Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Aug 29, 2008 05:00pm | #1

   The varathane web pages don't show a product with exactly the name you give.  The current product line up seems to me to all have the word polyurethane appearing prominently.  You might find the paarticular product if you go to http://www.rustoleum.com and search for the MSDS under the specific SKU or UPC code on the label (near the machine readable bars). 

   Most of the Varathane MSDS are the typical vague and minimally informative documents.  I did run across one of them where someone slipped and put in a rather full ingredient list of the other than hazardous materials.  This showed about 20% acyrlic emulsion, along with 5% polyurethane dispersion, and various defoamer, and other minor additives including a surprising (to me) inclusion of a small amount of silicone resin solution (0.22%) 

   None of that really addresses your questions.  I tend to think of the waterborne finishes as having about the same protective capabilities as nitrocellulose lacquer, which is subject to water rings. 

   There is a fool proof way to avoid water rings, however.  Have a few coasters setting on each the susceptible surfaces.  That's usually enough hint that people will use them. 

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Aug 29, 2008 06:30pm | #2

   Varathane Diamond is a waterborne acrylic polyurethane. In other words, it's an acrylic with a dollop of urethane added to improve scratch resistance.

   It will produce a water clear finish.

   Howie.........
3. 
   Rich14 | Aug 30, 2008 03:05pm | #3

   I've used this product for quite a bit of finishing. It's water-based. I spray it right out of the can. I've used a conventional sprayer and an HVLP. No special preparation. It's pleasant to use as there is no toxic solvent in the air, but I do use a mask as there's still spray mist to deal with. But that's gone in seconds.

   The first and second coats are the "self-sealer" coats. They're applied full-strength. The first coat raises grain big time. I remove all the nibs and roughness lightly with 220 grit to as even a surface as I can obtain. It sands very easily and very fast. The second coat raises a tiny bit of grain. Same 220 treatment.

   Then I apply 2 or 3 light to medium coats, leveling the first 2 with 320 grit to a completely even "ground glass" surface. I wait 2-3 days before leveling.

   The final coat waits 3-4 weeks and gets leveled perfectly smooth with 320 then either 4-0 steel wool, which leaves a bright satin finish or I continue to rub out with auto polishing compound and swirl remover (Meguiar's Scratch X. It polishes to a high gloss.

   It's crystal clear. It dries water white. (immediately after brushing or spraying it's milky white - but not blue like some other water borne finishes). It doesn't yellow. It is very hard. I haven't tried to see how well it stands up to water but I assume it is as good as any other decent varnish or a lacquer surface. I began using it to finish maple which I wanted to stay as white as possible. The finish itself hasn't yellowed and the maple hasn't yellowed under the finish after 3 years.

   I used it to finish the bullnose leading edges on stair treads. I rubbed the bullnose out to high gloss which looks great against the matte-finished maple of the main part of the treads (pre-finished hardwood flooring). After 3 years, there is no discernible wear on the bullnose.

   Rich

   
   

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   Edited 8/30/2008 1:02 pm ET by Rich14

1. 
   Terrenord | Aug 30, 2008 08:15pm | #5

   Thanks,

   Any special things I should worry about if I'm brushing it on?  I don't have a sprayer at the moment, so I was wondering if I could just use a poly sponge brush.

1. 
   Rich14 | Aug 30, 2008 08:53pm | #6

   Brushing will generate bubbles. There's nothing you can do to completely eliminate them, but you can minimize them. Stir gently and let the bubbles come to the top before using.Yes, you can use a sponge brush. Not the best kind of brush, but it will get the job done. Brush gently in one direction only with a well-loaded, but not dripping-wet brush. Don't try to "paint," don't worry about the bubbles that form in the wake of the brush or the ones that seem to come up seconds or a minutes later. Many, if not all of them will disappear.Let each application dry completely, and level/scuff sand it (use a knife or very sharp chisel for any drips or runs first). If it doesn't produce a powdery dust, it's not dry enough for leveling. This will take care of initial grain raising, any nibs at each step, bubbles, low-flying insects, etc. Level/scuff sanding removes all the anxiety about dust, drips, etc, and prepares the surface for the next application.Give it every bit of 3-4 weeks before final rubbing out. It needs that long to cure to hardness for polishing.It's a high-quality product, perfectly capable of fine-furniture finishing, and can be made to look almost like a thin film lacquer or can be built up as a thicker film, as needed.If there's any negative, it adds no color "warmth." It's perfectly neutral. Since all oil-based varnishes add a familiar amber tint, some finishers find the completely neutral look too "cold." For me, that's a plus with maple.Rich

2. 
   lwj2 | Aug 31, 2008 06:15pm | #7

   You might want to try padding it on with a cloth pad, I've found that there aren't any bubbles when doing this.The downside of padding on a finish is that it produces a thin coat, so you'll need to apply at least three coats, sanding lightly between coats.Leon

4. 
   Dave45 | Aug 30, 2008 04:39pm | #4

   I haven't used it for a while but IIRC, it's water based. Check the cleanup instructions. If it says soap and water, it's a water based product.