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 …
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 …
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 …
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 »
By now all the reputable design magazines and websites such as Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Real Simple, and Houzz have released their design and 2024 wood finishing trends… And I read a ton of them. They have all weighed in on what they see will be the hot new color of the year, how to …
We’re taking our own advice and starting the year strong! As you may have noticed, we incorporated a bunch of new ideas and improvements to Target Coatings…and we’re not done yet. Below are Parts 1 and 2 of our quick rundown of what’s already “live,” and what’s on the horizon… 2024 UPGRADES, PART 1 Website …
Exciting, 2024 Upgrades Available Now (with More on the Way) Read More »
