[kelvancra]

I disagree that latex is formulated for brush and roller. I used hundreds of gallons commercially applying it with brush, roller, airless and HVLP. It was all good, whether adding a bit of Flotrol or using it straight. My only rule was, I couldn't afford cheap.

 

[SweetTea]

I know people do it successfully, but why even bother trying to spray latex paint in the first place? Latex paint is formulated for brushing/rolling. Consider spraying an opaque lacquer instead. You will get a better finish off the gun. There are many options, but in water borne the Target Coatings EM6500 can be tinted to match any color in the BM spectrum. Something to consider for your kitchen project.

- TungOil

Can you get a lacquer in white or alabaster? Where can this be purchased? Is this the preferred method and product by cabinet makers?

 

[TungOil]

Can you get a lacquer in white or alabaster? Where can this be purchased? Is this the preferred method and product by cabinet makers?

- SweetTea

Yes, one source is Target Coatings, but there are others like General Finishes, etc:

https://www.targetcoatings.com/product/emtech-em6500-wb-bright-white-pastel-lacquer/

Target claims EM6500 can be tinted to match any color needed. Lacquer is relatively easy to spray with even basic spray equipment since it is very forgiving. Call Jeff at Target and he will give you good advice to match your specific application.

As for lacquer being the 'preferred' topcoat by cabinet makers, that is harder to answer. in the 70's and early 80's the answer was certainly yes. Since then a lot of improved products have come to market like conversion varnishes, etc. but these are more difficult to apply and in some cases require special equipment or environmental controls. But one thing remains true- lacquer is still a very forgiving topcoat which makes it well suited for DIY folks that lack the sophisticated spray equipment and booths needed to handle the newer finishes. Water borne products are especially suited to DIY since you eliminate a lot of the solvent safety and disposal issues.

The reason I like lacquer is that they 'burn in' to the previous coats, essentially becoming one thick coat after all the applications are sprayed. This allows the final finish to be more easily rubbed out if necessary without the risk of rubbing through the top layer and exposing the layer below. They can also be easily repaired later if needed. Overall they are very forgiving to spray and rub out which (in my opinion) makes them the best sprayable topcoat for DIYers. A lacquer finish will generally not be as durable as some of the newer topcoats like conversion varnish, but should produce a smoother, more durable finish than a latex based product.

Just my opinion based on my personal experience.

 

[SweetTea]

Can you get a lacquer in white or alabaster? Where can this be purchased? Is this the preferred method and product by cabinet makers?

- SweetTea

Yes, one source is Target Coatings, but there are others like General Finishes, etc:

https://www.targetcoatings.com/product/emtech-em6500-wb-bright-white-pastel-lacquer/

Target claims EM6500 can be tinted to match any color needed. Lacquer is relatively easy to spray with even basic spray equipment since it is very forgiving. Call Jeff at Target and he will give you good advice to match your specific application.

As for lacquer being the preferred topcoat by cabinet makers, that is harder to answer. in the 70 s and early 80 s the answer was certainly yes. Since then a lot of improved products have come to market like conversion varnishes, etc. but these are more difficult to apply and in some cases require special equipment or environmental controls. But one thing remains true- lacquer is still a very forgiving topcoat which makes it well suited for DIY folks that lack the sophisticated spray equipment and booths needed to handle the newer finishes. Water borne products are especially suited to DIY since you eliminate a lot of the solvent safety and disposal issues.

The reason I like lacquer is that they burn in to the previous coats, essentially becoming one thick coat after all the applications are sprayed. This allows the final finish to be more easily rubbed out if necessary without the risk of rubbing through the top layer and exposing the layer below. They can also be easily repaired later if needed. Overall they are very forgiving to spray and rub out which (in my opinion) makes them the best sprayable topcoat for DIYers. A lacquer finish will generally not be as durable as some of the newer topcoats like conversion varnish, but should produce a smoother, more durable finish than a latex based product.

Just my opinion based on my personal experience.

- TungOil

Ok, thank you for the info. What are the pro's and con's of spraying a white tinted lacquer in a shop setting, on cabinetry using an HVLP gun, versus spraying regular latex paints and primers? What about spraying oil based or acrylic water based paints in the same situation?

 

[TungOil]

Ok, thank you for the info. What are the pro's and con's of spraying a white tinted lacquer in a shop setting, on cabinetry using an HVLP gun, versus spraying regular latex paints and primers? What about spraying oil based or acrylic water based paints in the same situation?

- SweetTea

Someone with more experience spraying the various products like Charles Neil would be best able to answer these questions.

From my experience lacquers dry very quickly, which makes them well suited for those of us that have to spray in temporary spray booths or outdoors. Less time for dust and bugs to contaminate the finish. The oil based products I have used dry very slowly- usually I need to wait 24 hours to recoat. With lacquer I can recoat in an hour or less at times and get a typical piece of furniture completely finished in a day. When I worked in a production shop we routinely sprayed out a kitchen in the morning, then loaded the truck in the afternoon for installation the next day.

 

[SweetTea]

Does anyone know if the tinted white lacquer (or any other color of tinted lacquer) dries as fast as clear lacquer?