Verathane 3X poly

[Cooler]

I bought a can of Verathane 3X poly a while back.  It is supposed to accomplish in one coat what others do in three coats.  It is as thick as molasses.  It is supposed to be self-leveling, but it did not seem to get rid of the brush marks.  I put is aside.

I just built twelve drawer boxes.  So I thought it might work well for that application.  In the past I have used brushing lacquer (needs ventilation, but dries quickly and looks good) or shellac (less smelly, looks OK with two coats, but needs more for a good appearance; dries quickly).

My main objection with  brushing is that finish accumulates in the corners and I have to mop that up with a sponge brush.  The 3X does  not run at all and does not accumulate in the corners.  It dries quickly and does not smell very much.  A good choice it seems for drawer boxes.

But I've been meaning to get a spray outfit for my projects and this seems like a good excuse to do so.  So I will put off finishing the rest until what I decide on the sprayer.

Summary:  Verathane 3X seems like a good choice for drawer boxes.  It takes just one coat; it dries quickly and it appears to be very resistant to runs so that there is no pooling of the finish in the corners.  

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalo...lyurethane

[jteneyck]

I use shellac for drawers in a "period" piece, which I don't make many of, or in drawers that won't see very hard use.  Spray a coat, sand with 600 grit, spray another coat, done.  You can wipe it on almost as easily.  For anything that will see real use I spray one coat of SealCoat shellac, sand, and then two coats of WB topcoat, EnduroVar being a favorite. 

I wouldn't use an oil based varnish in a drawer except for shop cabinets; definitely not in any that will hold clothes or food related items.  The smell will linger for months.  

John

[fredhargis]

John, I looked the stuff up (the Varathane). It is a waterborne. Like you, the first thing I thought was "oil in a drawer?", but this is appears to be another waterborne acrylic finish with that magic word on the label.

[Cooler]

It is waterborne, and almost a paste in consistency.  Too thick to even stir, so I hope that the dulling agents are homogenized in the solution.

The "3X" designation is supposed to mean that it applies three times the solids per coat.  The coating thickness seems quite thick.  It has a distinctive odor--but not too bad.  When I get home tonight it will be 24 hours and I will give it another sniff test.

I'm not too fond of the stuff, but it appears to be fine for drawers and interior cabinet coating, especially since there is almost no dripping or runs.

But I am going to start another thread looking for information on a small scale spray unit.

[jteneyck]

Thanks for pointing that out, Fred.  I didn't know anyone made a WB 3X formula.  That's interesting. 

John