# How Many Clear Coats Before Sanding?



## BowtoEd (Jan 17, 2012)

Hi all:

The what: A 1932 radio cabinet. Most specifically the front of the cabinet with some sort of (very thick) flame veneer. I don't know if it's stained Maple, Mahogany, or another wood. It's got a dark brown/orange color. There is already BLO soaked into the wood.

The how: Deft "Clear wood finish/gloss brushing lacquer". Looks like a thin, amber liquid and smells very strong. I'm not sure what to call this as it's not like poly. The first coat was applied with a pad of paper towels wrapped in masking tape. Afterwards I did some spot sanding with 220 grit and an overall dulling with 400, wiped it off with paper towels and water, then dried it. Second coat applied with small synthetic-bristle brush from the $ store, and artist's brush for the tight corners.

The question: Would it be advisable to put on more than one coat of finish between sanding?

More info: I can tell I'm going to have to put at least a fourth coat of finish on the wood. I want the clear coating on the veneer to be smooth and defect-free so I can effectively showcase the figure of the front veneer. My fear is, in sanding down the finish to remove defects, I remove more than I put down in the first place. I use 400 over the whole surface and 220 only in spaces where I need the extra strength. I am wondering how much it would hurt to put down 2-3 coats of finish in a row and then sand. Maybe it would affect the adhesion (a sticky substance trying to adhere to a smooth surface). Also, I noticed when brushing that small bubbles developed. I'm not sure if these work themselves out of the finish before the stuff cures.

Expertise and advice welcome. If you are going to throw a brick at me I have to charge you $10. I wanted to check and see if there's anything wrong with my technique.

I will end up showing pictures in the Project Showcase thread.
Ed


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## Roger Newby (May 26, 2009)

Need some pics here.


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

BowtoEd said:


> Hi all:
> 
> The what: A 1932 radio cabinet. Most specifically the front of the cabinet with some sort of (very thick) flame veneer. I don't know if it's stained Maple, Mahogany, or another wood. It's got a dark brown/orange color. There is already BLO soaked into the wood.
> 
> ...


Hi BTED, Although maple was used at that time it was not normally a face veneer but interior or secondary in nature, the pics will provide that evidence in case I'm wrong. Normally walnut was used with less use of mahogany. Both were popular so again pics will tell that. 

That said, Deft is a slow drying brushing nitrocellulose lacquer, so yes multiple coats can be applied with only any necessary sanding done to rid the surface of contamination from dust/bugs/etc.. If none - then no need to.

Each coat will dissolve the previous coats and meld into one continuous layer of lacquer. Note that because of this continual melting, when your last coat is applied, it will be close to having only the first coat's on, as to how long it will take to through dry. What is called rock hard drying will be at least month or more. at that stage, you can then sand with fine papers 600/800/1000 etc. and either polish to a high gloss or in turn not wait the time but a few days or so and sand and apply a final Satin coat of deft which will give a lessened gloss appearance ok?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

With using a brushing lacquer, I would use a natural bristle brush, or smooth lint free cloth folded smooth. I like brushing better. If the oil is dry, I would use a lacquer sanding sealer before using lacquer. If you have stained/oiled, not to do any sanding until the first or second application of sealer. Then a 320x can be used to smooth out any variances or deviations in the finish. 

When the lacquer coats are applied and dry, they too can be smoothed with 320x. I recommend using an open coat paper. Each coat of lacquer will "bite" into the previous application and melt into the coat. It isn't wet enough, stay wet long enough, or the amount of solvent isn't concentrated enough to dissolve the previous coat completely. Each subsequent coat can be sanded if necessary with 320x. You would have to do quite a bit of sanding to go through an application. 

Depending on how retarded your lacquer is, and your ambient conditions, the finish could feel dry to the touch in15 minutes. It may take an hour or two to be dry enough to sand. If you can indenture the finish with your fingernail, or the sandpaper gets 'grabby' as you sand...it's not ready. Your final preparation for a high gloss finish would be with sufficient applications, totally dry, and using wet-or-dry silicone carbide sandpaper with water to very high grits...1000x-1500x, or higher and then using a smooth rubbing compound and a rag. That works good with using small amounts of water with the compound, kinda like spit shining shoes.

If you don't want that high gloss, your final application may be sufficient. 









 







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