# Valspar "Lacquer Paint": Is it True Lacquer?



## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

I actually work at Lowe's, and sell this lacquer paint to customers, so this is a somewhat embarassing questions. Our valspar representative doesn't know much about the spray paints (they're low on the priority list for the company), and the can doesn't indicate exactly what 'kind' of lacquer this is. I did some research and found it's actually nitrocellulose lacquer, but still have a couple questions for anyone who has used the product before, particularly the clear coat...

*Does this stuff apply, dry, and shine like a traditional lacquer (e.g. Deft Lacquer Wood Finish)?*

*Is it compatible with the same stuff as regular lacquer?*

I am speaking for the clear coat here, as the colors may act differently because of the pigment in them. My store, in all of its wisdom, has cleared out every other lacquer product besides brushing lacquer, and I plan to just pick up a can of this. However, it's called 'lacquer paint', even the clear coat is, so the product is mysterious at best.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Sirnanigans said:


> I actually work at Lowe's, and sell this lacquer paint to customers, so this is a somewhat embarassing questions. Our valspar representative doesn't know much about the spray paints (they're low on the priority list for the company), and the can doesn't indicate exactly what 'kind' of lacquer this is. I did some research and found it's actually nitrocellulose lacquer, but still have a couple questions for anyone who has used the product before, particularly the clear coat...
> 
> *Does this stuff apply, dry, and shine like a traditional lacquer (e.g. Deft Lacquer Wood Finish)?*
> 
> ...


Brushing lacquer is lacquer with a retarder added.


















.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Oh, I thought that the term 'lacquer' could only be applied to items coated in shellac prepared from the lac insect. So, presumably genuine lacquer has no protection from anything which matches its appearance. I always have regarded lacquer paint to dry very hard and give a high gloss finish.
johnep


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

johnep34 said:


> Oh, I thought that the term 'lacquer' could only be applied to items coated in shellac prepared from the lac insect. So, presumably genuine lacquer has no protection from anything which matches its appearance. I always have regarded lacquer paint to dry very hard and give a high gloss finish.
> johnep


I think "lacquer" may be a misnomer. Lac-quer sounds related to shel-lac, from the lac bug, but I have learned that it's not at all. Nitrocellulose is derived from plants, not insects, and the difference is apparent in the different solvents used. Perhaps back in the day (wayyyy back) lacquer was the same as shellac, or made from the same material, and was named as such?

Whatever the case, today they have totally different compatibilities and properties, and lacquer is damaging to a much broader range of substrates (e.g. latex paint, plastics). They're really only similar in their hardness, natural gloss, and susceptibility to water exposure.


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

cabinetman said:


> Brushing lacquer is lacquer with a retarder added.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Perfect, thank you!

I assumed as much, but valspar offers a line marketed as a lacquer wood finish, too, so they definitely did a good job confusing me.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

A nitrocellulose lacquer is regular lacquer. It is made from dissolving cotton fibers in nitric acid to produce the cellulose which makes up the film coating. Because it is made from cotton fibers is why it is prone to yellow over time just like a cotton shirt would. 

Deft lacquer is an acrylic lacquer. It is formulated with acrylic resins more similar to butyrate lacquer and is more water resistant and will remain clear and not yellow over time. 

Both lacquers are compatable with each other but the Deft lacquer is a better product. 

Lacquer is unrelated to shellac completely. Lacquer is man made where shellac is a natural product however you can use lacquer over shellac just fine.


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> A nitrocellulose lacquer is regular lacquer. It is made from dissolving cotton fibers in nitric acid to produce the cellulose which makes up the film coating. Because it is made from cotton fibers is why it is prone to yellow over time just like a cotton shirt would.
> 
> Deft lacquer is an acrylic lacquer. It is formulated with acrylic resins more similar to butyrate lacquer and is more water resistant and will remain clear and not yellow over time.
> 
> ...


Oh, wow. I used deft on my latest project, assuming it was nitrocellulose. I'm glad acrylic also resists mineral spirits, because that's what I used to clean glue residue from it.

The glue I used sucked (white Elmer's, for bonding fabric to lacquer), and I am considering contact cement. I will have to research contact cement solvent compatibility with acrylic lacquer now, before I break something. 

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

Sirnanigans said:


> Oh, wow. I used deft on my latest project, assuming it was nitrocellulose. I'm glad acrylic also resists mineral spirits, because that's what I used to clean glue residue from it.
> 
> The glue I used sucked (white Elmer's, for bonding fabric to lacquer), and I am considering contact cement. I will have to research contact cement solvent compatibility with acrylic lacquer now, before I break something.
> 
> Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk


Scratch that. Contact cement I have contains methyl ethyl ketone (M.E.K), and will likely destroy everything. 

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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Sirnanigans said:


> Oh, wow. I used deft on my latest project, assuming it was nitrocellulose. I'm glad acrylic also resists mineral spirits, because that's what I used to clean glue residue from it.
> 
> The glue I used sucked (white Elmer's, for bonding fabric to lacquer), and I am considering contact cement. I will have to research contact cement solvent compatibility with acrylic lacquer now, before I break something.
> 
> Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk


Any flammable type contact cement will adhere to either acrylic or nitrocellulose lacquer. Lacquer works by each coat melting into the previous coat and the solvents in flammable contact cement will melt into lacquer.


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> Any flammable type contact cement will adhere to either acrylic or nitrocellulose lacquer. Lacquer works by each coat melting into the previous coat and the solvents in flammable contact cement will melt into lacquer.


I have to apply the adhesive adjacent to a visible edge of the piece. If I go outside the lines, permanent visual damage would be done, I imagine. 

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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

Almost all lacquer finish is NC (Nitrocellulose lacquer. The Deft Lacquer is a standard lacquer with an additive to slow down the drying so it can be brushed.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Sirnanigans said:


> I have to apply the adhesive adjacent to a visible edge of the piece. If I go outside the lines, permanent visual damage would be done, I imagine.
> 
> Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk


If you spray the contact cement you could mask off the area not being glued. It wouldn't run or bleed under the tape so you would be able to keep an accurate line. Spraying contact cement is fun anyway. It looks like spraying rubber bands.


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## Sirnanigans (Apr 3, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> If you spray the contact cement you could mask off the area not being glued. It wouldn't run or bleed under the tape so you would be able to keep an accurate line. Spraying contact cement is fun anyway. It looks like spraying rubber bands.


I just decided to remove the velvet from the inside walls of the frame, leaving it just on the face of the plywood backing. I did this because abrasion would eventually ruin the fabric, glued well or not, and the fabric was trimmed poorly. Also velvet is around 3/64" thick, reducing the size of the face, which was crafted to within 1/64" of its target, by over 1/16" in each direction. 

The project will be better off with this velvet removed, and now I am happy that I used school glue and a putty knife. 

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