best finish with polyurethane

[Spamlet]

Read the tin: seems like you have not done much varnishing lately!

S

[Spamlet]

And as formica is basically varnish and paper, one would have thought them to be fairly compatible.

S

[dadiOH]

Only if it is water based. Not all "modern varnishes" are. ____________

It washes out with water because WATER IS THE SOLVENT in the product. Water base polyurethane, __________

Regarding the sable brushes, I agree that artist's brushes are handy.

[Spamlet]

But it does not say so on the tin of Ronseal Diamond Hard that I was talking about: it just says brushes wash out in water, and I'm not psychic to know whether this is because water is the solvent or because there are emulsifiers or surfactants included of whether indeed the solvent might be glycol or alcohol based or based on something I've never heard of.

S

[Leon]

I read the lable that you provided in your post below, it is a water based finish. The reason to not use steel wool is to prevent rust stains from the water based finish.

[Leon]

PREPARATION: Ensure all surfaces are free from wax, grease and oil by wiping with a cloth dampened with white spirit. Bare Wood: Sand smooth with fine sandpaper. Do not use steel wool. Remove dust with a damp cloth.

Do not use steel wool because small broken pieces of it will rust because of the water in the product and stain your finish.

[Spamlet]

Alright, I missed the last bit, but it only says there is water in the product not that it is the main solvent: the foregoing part about wiping down with white spirit rather gives the impression that they would not advise you getting water in it. Also, I have found that, unlike water based paints, this varnish does not raise the grain of wood. In fact, I have actually used it as a wood primer when I could not lay my hands on a solvent based one locally, in a hurry.

S

[stuart noble]

All this is complicated by the fact that some oil based finishes contain water i.e. the oil plus a small amount of solvent is emulsified in the water, supposedly providing the best of both worlds.

[dadiOH]

No, they don't want you to get oil - or grease, etc. - in it. That's why they tell you to clean the surface with alcohol. Water and oil don't mix.

[dadiOH]

[stuart noble]

Certainly oil based paints I've used you can wash off the brushes with hot water and detergent, but that instruction is the only indication that it contains water. Anything to get the VOC down I suppose.

[S Viemeister]

I was very surprised when I bought gloss paint for a garden bench - it looked and smelled like standard oil-based paint, but the instructions said to use water to wash the brushes. The coating lasted for 4 or 5 years, in an exposed location on the north coast of Scotland.

I don't remember the brand, but I bought it from B&Q.

[Spamlet]

White spirit is not an alcohol and does not mix with water.

This thread is being trolled. S

[Nova]

I've never heard of an any oil based paint where the brushes could be cleaned with hot water and detergent. Could you specify what product?

[Spamlet]

In my youth I watched my father on many occasions washing brushes in thick washing powder 'solution'. In those days there were not many other household cleaning agents, and washing powder was used for many things, including washing dishes. I still use a sequence of: wipe brushes as dry as possible on sheets of newspaper; then hot water and detergent, and dry wipe on newspaper again; then a last clean up in brush cleaner or white spirit. That way you minimise the amount of dirty solvent you are left with having to dispose of.

S

[stuart noble]

Not offhand. An exterior paint from B&Q IIRC.

[dadiOH]

Just about any. What does soap do? It emulsifies oil.

BTW, cold water works too.

[dadiOH]

OK, clean with anything that removes/dissolves oil and grease and does not leave a residue.

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------- Years ago would clean brushes used with oil based material with waterless had soap like Go-Jo, then finish with water.

Worked for me.

YMMV

Lew

[Leon]

Not sure I am going to buy into that.....