Replies

1. 
   Jed_C. | Sep 15, 2000 03:44pm | #1

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   Regular nitrocellulose lacquer dries very quickly to the touch, but it takes much longer to cure and fully harden. There are all kinds of variables--how thick the film was laid on, how many coats were applied, the temperature and humidity levels before and after application, whether a retarder was used to thin it, etc. Give it a couple of weeks and you should notice a big difference in the surface hardness of the lacquer film. If they laid on a really thick coat, give it a month.

   Catalyzed lacquers are another beast altogether. If that's what they used, they may not have mixed the correct ratio of catalyst to finish, in which case you're up a creek.

2. 
   Guest_ | Sep 15, 2000 05:48pm | #2

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   Regular lacquer will melt with lacquer thinner but cat. lacquer will not.. Fir is a little soft & lacquer will not change that..

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 15, 2000 11:34pm | #3

   *Hi Steve:In the furniture finishing biz, putting a hard finish over a soft one is a big no-no. I'd resist the temptation to try to 'protect' this finish. Jed's right - finish can take a good time to reach final hardness. Both the external moisture and the internal moisture (i.e. the wood itself) will affect the drying rates as well as ambient temperatures. I usually try to wait two weeks to a month before rubbing out any finish. You should be thinking along the same lines.-t

1. 
   Guest_ | Sep 15, 2000 11:54pm | #4

   *L.Siders,

   I use pre-cat lacquer all day. Thinner wipes it right off 6 months later, what are you using?

   View Image © 1999-2000"But, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking. . ." The ScareCrow

3. 
   Steve_Sheriff | Sep 15, 2000 11:54pm | #5

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   The painters on our job finished the VA fir trim with a sprayed-on lacquer, on top of a sanding-sealer, in their shop. The finish is really soft; it takes almost nothing to scratch through the finish. For example, I left a scratch in a test piece with my fingernail and the nail's soft - I've been chewing on it worrying about the finish. Anybody got a recommendation on how to go from what we've got to a more durable finish? The casings, head casings, and baseboard are already installed...