In the early days of furniture refinishing the products used were solvent-based only. The first varnish used - shellac - was obtained by dissolving in alcohol the resin secreted by the female Kerria lacca beetle. Over time, natural products were replaced by more diversified, more resistant and better-performing industrially produced materials. But the solvents used have multiplied. Despite their very good quality, the environmental problems created by solvent emissions and the danger of fire made it necessary to find alternative solutions. Thus began the development of waterborne products with similar qualities and the gradual replacement of traditional solvent-based products.
Research has led to high-performance water-soluble products
As environmental concerns have become increasingly pressing, varnish and paint manufacturers have been forced to reduce the production of solvent-based materials and increase the production of waterborne products. All users of such products have also been obliged to monitor solvent evaporation, i.e. the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs/VOCs), and to reduce these emissions over time. Furniture manufacturers have to find solutions, and one of them is to replace solvent-based materials with water-based (water soluble) ones.
What is most frightening for manufacturers when it comes to switching to finishing with waterborne products is the drying time and the fact that the water in the product lifts the wood fiber, making the sanding process more difficult. They don't have to worry about that anymore because the products have changed so much.
Manufacturers of such materials have intensified their research by greatly reducing the drying time. As a result, the drying of waterborne products has, in many cases, become comparable with similar solvent-based products. Solutions have been found to reduce absorption into the wood, which makes the wood grain less risky and sanding between coats no longer a problem.
There are solutions for both baths and varnishes and paints
Both coloring solutions and film-forming materials can be substituted. Water soluble bleaches have long been used to stain wood. In the beginning, they were powders of dyes dissolved in water. The bleaches were made in the factory before they were applied, so that there was no risk of alteration by micro-organisms in the water. It was an unpleasant process (the powders flew through the air and were inhaled), and the gins dried quite slowly, with water as the only solvent.
Nowadays, baths made from concentrated solutions of dyes dissolved in mixtures of resins and water are widely used. The resins used prevent deep absorption and hasten drying.
The film-forming materials (nitro, polyurethane, acrylic, etc.) can also be replaced by one or two-component waterborne products. The method of application is very similar to solvent-based products, and the resulting films have a very good appearance and resistance.
Virtually all varnish and paint manufacturers can now offer waterborne versions for any finish. There are materials for finishing flooring, garden furniture or other outdoor furniture, there are waterborne oils and waxes, antiquing patinas, special effects, etc. Solid wood or veneered panels, MDF or HDF can be finished.
The application of waterborne products can be adapted to all technologies
Water-thinnable materials can be applied by spraying, pouring, pouring, flow-coating, flow-coating or by hand, brush, sponge or roller.
When finishing lines are available, changing products is more complicated, but not impossible. It is often not possible to use the same finishing line as some adaptations or component changes are necessary. But together with the supplier of the finishing line and the supplier of varnishes and paints, solutions can be found.
Hand finishing is simpler. The first requirement is a stainless steel spray gun or pump. There must also be a heated and well-ventilated space for drying the parts. Ventilation is very important when finishing with waterborne products, even more important than a higher temperature.
The point to remember is that waterborne finishing does not always mean an organic or eco-friendly finish. It solves the problem of protection against fire and emissions of volatile organic compounds, but it does not necessarily solve the other problems related to the environment or the protection of people. To do this, you need to study the product safety data sheets, which indicate the hazardous components and possible risks.
I hope you find the above information useful. As always, additions are welcome. And if you have any questions or queries, please leave them below in the space provided. I will be sure to reply.
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