Can you spray lacquer over conversion varnish. Lacquer as long as you got the majority of the original finish off i dont think the tiny bit left in the crevices will matter at all. First determine if the paint has been clear coated in any way already. Water based varnishes are an exception to this rule. Lacquer varnish shellac conversion varnish and polyurethane all serve to protect a wood product from water heat and other spills.
If a conversion varnish goes beyond the specified pot life it becomes gel like and can no longer be sprayed. In the end they get just as scratched and dull as a conventional lacquer. However each type of finish has a variety of pros and cons that you should consider to better determine which may be right for your application. Lastly todays conversion varnishes can have a pot life anywhere from 8 hrs to 3 weeks.
A conversion varnish is a high end solids two part post catalyzed lacquer which means a hardener must be mixed with this product for the application. Pot life is measured from the time you add the catalyst to the material until the product is no longer usable for spraying. Varnish including polyurethane varnish is meant for brushing. Look for an oil based varnish and read the package directions to ensure that it is compatible with an oil finish.
Test for conversion varnish vs. See if you cant make a sample using a dye stain first then go over that with the lacquer based stain only spraying it on and wiping it off. We will cover the. Varnish takes so long to dry that when it is sprayed all the surroundings become coated with a sticky mess.
Finishing with lacquer vs catalized varnish wood guy. If you can find a spray non wiping dye stain that is the way id go dont worry if it looks a little blotchy because the lacquer stain will even things out. I assume we are talking about oil based varnish. Conversion varnish is 40 60 solids by.
By applying a topcoat you can have a finished wood project that lasts for a long time to come. If you read some of the testing done by industry you will find that this is not as much time as you might think in light of all the ballyhoo. With a conversion varnish you are just buying a little more time. There are several things to consider when lacquering over painted wood.
Water base conversion varnish vs solvent based conversion varnish.