# Scuff-x first timer, before/after



## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)

As promised, here are some before and after shots of my most recent project. It was a large condo built in the early 1900's. There were several layers of miscellaneous paint on the trim and doors. Some trim was oil, some was latex over oil (no primer), and all of it was very beat up. 
I had never used Scuff-x before and was asking questions about sheen level and what-not on here. Thank you for all the help! I was exteremly pleased with the final appearance and feel (as were they). I'll definitely be adding it to my arsenal in the future.

Process: 
Prepped and sprayed cabinets
Sanded all trim and doors
Primed all trim and doors
Filled all dents, dings, holes, etc
Primed trim and doors again
Caulked all cracks
Two coats Scuff-x
Repair and spot prime ceilings, 2 coats finish
Repair and spot prime walls, 2 coats finish

Primer: BM Fresh Start high hide
Trim/doors/cabinets: Scuff-x Satin OC-17
Ceilings: Ultra Spec 500 Flat OC-17
Walls: Regal Select Eggshell HC-173
Banister: Breakthrough V50 Satin


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## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)




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## Vylum (May 12, 2016)

looks great, what wood filler did you use on the trim ?


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## Joe67 (Aug 12, 2016)

OMG! That Lagavulin is delish (but I normally don't spring the $100 or so for it). And I actually have the same Glenmorangie rocks glasses.

Oh right - and that work looks great too!


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Looks great, why did you go with the ScuffX over the Breakthrough v50 on the cabinets?


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Wow, Looks fantastic. Thats alot of filling! You used Red Bondo?


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## Alex451 (Feb 10, 2021)

I've had bonding issues with using BM Fresh Start high hide over oil painted trims before. Thats why I use Stix instead. Has anyone else had similar issues ? Have you tried any scratch tests on this project?


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## fromthenorthwest (May 2, 2012)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Wow, Looks fantastic. Thats alot of filling! You used Red Bondo?


I was thinking the same thing... That puts my trim prep to shame😊


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## monarchski (Jun 21, 2019)

Alex451 said:


> I've had bonding issues with using BM Fresh Start high hide over oil painted trims before. Thats why I use Stix instead. Has anyone else had similar issues ? Have you tried any scratch tests on this project?


I was curious about that. Love the Fresh Start HH over dark wall colors but I'd be worried about putting it over an alkyd.


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## Joe67 (Aug 12, 2016)

Alex451 said:


> I've had bonding issues with using BM Fresh Start high hide over oil painted trims before. Thats why I use Stix instead. Has anyone else had similar issues ? Have you tried any scratch tests on this project?


I also use Stix.

I can tell though that Scuff-X alone will stick to sanded oil. I only know that because I used it once on some old cabs I freshened up. The areas under the hinges only got sanded, no primer and I couldn't scratch off the Scuff-X. I'd never trust this process overall, however, and still Stix everything. Just mentioning it.


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## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)

Vylum said:


> looks great, what wood filler did you use on the trim ?


Initial fill was Elmer's Wood filler and Crawford's spackle. After first prime I used Bondo spot putty for remaining imperfections (thats what is visible in photos).


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## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)

Rbriggs82 said:


> Looks great, why did you go with the ScuffX over the Breakthrough v50 on the cabinets?


I've been wanting to try out Scuff-x for awhile now and this seemed like a good place to give it a shot. The Breakthrough I used was a leftover can I had kicking around the shop. Plus it's getting more difficult to source here in the NW..


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## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)

Alex451 said:


> I've had bonding issues with using BM Fresh Start high hide over oil painted trims before. Thats why I use Stix instead. Has anyone else had similar issues ? Have you tried any scratch tests on this project?


I did a scratch test after first coat of finish started to cure and it held up. Sanding the primer between coats did show a tendency to ball up. I would agree Stix would be a more ideal product.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Fresh start has really good adhesion it just needs a full cure before it develops. Even stix needs 48+ hours before it passes cross hatch test on many substrates. Stix sands to a powder though so there's one reason to use it over fresh start.


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## Respec (Sep 13, 2015)

The end result looks really nice, but sanding all that Bondo must have been a bear of a task.


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

Edit: Looks great!
Just wondering why you chose to use the red bondo? Thats pretty toxic stuff. Did you have any problems with coverage or shadows coming through?


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## Peanut (Nov 19, 2015)

Holland said:


> Edit: Looks great!
> Just wondering why you chose to use the red bondo? Thats pretty toxic stuff. Did you have any problems with coverage or shadows coming through?


I use it because it dries so hard and sands pretty easily. What other product(s) do people use for filling fine imperfections? Aways up to try new things...


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## fromthenorthwest (May 2, 2012)

I've been using the 3M high-strength small hole repair. Before that I used the Crawford vinyl spackling but the 3M seems to shrink less and dry quicker/harder. Apparently you can get in a tube now too but I haven't tried that yet.

I don't use Bondo for small fill but I can see how it being red would be helpful for the last fill. The white spackling is always a hassle because I need to use a light to make sure I get it all sanded. Nothing like spraying your last top coat in satin/semi and then finding little mountains of spackle underneath it..


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

@fromthenorthwest recommended the 3M Small Hole patch a while back, and we have switched to it for most minor patching. It knifes smooth, and is sandable in a short amount of time (about 20-30 minutes?). It doesn't flash much (probably due to the primer additive), but it tends to dry in the package more quickly.

*We usually use a finger to push it into a nail hole, and then wipe it clean with the side of the finger, the palm, or another clean finger - rather the larger, more recognizable square mark left by a putty knife. If we do it right, the nail hole is almost imperceptible right away, and by the time you lightly sand, prime and paint is invisible.

The 3M Large Hole Repair is reinforced with fiberglass strands. The strands do not add much tecture (it knifes smooth), but adds strength (for larger holes in walls).

I worry, maybe without reason, about adhesion of water-based paints and primers on top of bondos.

We use USC Icing (a two-part Polyester body fill) for shallow dents and "fine imperfections" on hard surfaces (when a bondo-type product is necessary). It is a bluish off-white color when mixed. Still toxic, an organic (pink) vapor mask should probably be worn. Polyester body fills remain somewhat flexible.

Evercoat makes a two part Polyester body fill which is more widely available at many auto parts stores. It is also an off-white color when mixed. 

MH Ready Patch is a one-part product that knifes smooth and dries hard, but a little more difficult to sand. It is white. I have used it in the past but have found it s more prone to cracking on surfaces that flex.


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## Three putt yony (Jan 30, 2018)

Peanut said:


> As promised, here are some before and after shots of my most recent project. It was a large condo built in the early 1900's. There were several layers of miscellaneous paint on the trim and doors. Some trim was oil, some was latex over oil (no primer), and all of it was very beat up.
> I had never used Scuff-x before and was asking questions about sheen level and what-not on here. Thank you for all the help! I was exteremly pleased with the final appearance and feel (as were they). I'll definitely be adding it to my arsenal in the future.
> 
> Process:
> ...


You put some work into that trim


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## Drew1118 (9 mo ago)

Holland said:


> @fromthenorthwest recommended the 3M Small Hole patch a while back, and we have switched to it for most minor patching. It knifes smooth, and is sandable in a short amount of time (about 20-30 minutes?). It doesn't flash much (probably due to the primer additive), but it tends to dry in the package more quickly.
> 
> *We usually use a finger to push it into a nail hole, and then wipe it clean with the side of the finger, the palm, or another clean finger - rather the larger, more recognizable square mark left by a putty knife. If we do it right, the nail hole is almost imperceptible right away, and by the time you lightly sand, prime and paint is invisible.
> 
> ...


Your worries are correct! I spackle all my nail holes..sand and then use bondo over them and for all the imperfections. However...you must use a good primer over bondo. If not and you put a piece of tape over it for more than a day and then demask...it'll rip the finish off down to where the bondo is. I use scuff x on my trim and that has a decent bite to it but it still doesn't matter.


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