latex paints and stains both take a 'set' relatively quicky, same a a thin water based wipe-off stain...
an oil based paint or varnish are slower drying, and have more tendancy to 'whisker', where very small portions of the wood will absorb the oil and slight lift or seperate from the finished portion.
a multipart finish for softer woods usually starts with an initial 'sealer' coat that dries quickly, and then fine sand to remove whiskers, and then heavier slower drying top coats followed by finish procedures depending on final result desired and glossiness of end finish.
for varnish or shellac, I usually start with a very thin sealer coat of 'linspeed' or similar fast drying linseed oil based products.
for outdoor resistant finishes I use thinned varethane types for a sealer coat, depending if it's utility purpose, general home wood, fine cabinetry, or firearm furniture, all have differing final requirements...
finally, depending on the quality of the wood, some products will absorb coatings at much different rates in different areas of the wood, creating unwanted 'shading', a thin sealer coat helps to reduce this.
..enjoy..  |