Water
Based Finishes
Safe
Application Methods for Water Based Wood Finishes
By Andy
Charron
The
First Book Dedicated Solely To Water Based Wood Finishes
Water-based finishes are safe and
environmentally friendly. Now that recent improvements have made
their performance comparable to standard solvent-based finishes,
they are fast becoming the finish of choice. Water-Based Finishes
is the first book dedicated to using water-based finishes
successfully. Professional woodworker Andy Charron explains how to
choose the right finish and discusses the best methods to apply the
finish for perfect results every time.
This handy book also includes:
- Information about the new generation of
water-based finishes
- How to choose the right finish for each
application
- Advice about surface preparation
- Tips on application and topcoat finishing
- In-depth information on dyes and stains
Introduction:
My first experience with
water-based finishes came about purely by accident. Several years
ago, I was building a small entertainment center for a customer. I
used a hand-rubbed oil finish on the visible parts of the cabinet
and shellac on the interior sections and drawers. Id just begun
finishing the drawer boxes when I ran out of shellac. As I was
heading out to buy more, a friend of mine, who happened to be a
professional painter, pulled up the drive. When I explained where I
was going, he pulled a can out of the back of his van. Try this,
youll like it, he said, handing me a gallon of something I had never
seen before. It dries fast, sands easily, and doesnt smell. Best of
all, it cleans up with water! Im just finishing drawers, I thought,
so what have I got to lose? I thanked him, grabbed the can, and
proceeded to brush on two coats of finish in a few hours.
This new product turned out to be
a water-based urethane that had, unbeknownst to me, been on the
market for several years. I was satisfied with the results, but the
finish did have a few problems that concerned me. Not only did it
raise the grain severely but it also tended to bubble and foam as I
brushed it on. Although it sanded fairly easily, I felt that the
combination of raised grain and trapped air bubbles made me work
harder to get a smooth finish. I kept the can on hand and used it as
an occasional substitute for shellac, but I never viewed it as a
replacement for my usual finishing methods.
A few years later all that
changed. I had just purchased my first spray gun but did not have
the space or funds for an explosion-proof booth. By now I was a
little more familiar with water-based finishes, and I knew I could
spray them in my small shop. This time I tried a new product that
was billed as a water-based lacquer. I was amazed at how easy it was
to use. Although it still raised the grain, it was much less of a
problem than the water-based product Id used before. The finish
flowed out nicely and dried to the touch in minutes.
Because I couldnt safely use
flammable products in my shop, I had no choice but to use
water-based finishes. Gradually I figured out ways to overcome each
of the problems associated with these products, while developing a
simple, consistent finishing schedule. Today I use a variety of
products in my shop, including both solvent- and water-based
systems, although I would estimate that 90% of the time I use
water-based finishes.
As the demand for cleaner, safer,
more environmentally friendly products increases, more and more
people are turning to water-based finishes. As a result, in just the
past few years the number of products available has increased
dramatically. In fact, just about every major finish manufacturer
now offers a complete line of water-based products, many of which
are equal to or even superior to traditional solvent-based finishes.
However, after talking with several woodworkers, I realized that
when it comes to water-based materials, there is a lot of
misinformation floating around. I frequently hear people complain
that water-based products are too expensive, are hard to work with,
dont withstand abuse, dont dry properly, and require special
equipment. Unfortunately, most of the books on wood finishing
available today devote only a few pages or a short chapter to
water-based products. I have written this book to expand the volume
of information available to anyone thinking of using water-based
finishes and to answer some of the often erroneous charges leveled
against them.
In this book, I examine all
aspects of water-based finishes, including an overview of how these
products were developed. Other chapters explain how the different
types of water-based finishes work, while helping unravel some of
the mysteries surrounding the various names and types of materials.
I discuss the advantages of water-based products along with some of
their disadvantages. I realize that not all finishes are right for
every situation, so it is my hope that by understanding the pros and
cons of water-based finishes youll be better able to determine when
and what to use.
The heart of the book examines
the types of water-based products available and how to apply them.
Beginning with fillers and putties and moving through sealers,
stains, dyes, clear topcoats, and opaque finishes, each material is
discussed in detail. Topics include appropriate surface preparation,
proper equipment and shop conditions, application techniques, and
finish maintenance. Then I show just how easy it is to clean up
after using water-based products. Finally, because things dont
always go as planned, a detailed troubleshooting chart is included
to help you avoid and overcome potential finishing problems. Most of
what I have learned about water-based finishes comes from talking to
manufacturers, finishing specialists, and other woodworkers, along
with a lot of trial and error. Throughout the book, I draw on my
real-life experiences to answer frequently asked questions while
offering helpful hints and tricks that make using these finishes
easier. I hope that the knowledge, information, and experiences
presented in this book will help you achieve satisfactory results
quickly and consistently with little effort and frustration.
Table
of Contents:
Introduction
1 Why Use Water-Based Finishes?
Advantages of water-based finishes
Disadvantages of water-based finishes
Should you use water-based finishes?
2 What Are Water-Based Finishes?
Types of wood finishes
How water-based finishes work
Is it water based or water borne?
3 Development of Water-Based Finishes
Early alternatives to oil-based finishes
Government pressure for environmentally safe products
Advances in water-based finishes
4 Surface Preparation
Sanding
Prewetting
Using paste fillers
Using wood putties
5 Sealers
What are sealers?
Types of sealers
Applying sealers
Sanding sealers
6 Stains and Dyes
Oil-based pigmented stains
Water-based stains
Applying stains
Dyes
Types of dyes
Mixing dyes
Applying dyes
Nongrain-raising (NGR) dyes
7 Clear Topcoats
Application equipment
Safety equipment
Application conditions
Material preparation
Brushing techniques
Spraying techniques
Sanding
8 Pigmented Topcoats
Latex paints
Water-based acrylic paints
Pigmented lacquers
Preparing the surface
Priming the surface
Applying the topcoat
9 Final Steps
Why rub out a finish?
Preparing the surface
Selecting a finish
Applying the final coat
Rubbing compounds
Rubbing out the finish
Using power buffers
Maintaining the finish
10 Cleaning Up
Cleaning solvents
Cleaning brushes
Cleaning spray equipment
Appendix 1: Troubleshooting
Appendix 2: Finishing Schedules
Glossary
Index
Soft-cover, 8 x
10 in., 160 pages with black & white photos and drawings
Published 1998
ISBN: 978-1-56158-236-5
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