There is a growing interest in DIY projects related to furniture pieces. Whether it's reusing/refurbishing older pieces of furniture, using recovered wood or the production of new pieces of furniture, all of which are made with finishing materials (berries, wood varnish, paints, etc). There is a rich supply of such products on the market and the choice becomes difficult. A few ideas on how to choose them according to your project might help.
For pieces of furniture that we change the initial appearance of, we have seen that there are materials such as chalky paintswhich are easy to use without special preparation. But what if we just want to refresh or repair the shallow lake? Or if we've made a piece from a beautiful wood and we want the wood to be visible. Or we want to protect the painting on an object. Which varnish do we choose?
First of all, you should know that a wood varnish can be for indoors or outdoors. Outdoor varnishes must be resistant to weather and direct sunlight, which is not necessary indoors. But even indoors, there are pieces of furniture that are subject to more aggression - bathroom furniture, kitchen, table tops - or smaller. Let's take them one at a time.
Lacquers suitable for coating furniture and wooden objects used indoors
1. Protecting objects and furniture not subject to damage
The most suitable varnishes for such projects are nitrocellulose or water soluble. Nitrocellulose varnish has the advantage of low price, but being solvent-based, it is more difficult to use in enclosed spaces and especially in inhabited areas. In addition, the smell can linger for quite a long time.
Apply it with a brush or a trowel. If you choose the trowel check that the sponge is solvent resistant. If you apply several coats the varnish does not need to be sanded in between. You can sand if you feel that the tint is not the plate (scratches) or there are bubbles on the surface.
With water-based varnish you won't have any odour problems, but it can be more expensive. Beware, water-based does not necessarily mean environmentally friendly, non-toxic. If you need an environmentally friendly product, check that this is stated on the label.
A disadvantage of water-based varnishes is that, without sanding, they do not adhere well. If the film peels off in one corner it can flake off like leather. When multiple coats are needed, applying them 2-3 hours apart improves adhesion and eliminates sanding between coats.
Both varnishes can be used to refresh any varnished wood surface provided it is thoroughly cleaned beforehand (washed with water and detergent, immediately wiped and dusted).
2. Protection of table tops, bathroom and kitchen furniture, wooden objects subject to high and persistent humidity and/or mechanical aggression
Nitrocellulose varnish is easy to use, but its resistance to scratching and staining is not very high. Table tops coated with such varnish will scratch and stain easily. It will be vulnerable to a wet cup of hot coffee placed directly on the countertop or a glass of ice water left on the table for a long time. Ordinary water-based varnishes are not very durable either, being softer and able to absorb moisture long after they have been applied.
In the case of wooden objects or furniture used in the bathroom or kitchen, higher and permanent humidity should be taken into account. The products used for their maintenance are more aggressive and can lead to scratches. The use of nitrocellulose varnish on such pieces of furniture is not the best choice. Over time the varnish can whiten and if water continues to fall on the surface, it will flake off.
The most resistant varnishes, both to humidity and mechanical aggression, are the 2-component varnishes (catalyst varnishesThis is the case polyurethane varnishes, hydrodilutable with curing, acrylic with curing. Their use is not difficult, but more care is needed.
The first thing to be aware of is the limited time of use after mixing the components. This time is always specified on the label and is called pot life. After this time the mixture becomes denser and finally hardens. It is best to prepare a smaller quantity to use in its entirety and only then prepare another.
The hardener - component B - is sensitive to moisture in the atmosphere, to water in general. Never leave the catalyst packaging unopened. It will harden inside. In direct contact with water it hardens instantly. Catalysts for water soluble products, which are also sensitive to humidity, are added to the varnish under continuous and prolonged stirring. Only then can dilution with water be made (if necessary).
3. Protection of painting or special effects
There are people who like to embellish their furniture by painting it. To make it last as long as possible and not get dirty, it is good to protect the painting. The most suitable varnish must be found that does not react with the paints used, does not change the appearance of the painting and is resistant.
The easiest way is to use different products as a base. That is, if using water-based products for painting, use solvent-based products for protection and vice versa. You should be aware that some varnishes change the colour of the substrate by yellowing it. This is most noticeable with nitrocellulose varnishes.
A very suitable varnish for such work is acrylic varnish on solvent. Does not change colour, does not yellow over time and is scratch and stain resistant. Such varnishes can be found in specialist shops selling wood products (varnishes, paints, glues, adhesives, hardware). They are harder to find in DIY stores.
Exterior wood varnishes
Exterior wood should be varnished with varnishes that are labelled as such. A wood varnish for outdoor use must be elastic, weatherproof and UV resistant. Never use nitro varnish for exterior use. I stress this because I have seen many who consider it a varnish suitable for any use. It does not provide the necessary protection for an object that sits outside.
Even if they have very high resistance to scratching or mechanical action, varnishes do not resist outdoors unless they are made specifically for outdoor use. Hard varnishes are even more sensitive because they are stiff and crack easily when wood moves.
If the wood used outside stains before varnishing, use stains that are resistant to the outside. They can be found in shops as impregnants or lacquers (the lazines also have resin in the mix, they are not simple berries). Those that are not for outdoors can lose their color in less than a year. The dye slowly breaks down to a greyish tint.
It's a good idea when proposing such a project to research the products you intend to use. It is very important to read the directions and recommendations on the product packaging and not to think primarily of saving money. It's a shame about the work you do. Good luck!
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The use of serlac is a technology that is not within everyone's reach to execute!
Hi,
I need your help. I really want the eaves and the rafters to be light in colour (white) but I wouldn't opt for painting an oil. If I give it a dark primer and then a 3 in 1 white semi-transparent varnish, will it come out nice or will my husband hit me with it? I really want white, but I also want the wood grain to be preserved, Thanks!
Hello. There is a water-based white lye you can use. If you can't find it, you can use water-based white exterior paint that you can dilute with water so that the wood shows through. Don't put varnish on top (whether oil or water based) because the varnish turns yellow and you get a cream instead of white.
If you don't want the grain to show, just that there is wood underneath the paint, then you can use 3-in-1 varnish without priming underneath. Two coats of varnish are sufficient.
All the best!
Thank you very much for your answer. I made a confusion in my question: If I give it with dark bait* and then with white 3 in 1 semi-transparent lacquer, will something nice come out? I really want white, but I also want the wood grain to be preserved/sealed,
Good evening.
You can try dark bait. If it is resinous wood you will be able to create a contrast that will be more visible than natural wood. The wood should not be very dark because it will create too big a difference between the colours which will not look good. Try lighter colours - chestnut, oak, pine, cherry. The lighter the better. Because the grain is different the design will be highlighted. Especially if the wood has fladere (that specific wood design with curved lines). Don't give many layers of semi-transparent varnish because it becomes opaque and you can't see the wood underneath.
Good luck!
Hello, can you recommend a varnish for a wooden sideboard in the kitchen near the stove? On the side facing the stove the old lacquer has flaked off.
Hello!
A varnish with good heat resistance is polyurethane. It is a hardener varnish with good resistance to water, scratches and knocks, patches and fire. On wood to which two coats of polyurethane varnish have been applied, a cigarette can be extinguished without leaving any traces.
Polyurethane varnish available from wood products distributors (varnishes, adhesives, hardware, etc). They are less often found in DIY stores because application requires a little more attention. But you can also look in such shops. I have seen that the range of products on offer is getting wider.
All the best!
Thanks for the advice, all the best!
Hello,
Please tell me with what kind of varnish I should give the house stressine...I want a beautiful color not cherry red but not dark mahogany...can I give it only once with varnish? I will use treated varnish bought from Dedeman, I understand that it doesn't suck too much varnish.What do you recommend?
Thank you in advance.
Hello!
You can use chestnut or light walnut. There are no dark or reddish colours.
If it's sagebrush, where the rain doesn't reach, it's enough to apply a coat of varnish in the desired colour. I recommend oil-based varnishes or wax-based varnishes (wax impregnation for outdoors).
If it's eaves, where water frequently arrives, you need a more durable finish. On top of the coloured impregnating coat you will also need to apply a coat of varnish. If you use oil-based varnish you will need solvent-based varnish (white spirit) for adhesion. In this case it is best to use a water-based varnish - lacquer system. They are the most resistant over time.
All the best!
I want to varnish the furniture in the kitchen which is about 30 years old and I want to start with the mask of the sink which is the most affected,...it is made of veneered and varnished pale,...the varnish has cracked and has become whitish .if I run over it, will it soak into the cracks ? I think that without a thorough cleaning until the old varnish is gone, I do not know which varnish would be the best: yacht, sadolin extra or deko stone varnish protected 3/1.
Hello.
Certainly the varnish used 30 years ago was nitrocellulose varnish and the water was scoured and bleached. You have to remove it completely, because otherwise it will peel off with the new coating over time.
Sand the entire surface and apply a waterborne varnish for interior or hardening varnish (type A+B). Sadolin extra is for exterior and as you say stone varnish is 3 in 1, it is also for exterior. You need an indoor varnish that is moisture resistant and hard for kitchen conditions. In the industry, kitchen cabinets and kitchen furniture in general are finished with polyurethane varnish (solvent-based, hardening varnish). Yacht varnish is not suitable either, and it is for outdoors. Outdoor varnishes have different properties than indoor ones. Outdoor lacquers are not more resistant to outdoor conditions.
In conclusion: sand the stained varnish to veneer, sand and apply a moisture resistant interior varnish/paint (water based or polyurethane). After removing the lacquer by sanding, smooth the surface with a fine abrasive sponge or 280 or 320 grit sandpaper to avoid scratches on the veneer.
All the best!