Top Coating is Easy

...ONCE YOU DISCOVER THE SECRETS!

Questions and concerns about top coating furniture is one of the most talked about problems for furniture flippers.

When I first started it took me what felt like forever to figure out why I was getting streaks every single time I attempted to add my poly to the top of a buffet. I was causing drag. Drag is when you overlap your swipes of poly after it has already started to dry.

Companies add an agent to make the poly dry fast and for some you have to swipe super fast to avoid drag. If you don't, you'll get streaks. It's one of the most frustrating issues to deal with if you don't know why it happens or how to fix it.

My heart goes out to those having trouble with top coating because I was there. Ugh. Until I figured it out, I went to sleep stressing over it and woke up so frustrated that it was the first thing on my mind.

I Spent Two Weeks Looking for Answers

I watched every video I could find. I read blogs. I experimented.

I honestly wanted to throw the buffet out the door but it was too heavy for me to lift! If this sounds familiar, how about I share the secret to top coating with you today - would that be ok?

The Videos

Below are short-and-to-the-point videos demonstrating fail safe techniques for applying water-based poly with a few tips. No more sleepless nights and throwing things out the window! I also have videos and instructions on other products like oil-based polyurethane, waxes and products like Hot Wax Oil in my membership, Furniture Flipping Blueprint. You'll hear more about that later. Meanwhile, feel free to message me if you have questions.

Many have asked what I use...here are links to the products that make my life easier:

CrystaLac Acrylothane: A NEW product on the market that has more solids than others, causing it to be super durable. Great open time, dries crystal clear, easy to apply, super affordable.

Retique It Polyacrylic: durable, great open time, easy to apply, dries clear, affordable and Retique It Tripletique: Super durable, great open time, easy to apply, dries clear, more pricy. Both have more solids than most products which makes them more durable than the average.

Water-based Polyacrylic or Polyurethane

 

Video #1 - Applying in Strips Works for Every Brand of Water-based Poly (1min 59sec)

This video shows you how I apply poly using a car detailer sponge.

If painted, make sure the surface is smooth before applying poly. If not, lightly sand to smooth it out. At that point you'll see if you need another coat of paint. If stained, don't sand because you might remove stain. The time to make sure it is smooth is before you stain.

Apply poly in a dust free zone. Be sure not to walk by it as it dries because you might stir up fuzz or dust from your clothes or in the air that may settle on the poly as it dries. If using a product that dries very fast, work quickly, overlapping about an inch with each swipe, starting on the far side. If you missed a spot, wait until your second coat to catch it to avoid drag.

NOTE: With the Retique It or CrystaLac water-based polyurethane, you will not need to sand between coats (unless you have dust that has settled onto the poly before it dried). These products are made to bond to one another.

You can also use a regular brush or foam brush to apply. They have great open time, which means you have a good amount of time to work with it. You get less drag with these products because of this. They are super easy to use.

 VIDEO #2 - Great Open Time (54sec)

This video shows how easy it is to use a product that has great open time. I find it easiest to put my polyacrylic into an easy to open squeeze bottle and then apply it like this. After I get the right amount on evenly, I then I go over it to smooth it out, side to side, making sure I don't have drips down the sides. There is no hurry to apply a poly with great open time.

The nice part about using a sponge is it's ability to conform to the curves on the sides.

If possible, have an overhead light to help you see if you have covered it well while it's still dry. If you see you have missed a spot, and are using a product that has great open time, you can go back over it and then smooth it out again.

 VIDEO #3 - Spraying Water-based Poly/Varnish Using a HomeRight Paint Sprayer (2min)

This video shows how easy it is to spray poly. If the piece will be outside, be sure to use an exterior product like CrabCoat Exterior Marine Finish. I now use CrabCoat for all my outside pieces.

Water-based topcoats are usually thin enough to spray through a paint sprayer without thinning, but if it needs to be thinned, just use the viscosity cup to measure by timing how quickly it drains out of the cup in the same way you would if you were spraying paint.

    1. Pour poly in the container. Make sure the feed tube is pointed in the right direction.
    2. Assemble and practice spray pattern on a piece of cardboard before spraying your piece.
    3. Start off the piece, spray one full length and spray off the other side before doing another swipe.
    4. Apply a thin coat.
    5. Let dry at least two hours before re-coating (read instruction on the can). Lightly sand with 400 grit or higher to remove dust or fuzz and wipe down with a damp cloth.
    6. Re-coat as many times as needed.
    7. Clean out your sprayer well by spraying warm soapy water through the sprayer. Clean all the parts.

There is so much more I can share with you if you're interested in some insider tips. Some I'll share in future emails, others you'll find exclusively in the Blueprint, like:

  • How to keep your paint from getting globs or drying out
  • How to get extra durability even when using flat poly
  • How to save time and effort when you have several coats to apply
  • How to avoid the most common mistakes when applying a sealer
  • Why some sealers fail - it's not always the fault of the product!
  • How to avoid issues with dust and globbies in your poly and tricks to top coating light colors
  • How your workshop might be causing issues with your sealer
  • How to apply sealer over metallic paint

I hope this was a help to you. It's good to surround yourself with experts who have been around the block or two - to learn the insider tips not only helps you to avoid mistakes but to also save you time, money and frustration. Everything you do affects your bottom line, not just the price you put on the piece.

ValFrania.com

Many blessings,

Val Frania

PS: Drop me a line to let me know if you plan to implement some of these tips. You can email me directly at Val@ValFrania.com or find me on Facebook.

 

Furniture Flipping Blueprint