Most of the finishes you’ll see used on wood products are film-forming. And there are several reasons for this: They meet and, in most cases, exceed the KCMA standard (how a finish performs against typical household substances and extreme temperatures)… They are highly durable… And they are quick and easy to apply using standard finishing […]
When to Use a Penetrating Wood Finish Instead of a Film-Forming Finish Read More »
In Part 1 of this article, we covered the definition, importance, and measurement of wet film thickness. Today, we’ll do the same for dry film thickness. As important as wet film thickness is, “the total thickness of the film finish when dry” is equally important. This (in bold) is the definition of dry film thickness. Simply
Dry Film Thickness: Improving Water Based Film Finish Quality and Performance Read More »
There are several factors that influence the quality and performance of water based polyurethane and water based lacquer film finishes, including: Surface preparation… Finishing products… Application equipment… Environment (temperature & relative humidity)… And of course, knowledge and technique. An important part of knowledge and technique is knowing and applying the optimal thickness of finish to
A hand or power tool is an investment that can last many years when properly maintained. I assume caring for your tools is a ritual you follow, but what about your spray equipment? This seems to be a stumbling block for some folks, because over the past 35 years of crawling through finishing shops, I
My Wood Finishing Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet: Spray Gun Maintenance Read More »
‘Tis the season for giving, so today I thought we could exchange some ideas on the best wood finishing gifts you ever received…or gave. Feel free to think outside the box. It could be a tool or piece of equipment… Or simply a piece of great advice. Here’s are a few of my best wood
The Best Wood Finishing Gifts You Ever Received…or Gave Read More »
I think you’re going to like today’s topic, even if it’s not a technical, wood finishing “tip.” Given Labor Day is coming up and we’re honoring workers and workmanship… What I’d love to talk about is… How YOU got your start in wood finishing. Look, we all know woodworking and finishing isn’t easy – it
How You Got Started in Wood Finishing Read More »
If you’re reading this, you probably do most or all of your wood finishing. But there’s also a good chance (due to workload, scheduling, etc.,) you may need to find a good wood finisher you can rely on from time to time. The challenge is, trusting your work (and deadlines) to someone else isn’t easy.
How to Find a Good Wood Finisher When You Need One Read More »
We covered good ground in our last topic: “The best spray equipment to use for water based finishes.” Your responses were excellent! Today, let’s answer the next obvious question: Can a water based finish be brush applied? Yes, they can! It’s true: many water based formulas are engineered strictly for spray application. But others, like
Brushing a Water Based Finish Read More »
If you’re a regular reader, you know I dispense advice based on the frequency of the questions being asked. Notes from the Emtech Lab has covered a lot of ground over the past six months, but we have not touched on perhaps the most important topic yet – what type of spray equipment to use
The Best Spray Equipment for a Water Based Finish Read More »
There is an old saying in the paint and coatings industry that goes, “House Painters are not Fine Finishers, and Fine Finishers are not House Painters.” For years I tended to believe this basic, somewhat two-edged sword of an observation. Painting and wood finishing are two different skill sets, and require long apprenticeships to gain
Customer Spotlight: Sundeleaf Painting – Pride of the Pacific Northwest! Read More »
