Lacquers are clear or coloured finishes for wood that dry by a process of evaporation, or curing producing a hard, durable finish. Lacquer finishes can be matt, eggshell (semi-matt), gloss, or high gloss and can be applied directly to the finished, natural wood, over a wood stain, or even over a water-based paint finish.
Lacquer Spraying A Wooden Box
Polmac (UK) Ltd uses clear lacquer finishes because they dry quickly, are durable and enhance the natural beauty, depth and richness of the wood. They also protect the wood from unsightly finger marks.
The term lacquer is derived from a Sanskrit word lākshā which means 'wax'. In ancient India, people used the reddish, resinous secretions from the 'Lac' insect as a wood finish.
There are many different kinds of lacquer, with different performance characteristics.
Polmac (UK) Ltd however, uses water-based, clear lacquers because they are durable, have good abrasion resistance, low odour and exclude many of the flammable and corrosive ingredients of other lacquers.
Polmac (UK) Ltd however, uses water-based, clear lacquers because they are durable, have good abrasion resistance, low odour and exclude many of the flammable and corrosive ingredients of other lacquers.
Drying Rack
Water-based lacquers are usually made with either an acrylic resin or an acrylic urethane mixture. The addition of urethane makes the resin tougher and more scratch resistant. When applied, each new coat partially dissolves the previous coat and chemically bonds with it. This characteristic makes these finishes easy to maintain.
Polmac lacquers are applied to our wood presentation boxes in the Spraying Room, using special spraying equipment, although they are sometimes brush applied. Protective breathing suits have to be worn by operatives when spraying, because of the solvents present in the lacquer.
After the application of each coat, the wooden boxes are put on special, metal drying racks with spaces between, ready for the next coat. The drying racks allow plenty of air to circulate around the wooden boxes, so they dry as quickly as possible.
Because water-based lacquers are quick to dry, several coats can be applied in one day, making them very economical to use.
Lacquer finishes can be easily cleaned using just soap and water and due to their stability, they are also useful for colour matching purposes later, if required.
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