There can be quite a bit of confusion about whether or not you can put a clear coat on top of lacquer paint. We produce a lot of 100% genuine lacquer, so this is our experience and what we do for our production.
We spray a PU topcoat on top of our lacquer products. But to correctly spray the PU top coat, you need first to make sure the lacquer is completely dry, then spray a light PU clear coat on top of the paint. We sand in between each coat to ensure no issues with the topcoat layers. You also must be sure to spray the topcoat in a clean room and on a day when the weather will not affect the spray.
Table of Contents
- Use A PU Top Coat As The Clearcoat
- Steps And Process To Put A PU Clearcoat On Lacquer
- Related Content
Use A PU Top Coat As The Clearcoat
When we produce our 100% lacquer products, we always put a PU topcoat as a final coat on top of the lacquer. We do this because the PU topcoat will help protect the lacquer paint from getting damaged or having other issues. In other words, it also helps to seal the lacquer.
We will use a lot of gold or silver leaf when we produce our lacquer products. The PU topcoat will also help to protect the gold or silver leafing.
But with anything like putting on a topcoat, you should do things to ensure no finish or other issues when spraying the PU topcoat on the lacquer.
Steps And Process To Put A PU Clearcoat On Lacquer
You must take steps to ensure that the topcoat we put on to the lacquer does not have any issues or problems. Below are some of the things we do when putting on the PU topcoat on the lacquer and why each is step is an integral part of the process.
Make Sure Lacquer Is 100% Dry
Before you put any top coat on the lacquer, you must make sure the lacquer is 100% dry. It would be best to make sure that the top layer of your lacquer, including all the layers, is fully dry.
An essential consideration and a mistake that many people make when putting a top coat on top of a lacquer is not to ensure it is fully dry; they may think that the lacquer is completely dry, but it is not.
Spray PU Top Coat In A Clean Area
The spray area where you will spray the topcoat on the lacquer should also be clean and free from dust and other debris. If the air is extremely dusty or dirty, this will get into the topcoat of the lacquer, and the topcoat will not be clear.
It is also why when you go into a factory spraying a topcoat on the lacquer, they will make sure that the room and the area they are spraying are clean from any debris or dust or other foreign materials.
In some factories, you will also find a special room just for spraying the topcoat on the lacquer, as they want to be sure that the topcoat will not have any issues or problems.
Spray Topcoat On A Clear Day
The weather outside can also make a difference in your topcoat quality. When spraying the topcoat on the lacquer, you need to ensure it is clear and sunny.
If you spray it on a misty or foggy day, this could also affect the top coat and how it goes onto the lacquer. You will find that there is a good chance that the topcoat will become cloudy.
That is why whenever we spray our topcoat on the lacquer, we ensure the weather is clear and sunny. This will help us ensure that the topcoat will not have any dust or other debris that can interfere with the topcoat.
Spray A Light Clearcoat On the Lacquer
When we are going to spray a PU clear coat on top of the lacquer, one of the first things we will do is start with a light clear coat on top of the locker. You need to make sure that you do not spray a heavy clearcoat, as this could cause a problem with the clearcoat.
Sand Between Clearcoat Of The Lacquer
Once we have sprayed the clearcoat on the lacquer and that clearcoat is completely dried, we will lightly sand the first clear coat. It is vital at this stage that the clearcoat you just sprayed is also 100% dry.
To do the sanding, we will use very light sandpaper. You don’t need to sand the topcoat a lot but just enough to ensure that the next topcoat you spray will stay on top of the first topcoat. You also need to make sure that your standing is clean and clear and does not have any lines that can affect the look of the overall product.
Spray Final Clear Coat
Once we have sanded the topcoat, we will spray the final topcoat and allow it to dry. This, again, is another critical step, and like the other steps, you must make sure you are doing this on a clear day and in an area that does not have any dust or other debris that can interfere with the topcoat.
Spraying a clear topcoat on top of lacquer takes quite a bit of skill and knowledge to understand when, where, and how to spray the topcoat. It is not just a matter of taking the PU coat and sprayed on top, but it does require other additional steps.
It also requires knowledge to understand and ensure that the pieces are dried and spraying them on a sunny day and in the right area and spray room.
A Home Decor Home Furnishing product, such as lacquer production, is highly skilled and takes quite a bit of detailed knowledge and understanding to do it right.
At Mondoro, we fully understand the traditional lacquer process. We have people on our team who are lacquer experts and fully understand all the requirements to make a high-quality lacquer home decor and home furnishing product.
If you are interested in seeing how Mondoro can help you manufacture home decor and home furnishing products – we would love to talk to you to see how we can help you.
Find out more about how Mondoro can help you create, develop, and manufacture excellent home decor and home furniture products – don’t hesitate to contact me, Anita. Check out my email by clicking here, or become a part of our community and join our newsletter by clicking here.
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Related Content
Where Did Lacquerware Originate? An Interesting History
Lacquerware originated in China; some lacquerware has been found to date back to 10,000 BC. The Chinese brought the lacquerware technique to many other parts of Asia, particularly Japan and Vietnam. Each country has developed its lacquerware techniques, colors, and shapes.
You can discover more by reading Where Did Lacquerware Originate? An Interesting History by clicking here.
How to Manufacture Vietnamese Lacquerware?
Vietnamese lacquer requires many manufacturing steps in the lacquer production process, including making the base, then preparing the lacquer base to be applied, to finally applying the lacquer paint onto the surface. Every piece must be carefully sanded to give it a very smooth surface. Vietnamese lacquerware production requires a lot of skill and knowledge.
To learn more, you can read How to Manufacture Vietnamese Lacquerware? An Insider’s Guide to Lacquer by clicking here.
