Superior finish on complex woods (i.e. African Padauk)
For more than thirty years I’ve chased the ever-receding horizon of perfection, marrying technology to the warmth of wood so each piece delivers both poetry and everyday utility. That pursuit has taken me through the full catalog of traditional oil varnishes, lacquers, and hybrid potions. Too often they have asked me to compromise: toxic chemicals, harsh solvents, fire-risk rags, fussy pot lives, unpredictable color shift, lingering odors, and sticker shock at the cash register. I wanted the depth and durability oils confer, minus the toxins and drama.
Enter Target Coatings. I first rolled the dice on their Emtech 1000 Universal Sanding Sealer. Laid down through an HVLP gun (DeVilbiss DV1 1.3 tip @ 20-25 PSI) it atomized like a dream, settling into the grain of black walnut and African padauk with a clarity that seemed to switch the “depth” **** to full. Once burnished back with 400-grit, the surface felt glass-flat yet alive with exceptional depth and character.
Top-coating with Emtech 9300 Polycarbonate Urethane Matte sealed the deal, literally and figuratively. A year later my daughter’s art-and-snack table still shrugs off watercolor, glue, and the occasional spaghetti night. There’s zero yellowing, no plastic sheen, and, best of all, cleanup is a quick rinse instead of a hazardous lacquer-thinner bath. The finish simply disappears and lets the wood sing.
When my wife commissioned a six-foot armoire that would dominate our sunroom, I reached for the new EMCAT+ Si427 Sealer & Isolator plus EMCAT+ 2K Conversion Varnish system. It sprayed buttery smooth, leveled out quickly, and stacked for re-coat without any trouble. Padauk’s notoriously fugitive crimson remains vivid and brilliant, not the dull greyish red other finishes encourage, while the film locks down at an exceptionally durable hardness.
Across species such as African padauk, black walnut, and hard maple, the Target Coatings lineup has proven color-true, block-resistant, and blissfully forgiving of shop humidity swings. No blush, no witness lines, and no surprise adhesion failures when I edge-sand through a coat. The math is compelling too: no oily rags spontaneously combusting, easy cleanup with water, and affordability with super fast shipping.
I began this experiment hoping merely to reduce toxins; I ended up upgrading both aesthetic and performance. Target Coatings has earned a permanent shelf in my finish cabinet (literally the entire shelf now), and, judging by my clients’ double-takes, a permanent place in their living rooms as well.
Congratulations on 34 years Jeff!
I’ve been using your products since 2005 and have never been let down in either quality or customer service. Wishing you continued success .
Rob — Thank you for the kind words. We appreciate your business, and all of our customer who have been with us from the early days, and of course – those who are new to Emtech.
-JW-
Congratulations Jeff on 34years of making outstanding products. You have always been there with personal support for those that needed help (like me) at any time which has fallen out on most any industry today. Its something that you provide that just cannot be replaced. I also have been here since the early stages of target coatings, just can’t remember exactly when, I have always been able to rely on the product and the support to deliver good quality work and exceptional finish. You and your company are much appreciated, my success has been partly due to you and target coatings. thank you.
Congrats and good luck in the years to come to keep a really good thing going!
Scott – Thank you for your continued business and support. Your feedback over the years has been very helpful.
-JeffW-
Hey Jeff – 34 years is a success in it’s self. Shows commitment, as does your willingness to share your insight, one on one, with your customers. I think I’ve been using your finishes on furniture and cabinetry for 20+ years. I was very surprised to learn your initial market was the boating industry. Thanks again for a great, progressive product line.
Paul – It’s always good to hear from you. Thank you for your business and sharing your insight into product performance. Yes, 34 years is a long-haul.
-JeffW-