Lacquer over emulsion?

Question

My daughter has been decorating their master bedroom which features some very serviceable built in wardrobes.

They are melamine in a fake wood grain and she wanted them to match the painted walls. She called the Dulux helpline who suggested a 'difficult surface primer'. She has sanded them & applied 2 coats of the primer, followed by three coats of emulsion and they look fantastic.

The problem is, the surface is fairly delicate and scuffs/scratches easily.

I reckon a coat of some kind of clear lacquer would help. Don't like the idea of varnish in case it yellows.

Any suggestions?

newshound · Accepted Answer

I'm not sure that it would. Sounds to me like the issue is lack of adhesion of the emulsion (my emulsion on shuttering ply wardrobe interior is very durable). A tough lacquer is just going to pull the emulsion off if scuffed.

polygonum · Answer

Have often used one of the tough flooring grade acrylic varnishes over emulsion. Very pleased with the quality of the finish even after about

10 years. No obvious yellowing. Little, if any, surface damage. I always used rollers - the gentle orange-peel effect looks OK to my eyes.

The actual product I used was bought from Screwfix and was produced by a company somewhere in Essex.

The Medway Handyman · Answer

She described it a 'soft'. I think the adhesion is OK.

stuart noble · Answer

I'd use Rustins Clear Plastic Coating. *Genuinely* clear and  non-yellowing. Also incredibly tough, but the emulsion will always be  the weak point in the finish. I'd sand it to death before applying the  varnish. Call it shabby chic :-)

newshound · Answer

Doesn't "soft" sound a little bit like "too thick" to you? I would still worry slightly about putting "hard on soft" even if you are right about the adhesion.

Not saying you are not right about that, you can't really tell from a distance. You can test for adhesion by applying, and then pulling off, suitable sticky tape, if you have a hidden area which you could sacrifice.

I suppose "soft" might also mean "not cured properly", but that's not something I'd normally associate with primer or emulsion.

stuart noble · Answer

Just to add that a little of that stuff goes a long way, and the 250ml  size would probably be plenty. Apply sparingly with a rag if you don't  want a mirror finish

polygonum · Answer

This is not the product I used, but reviews seem good:

meow2222 · Answer

I've mostly found their no nonsense products to be bottom scraping quality, and too often just not capable. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I wouldnt often gamble on buying them. NT

polygonum · Answer

You might be right. But it is made by a company with a long history of  paint making - Leyland/PPG - and a reasonable product reputation.

Lacquer over emulsion?

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