How To Thin Water Based Polyurethane

Its common alkyd varnish made with some polyurethane resin added.

How to thin water based polyurethane. The polyurethane resin adds scratch heat solvent and water resistance to the alkyd varnish. You may want to thin your polyurethane for a variety of reasons. So try 5 percent or so at first and see how this works. You can thin water based finishes with water to improve atomization but the thinning is different than with lacquer.

Theyre also a bit thicker and contain more solids requiring two or three coats where water based poly may need three or. Hi kerry ive used the varathane water based a number of times but have sinced moved on to spray lacquers. Very little water makes a much bigger difference than lacquer thinner in lacquer. Thin happens in two ways.

Thinning polyurethane for spraying many different solvents can be used to thin poly but the resulting slow drying overspray can turn into a serious problem. So for a truly professional looking finish multiple thin coats of polyurethane is the key not globing on extra thick coats. Alkyd is the resin used in almost all varnishes and oil based paints. Oil based polyurethanes are somewhat easier to apply and can be less temperamental than water based formulas.

Thinning and retarding water based lacquers and coatings. The stuff is ruined. Heavy single coatings tend to leave your project looking plasticy. And if so what to use as a thinner water and in what proportions and how to apply.

Polyurethane is a common modern wood finish that can be purchased with either an oil or a water base. With the varathane i usually had to thin 10 with distilled water dont use tap water due to the minerals in tap water. There is a lot less organic solvent than solvent based poly but there is some and if you change the composition of the liquid by too much dilution you risk breaking the emulsion. Because you want to your finish coats to be less heavy because the polyurethane has thickened over time or just to clean your brushes or messes.

There are a few tips to thinning and retarding water based materials that are common to most all of the water based materials on the market today knowing these tips can make spraying out water base materials easy fun and most importantly give you the control over the flow of the materials so you compensate for the varying conditions of. Water based poly is an emulsion in a mixture of water and organic solvents. Oil based polyurethane is simply a type of varnish. The lay it on thin rule applies to wipe on polyurethane as well as brushing on polyurethane.

I have some unfinished pine 1x4s an aquarium stand i need to stain for color and cover with a top coat for water protection.