Can I wipe on water based finishes?

[wood2woodknot]

I  have never been very satisfied with water based finishes. I don't have a spray set-up, so I always apply with a brush. Because I don't like it, I end up using it for just utilitarian projects that don't demand an excellent looking finish.

On the other hand, I usually wipe on Arm-R-Seal and other oil based finishes, stains, Watco Danish, etc.

So, does anyone wipe on water based finishes with success? Or do they brush or spray it? If wiping on, are there any tricks to use or mistakes to watch out for?

Thanks.

[R Clark]

You describe my situation perfectly.  Watching this thread for results....

[jteneyck]

I  have never been very satisfied with water based finishes. I don't have a spray set-up, so I always apply with a brush. Because I don't like it, I end up using it for just utilitarian projects that don't demand an excellent looking finish.

On the other hand, I usually wipe on Arm-R-Seal and other oil based finishes, stains, Watco Danish, etc.

So, does anyone wipe on water based finishes with success? Or do they brush or spray it? If wiping on, are there any tricks to use or mistakes to watch out for?

Thanks.

I believe MinWax sells a wipe-on WB product, so that's an option.  They as well as Target Coatings sell a WB product that uses an oil based alkyd resin component in it.  They dry a lot more slowly than straight WB varnishes.  You might look at one of them, too, to see how well they lend themselves to wiping.  


I use WB finishes most of the time but they are almost always sprayed.  To improve the self leveling properties during the really dry Winter months I often add Extender to them.  You can really extend the open time by adding 3 - 6% of it.   I've made lots of test samples using a foam brush to apply them and they come out great.  I guess I'll have to try wiping some on now to see if works as well.  

John

[Willyou]

Sorry, I don't have a direct answer. I have only recently used water based finishes; poly and polycrylic. But I have only sprayed them. They dry so fast, I'm guessing that wipe-on might be a problem. Could be wrong. Why not get a small 1/2 pint can and try it.
Anyway, you say you don't have any spray equipment. I recently purchased a Sprayit 352. It was very inexpensive ($15.00 + tx at Home Depot) and it is a low volume low pressure LVLP gun so it works with small capacity compressors. I bought it thinking that if it didn't work well, it was cheap enough I could throw it away. But, I think it does a good job and I've done 3 furniture pieces with it so far. If you have a small compressor that won't support a full capacity gun, this one is a good one to start with. The waterbased poly and polycrylic spray straight from the can with no thinning.

[wood2woodknot]

So there is hope. Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem. And glad to hear a few suggestions. Will have to check them out.

John - Thanks again. Always good to hear your insights.I wasn't aware of the Minwax and Target products, and the extender.

Will -  Ah, the compressor. Will keep your suggestions on file. Compressor is out of the question at this time. Maybe someday. Always dreaming and scheming on what comes next.

___________

[Willyou]

Will -  Ah, the compressor. Will keep your suggestions on file. Compressor is out of the question at this time. Maybe someday. Always dreaming and scheming on what comes next.

___________

That is the beauty of the gun I mentioned. It only requires about 4cfm (IIRC). When you are so inclined, that is not a very big or expensive unit.

[jteneyck]

That is the beauty of the gun I mentioned. It only requires about 4cfm (IIRC). When you are so inclined, that is not a very big or expensive unit.

Yeah, garage sales are your friend for one that size for not much money.  Even a new one at HF is very reasonable.  And here's a tip.  You can get a lot more spraying time between cycles of the compressor if you install a secondary air tank between it and your gun.  HF and others sell 20 gal, etc. at pretty low cost.  So you can take a small compressor with a 5 gal tank and instantly upsize it to 25 or 35 gals and that will give you several minutes of spray time with a 4 cfm gun. 

John

[Cooler]

I've used wipe on finishes both wiping varnish and tung oil.  It seems to take too long to build the finish up.

I still use tung oil on a walking stick.  I add a coat every once in a while and I never have to worry about the finish flaking. 

Other than for the walking stick, I never use wiping varnish or wiping finishes at all anymore.

[jteneyck]

I've used wipe on finishes both wiping varnish and tung oil.  It seems to take too long to build the finish up.

I still use tung oil on a walking stick.  I add a coat every once in a while and I never have to worry about the finish flaking. 

Other than for the walking stick, I never use wiping varnish or wiping finishes at all anymore.

You're missing out.  Wiping varnish is about the easiest finish to hand apply and is sometimes more convenient or practical than spraying.  On most woods, 3 - 5 coats gives a great finish.  

John

[barryvabeach]

I have  sprayed, brushed ( with a pad ) and wiped on General Finishes waterborne finishes for years.  Spraying is the fastest for me for most projects.  Brushing,  using a shur line paint edger https://www.homedepot.com/p/Shur-Line-Ed.../312064950  and works great for horizontal panels.  
I have wiped a few times, usually for areas that were missed , or need to be touched up.  I have never done an entire project, but assume it will work like shellac , other than the bonding to the prior coats ,  I just went very thin like shellac, and did several coats.