# Best Spray Lacquer?



## Pandemonium (Dec 31, 2014)

Hey folks,

I've been commissioned to do some frames and boxes by a handful of people, and timing is an issue. Until now, I've been finishing all of my projects with General Finishes Wipe-On Polyurethane. I love the finish I get with it, but it's incredibly time consuming. From the beginning of the finishing process to the end can be as long as 3-4 days thanks to the delightful humidity in my area.

Since time is an issue, I wanted to switch over to a spray-on polyurethane. I've looked around, but I haven't seen much discussion on the quality of one brand vs. another. Watco seems to be the most available brand locally. Are there others that would provide a better end product?

Thanks,
JP


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Do you mean lacquer or fast dry polyurethane? There isn't really a best finish. Every brand has it's quirks and the best finish is the one you are used to working with.


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## Pandemonium (Dec 31, 2014)

Steve Neul said:


> Do you mean lacquer or fast dry polyurethane? There isn't really a best finish. Every brand has it's quirks and the best finish is the one you are used to working with.


I'll be honest with you. I don't actually know the difference. I know a lot of the YouTubers I watch use it for craft-type quick projects. Steve Ramsey, David Picciutto, etc. But I don't think they've ever clearly given a brand or anything. It's always referred to as "spray lacquer" and comes in aerosol cans. Does that sound more like fast dry polyurethane?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Fast dry polyurethane can be a pain to use. It has a recoat window. This means you must put all the coats of finish you are going to put on within a certain timeframe. If you say let a coat dry overnight and decide it needs another coat the next day the finish will wrinkle up like you put paint stripper on it. Fast dry poly isn't that fast either. It may take 3-4 hours before it's dry enough to recoat where in warm weather lacquer is usually dry enough to recoat in 15 minutes. Unless you use some catalyzed lacquers there is no recoat window either. You can recoat it days or years later without a problem.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

You write about spray can. Do you not have spray capability?

Sprayed lacquer (whatever brand) has always been easy for me to work with. 

I have used spray cans, but do not get as good a result.

George


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## RandyReed (Jul 30, 2014)

Pandemonium said:


> I'll be honest with you. I don't actually know the difference. I know a lot of the YouTubers I watch use it for craft-type quick projects. Steve Ramsey, David Picciutto, etc. But I don't think they've ever clearly given a brand or anything. It's always referred to as "spray lacquer" and comes in aerosol cans. Does that sound more like fast dry polyurethane?


aerosol cans.......you cant be Deft, although they have sealers and lacquers and would be a better alternative to poly:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_45814-86-DFT010S54_0__?productId=50114463


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I have used Deft since the 80's. It is getting harder to find. Lowe's quit carrying it but HD still has some. Gallon and spray can.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

How durable a finish are you wanting? If the answer is "very" it'd be hard to beat a polyurethane, which could be a plus depending on how high the usage on the boxes is. If you don't need an indestructible finish and want something easy to work with, I'd bypass laquer and go for shellac. Cheap, easy to spray, easy to repair, quite durable, if not the level of polyurethane, fast drying, and gorgeous. Best of all, with its solvent being the relatively mild alcohol its a little safer to spray than lacquer.

I'm not dissing lacquer by any means, I'm just more partial to shellac. If you're set on lawyer, deft seems to be a pretty good choice. I haven't used it much, but it seems pretty popular and seems to work well


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I like Minwax Helsman Polyurethane Spar Varnish. Rated indoor/outdoor, has a very good spray nozzle, doea have a 1 1/2hr window to apply or will have to wait 72 hrs. Dries to the touch in less than 20 minutes. Wallyworld carries it, a little pricey. :thumbsup:


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