeep01

Need help? Pm your number easier to chAt. Or email if you want at [email protected]


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## dirtyjeep01

I use a capsray 105 or c.a technologies aaa dedicated machine for post cat lacquer. It’s easier than you think just need right set up right spray patterns and tech . Make sure your mix ratios are correct and your sanding schedule is optimal


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## dirtyjeep01

I just. Read what woodco wrote ,,,, bang on what he said . One thing to add if it’s rough now and you want to. Fix wet sand with 1500 then min wax furniture paste and apply with ooooo steel wool in circular motion then buff off with rag . Will be finish like glass smooth


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## Lazlo

Mr Smith said:


> You will definitely need a new rig for traditional lacquer only. Keep the other sprayer separate.


I have an old Graco 390 collecting dust. Is there any reason I wouldn't use that for dedicated lacquer rig? I would keep my current latex.acrylic 390 separate. Also would I want to change out any of the bushings?


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## finishesbykevyn

ThreeSistersPainting said:


> I have been using Rudd NuWave Water-Base Lacquer and runnning it through the SprayIt LVLP gravity gun 1.3mm tip. No thinning required.
> 
> Everyone is going to have their personal favorite that is there go to. I would try to branch off and look into other products that better suit your needs.


Can you run that waterbased lacquer through an airless? Or would HVLP be better..


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## woodcoyote

My take on it is that you aren't putting out a thick enough coat. HVLP is your issue. It sprays good, but doesn't lay out enough product, that's the issue. 

I'd suggest using your airless sprayer instead, put a fine finish tip on. For lacquers you'll want probably a 210 or 310 FF tip. 12 orifice size will work as well, but might be too much product if your not use to it or if it's a vertical surface your spraying. 

This is what I would do: 
Sand, wash-coat/stain, hit with vinyl sealer, scuff sand, top coat with hi-build lacquer that has been catalyzed. 

Sherwin doesn't charge me for the catalyst or to catalyze the lacquer, but it makes a huge difference in durability of the final product. 

Controlling over spray is also going to be something you have to deal with. You don't have to eliminate the thing entirely, but you have to not have tons and tons of it. And if you do, at least have a way for it to "get out" . Or else all that spray will land back on your wet product and make it feel rough. 

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.


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## ThreeSistersPainting

Water-base lacquer is much thinner than pre-cat lacquer, which is why I can run it undiluted through an LVLP/HVLP. 

If you decide to run it through an airless I have had good results with a 308 tip.

The Kobalt HVLP air cap doesnt atomize product like other guns I have picked up (especially at 50 psi), I had better luck with the Harbor Freight purple gun (35 psi). Current LVLP SprayIt runs at 25 psi. HVLP is all about getting the gun and product dialed in.


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## Krittterkare

I agree with wooco, sanding sealer is the easiest way to a good finish along with proper sanding of the raw wood. You can sand the topcoat very well and a second light sealer coat will produce a great base. I use sanding sponges and even orbital sander with 220 discs for a rough sand, vacuum, then go over with a fine sponge. 

Sanding in between topcoats should be minimized to just a scuff sand


I have 3 rigs, two for oils and lacquer and one for latex but all interchange from time to time not a big deal switching out but there can be issues with contamination. 

Airless sprayers are not overkill, just use a short hose with ff tips and make cleanup efficient.


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