Finishing Tips

Applying Water Base Finishes

Hand Application
Spray Application
Trouble Shooting Guide

How to Spray EF PolyAcrylic Waterbase Finish
We recommend the EagleSpray HVLP unit available from Joe Kastner at 800-966-5223.

Surface Preparation All surfaces should be clean and free from dirt and oil. Sand surface using fine grit sandpaper such as no.180-no.220. Water base finishes need a smoother surface than oil base finishes. Do not use steel wool. Steel wool can leave behind tiny particles in the wood that can rust after the finish has been applied. Do not use tack cloths when using water based finishes! Tack cloths contain oil and will contaminate the surface.

Soft woods such as Pine and Aspen absorb stain at an uneven rate and may respond better to staining if the wood bas been presealed. EF Natural stain can be applied to raw wood to condition the surface for uniform penetration of the stain. Presealing will cause the final stain to be lighter. Always test your color on a hidden part of the furniture! Allow the EF Natural stain to dry one hour before applying your final stain color.

Note: With hardwoods such as oak and ash, begin by pre-wetting the wood with a damp cloth to raise the grain. Allow the dampened wood to dry 30 minutes before the final sanding. This will provide a smoother final finish.

Spraying EF PolyAcrylic

EF PolyAcrylic is ready to spray from the container. Thinning is not necessary. However, in hot climates, EF Extender can be used with the EF PolyAcrylic to extend the open time.

EF PolyAcrylic can be sprayed with HVLP systems or conventional sprayers. If you are using a sprayer that has been used for oil base or lacquers, clean the unit thoroughly and rinse with warm water before using. Apply a thin coat first that will dry and harden faster. Sand this first coat down to a smooth base on which to build your finish coats. With water base finishes it is better to spray two thin coats rather than one heavy coat.

Practice makes perfect! If you have never sprayed finishes before, take a large piece of cardboard and practice your technique first. Spray water on the cardboard to learn how the gun works. Check your fluid settings and adjust the controls to get comfortable with the spray angles and to develop your technique.

Keep your gun at a 90 angle, six-eight inches from the surface. On large flat areas, use wet, even patterns six to eight inches wide. Over lap each pass 25 percent to conceal lines. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to two-three inches to reduce overspray. Break your work into sections such as dresser top or drawer fronts. Spraying too large of an area can result in a textured grainy surface. A correctly sprayed finish should appear even and glossy. It is important to spray enough material to allow proper flow and leveling of the finish. If you have not obtained a good finish check the factors on our trouble shooting page.