Decorating Guides
What Makes Lacquer a Popular Wood Finish
Lacquer finishes look good, are practical and allow the natural wood grain to show through
Lacquer is a clear protective coating that enhances the natural beauty of wood grains, is quick-drying and creates a tough top coat. Additionally, lacquers provide good protection to wooden furniture against damage from water, acids and alkalis. Lacquers are comparatively thinner than other available wood finishes and easily penetrate deep inside the wood to provide added protection. If you are looking for a cost-effective and an easy-to-use wood finish, here is a guide to using lacquers.
Area of application
- For a high-gloss finish on wood, lacquers are an excellent choice. They are also available in finishes ranging from matte to high-gloss.
- Lacquer finish works very well for wooden furniture indoors. Make sure that the lacquered piece of furniture is away from sunlight, as UV rays may damage the coating.
- Lacquer finish is suitable for low-foot-traffic residential wood floors.It is not recommended for floors in high-foot-traffic areas because lacquer is prone to scratches and may look dull or worn-out after some use.
Application technique
The steps for the application of lacquer on wood are as follows:
The steps for the application of lacquer on wood are as follows:
- Sand the wooden surface till smooth; seal the imperfections and pores. Keep the workplace dust-free to prevent dust particles from settling onto the lacquer when wet.
- Keep the windows open during application of lacquers (especially if using a spray gun), because the solvents present in the lacquer have a strong odour and are highly inflammable. The toxic fumes need to be flushed away by fresh air.
- Use at least two coats of lacquer primer as the base coat so that the lacquer can adhere properly.
- Apply a coat of lacquer and allow it to dry completely.You don’t have to sand between coats as the solvent in the new coat will partially dissolve the previous coat of lacquer to form a fresh layer.
- Repeat the same process. Two coats of lacquer are sufficient for the wood.
Lacquer maintenance
Dust the surface regularly with a soft dry cloth; you can even wipe it with a damp cloth. For deep cleaning use a solvent-based furniture cleaner and immediately clean with a dry cloth. As routine maintenance, the lacquer needs to be re-coated every year.
Note: Lacquered finishes are only suitable for new surfaces of wood or for previously lacquered wood. Keep in mind that if lacquer is applied on a previously painted or polished surface it may strip out the old finish from its base on the wood surface.
Read more:
Lacquer, Varnish or Polyurethane: Which Wood Finish is Best?
Enhance the Wooden Elements in Your Home With Wood Varnish
Tell us:
Do you have any special tips for using lacquer on wood? Share in the Comments section below.
Dust the surface regularly with a soft dry cloth; you can even wipe it with a damp cloth. For deep cleaning use a solvent-based furniture cleaner and immediately clean with a dry cloth. As routine maintenance, the lacquer needs to be re-coated every year.
Note: Lacquered finishes are only suitable for new surfaces of wood or for previously lacquered wood. Keep in mind that if lacquer is applied on a previously painted or polished surface it may strip out the old finish from its base on the wood surface.
Read more:
Lacquer, Varnish or Polyurethane: Which Wood Finish is Best?
Enhance the Wooden Elements in Your Home With Wood Varnish
Tell us:
Do you have any special tips for using lacquer on wood? Share in the Comments section below.
Lacquers can be classified into three categories:
- Nitrocellulose lacquers are quick-drying solvent-based lacquers that are sensitive to heat and are toxic, volatile and highly flammable. One drawback of such finish for wood is that they tend to get yellow over time, hence they are not recommended for light-coloured wood.
- Acrylic lacquers dry very quickly and are composed of non-yellowing agents and do not attain a yellowish tinge as time goes on. This characteristic makes them suitable for application on light-coloured wood.
- Water-based lacquers are non-toxic in nature, with low levels of VOC (volatile organic compounds), but do not have the same heat resistance as the other types of lacquers.
Some lacquer finishes come with colour pigments that darken the colour of wood.