As a follow-up to my article on using CL100 Crosslinker, now is a great time to answer a related question, namely: What is the best way for you and/or your customers to SAFELY clean spills, grease, dirt, etc., from a Target Coatings-finished project? It’s a related question because, even though CL100 Crosslinker increases our coatings’ […]
How to Safely Clean Projects Finished with Target Coatings Read More »
My last article explored the value and purpose for using Target Coatings SA5 Brush and Spray Retarder, especially in warm and/or dry weather environments. For this post, I’ll explain how and when you might want to use the other additive Target Coatings offers, CL100 water-based crosslinker. Part 1: What is a Crosslinker (vs. a Catalyst)
How to Use a Crosslinker with Water-Based Finishes Read More »
Updated: July 2024 Varnish – it’s a word that has seen a lot of mileage over the centuries. It is perhaps the oldest type of coating chemistry man has kept in his artisan quiver of tools to protect a wide array of objects and surfaces. Can a water-based varnish exist in modern times? Varnish is
Is There Such a Thing as Water-Based Varnish? Read More »
As we transition into the dog days of summer, now is a good time to talk about the potential challenges of wood finishing in warm weather. As we have discussed in a previous article about wood finishing in cold temperatures, wood coatings can be sensitive to environmental conditions and therefore different techniques for application may
Wood Finishing in Warm Weather Read More »
Have you ever wondered why, for example, when you order EM2000… The product that arrives is also labeled EM2382? Or why Emtech® products have different label colors? Or what the 6- to 7-digit lot number means? Even long-time Target Coatings customers are sometimes confused by our labeling system, which I’ll explain below. First, it is
Prime, Paint, or Topcoat? Let Our Labels Guide You Read More »
Updated: May 2024 My earlier post about water based varnish generated some questions about water based lacquer, so I’ll address those today. Just so you know, anywhere from three to four times a day my phone rings and a customer asks, “Does [this product] create a lacquer type finish?” When the word “lacquer” enters the
A Water Based Lacquer? Making Sense of the Confusion Read More »
A candy coat wood finish can be achieved on many types of projects, and this article will focus specifically on how to achieve it even when you are working with darker colors. Why am I highlighting “darker colors?” When using darker, pigmented colors in a 1K paint coating system (a single-component coating that does not
How to Create a Candy Coat Wood Finish Read More »
Updated: April 2024 Before you can decide whether water based polyurethane or oil based polyurethane is best for your project, you need to define what you want the end result to look like and how you want it to perform. Let’s start with why you would use polyurethane in the first place vs. other types
Water Based Polyurethane: The Best Choice for Your Project Read More »
As a finisher with regular contact with potentially hazardous chemicals, I hope you question the wood finishing safety differences between water based coatings and their traditional solvent based counterparts, particularly concerning their performance and their impact on your health and the environment. In my earlier years, I underestimated the significance of these questions. But as
Navigating Health and Safety When Wood Finishing: A Practical Guide Read More »
Any time there’s a stretch of cold weather we usually receive a fresh batch of calls and emails about concerns related to cold-weather applications. So, now is a great time to remind everyone that water based coatings are typically more sensitive to cold weather than those based on oil or other solvents and extra attention
Working with Water Based Wood Finishes in Cold Weather Months Read More »
