Using the lacquer as a finish has been done for a lot of ages. Nowadays, people also use epoxy, resins, etc.
They also put one on another to make the finish better. But not all of them become successful. This can generate a question in your mind about whether putting epoxy over lacquer can be successful or not.
so, Can you epoxy over lacquer?
There are 3 steps preparing the surface, making the epoxy, applying the epoxy over lacquer, etc that you need to maintain to apply epoxy over lacquer. You can try this at home to have a glossy and hard finish, a long-lasting, preventive, and water-resistant surface.
SKIP AHEAD
Can You Epoxy Over Lacquer?- 3 Steps to Follow
Can lacquer be applied over epoxy? Yes, you can but you can’t just pour it on the lacquer without any preparations. It will not give you the perfect finish that you may want.
Technically, you can apply epoxy over lacquer but still, you can’t do it casually. You will have to follow some precautions and steps here.
Step 1: Preparing the Surface of Lacquer
If you have just applied the lacquer, first let it dry completely. Then you should do sanding and then stripping on the lacquer surface. It’s very important to do.
If you have applied the lacquer a lot of days before, then you should still do sanding and then stripping the surface.
As a result, if there are any scratches or dirt, or other imperfections on the surface, it will remove all of them.
And it will also make the surface ready for applying the epoxy. And also remove all the dirt after sanding on the surface.
Now apply painter’s tape at the sides of the lacquer and wood to avoid any drip of the epoxy. And make sure to use a plastic or card on the area where you are applying epoxy over lacquer.
Step 2: Mixing the Epoxy
The precautions can be different depending on the type of epoxy. You can know the precautions easily from the brand’s page or the manual. But there are some things which you should always follow.
The precautions are always about mixing the epoxy. That’s why different brands of epoxy will give you different formulas to mix with hardeners. Ratios will be different. Always stir them for about 5 minutes.
But still, there are some things common to follow. Like, you should always mix the epoxy in a dust-free and well-ventilated environment.
Always wear gloves while mixing them. And always mix them in cold temperatures like under the temperature of 18 C.
Step 3: Applying the Lacquer
You should always apply them just after making the mixture. You can pour a lot of epoxy mixture just in the middle of the lacquer.
Then you can use a foam brush or roller to take the epoxy to the edges of the surface. You should do it in a back-and-forth motion. Then you should also wipe off the excess epoxy which is on the brush.
There are many perfect foam brushes especially for applying epoxy like perfect brushes for Shellac. Here we have recommended some foam brushes for you that will be perfect for applying the epoxy.
Hope they will be helpful to you.
Then take a heat gun or hair dryer and hold it up about 6 to 10 inches above the layer of epoxy. Switch it on and move it back and forth continuously. It will remove all the air bubbles from the coating of epoxy.
After applying the first coat, you can’t just apply the second coat here. You should let the first coat sit for about 6 hours. Then apply the second coat.
You can apply up to 4 coats to make the surface of the lacquer hard and adjust with epoxy.
Normally, lacquer doesn’t take a lot of time to dry. But epoxy takes a lot. This is one of the important differences between lacquer and epoxy.
As epoxy takes a lot of time to dry, you should wait for a minimum of 12 hours to 24 hours after applying the epoxy.
Will epoxy stick to lacquer? Normally, it doesn’t, if you apply the epoxy over lacquer.
Can you put lacquer over epoxy resin? No, you shouldn’t. As epoxy can stick to the lacquer in this case and it will make the surface awful.
That’s it. Now you know the perfect answer to your question and also the steps to apply it.
4 Reasons Why You Should Epoxy Over Lacquer
Till now, you have known how to apply epoxy over lacquer. But why should you do it?
What are the benefits you will get by doing this? Will this be helpful or not? Well, this is so helpful, and believe us, you will never regret doing this.
Then what are the benefits? Let us know the benefits together!
Reason 1: Glossy Finish
Do you want to remove the boringness of your lacquer-based furniture? Then think of applying epoxy to it.
Epoxy can give the surface a glossy finish. It will provide some sheen to the surface and make it shiny. It will reflect the light from the surface.
As a result, it will make that furniture more attractive and beautiful.
Well, you can also apply Danish oil to make your lacquer-based furniture a glossy finish. But by doing so, you can’t enjoy the other benefits of epoxy.
You can think of doing this with the furniture of the dining area, kitchen area, etc.
Reason 2: Prevention
Wanna give your lacquer-based furniture the power of prevention? Then Epoxy can help you to do so.
Epoxy is known to prevent any kind of scratches, friction, or other harmful things that can damage the surface of the furniture.
You can notice many scratches and imperfections on the lacquer. You can easily avoid this if you apply epoxy over them. Because epoxy will prevent all these unwanted things.
So, in order to give your furniture the power of prevention, then you can think of applying epoxy over the lacquer.
Reason 3: Water-Resistant
Who doesn’t want to make their furniture water-resistant? It’s everyone’s dream to do so.
Because in our everyday life, while using the furniture, you can mistakenly fall some water on it. Or it can happen because of rain too.
If water goes inside the wood, it will damage it from inside and will sometimes rot it too.
Lacquer is not water-resistant. That’s why it can’t prevent it from doing so.
But epoxy is proven to be water resistant and protects the wood from the water going through it. As a result, it will be saved from rotting too.
So, if you apply epoxy over lacquer-based wood, it will be water-resistant and prevent any kind of damage too.
You can easily use those woods in the furniture of the garden, roof, the wood of the exterior column, and the outdoor furniture and wooden decorations of outdoor areas.
Reason 4: Long-Lastingness
Long Lastingness is a very important thing to consider while making any furniture and doing the surface finish.
Some finishes of the furniture can make it long-lasting but some can’t. If you can choose the long-lasting one, you can use that furniture for a lot of years and that too, without any damage.
Lacquer can give the wood durability but it can’t make it long-lasting. You can use that furniture for about some years and within these years the color can change too.
But epoxy can give long-lastingness to your furniture. As a result, you can use it for a lot of years and you don’t have to waste your money by making the furniture again.
And the good news is that epoxy can provide long-lastingness to your lacquer-based furniture too.
If you have already applied lacquer on your furniture, then don’t worry. You can apply epoxy over it. And it will make it long-lasting too.
So, you can easily think of applying epoxy over lacquer.
FAQs
What are the dissimilarities between clear coat and lacquer?
The main difference between a clear coat and a lacquer is that a clear coat can cure the painted surface after drying but lacquer can’t cure the painted surface after drying. It happens because of the chemical reactions of some solvent agents that are present in the clear coat of enamel. That’s why the wood gets hard in a clear coat.
Can epoxy stick to any material?
Yes, epoxy can stick to some materials by making the finish awful but there are also some materials to which epoxy doesn’t stick. Like, these are silicone, rubber, vinyl, hot glue, plastic bags, sheathing tape, polyethylene plastics, wax paper, silicone sealant caulk, parchment paper, plastic containers, etc.
How can fish eyes be generated in epoxy?
Well, it’s very important for the epoxy to wet the applied area. If it cannot wet the area, then it can generate fish eyes there. It can happen when the surface area is contaminated. If there is any kind of oil, grease, wax, silicone, or dirt on the surface area, then the surface area can be contaminated.
Final Words
Hoping that now you have the perfect answer to your query, Can you epoxy over lacquer?. From our expert guidelines, you know all the steps and reasons to consider before applying epoxy over lacquer.
It’s time to say goodbye, my friend. Share with us about your experience and adventure.
Till then, Good Luck!
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