Flatting Agent to Reduce Sheen

If you need flat-sheen finish occasionally, but not in quantities that make it worth keeping on hand, you can keep some flatting agent around instead to add when necessary. February 23, 2008

Question
I would like some suggestions on breaking our sheen down. I am currently purchasing satin pre-cat lacquer which I believe to be about a 20% sheen. I get requests sometimes to have a duller rubbed look. I do not want to have to hurt production by rubbing compounds to dull the surface and I would like to avoid stockpiling products I only use once in a while.

Forum Responses
(Finishing Forum)
From contributor R:
I suggest you contact your coatings supplier and ask them to add some more flattening agent to the coating you are currently using. Another possibility is to just dump some "flat" coating into the "satin" coating that you presently use. I would have the coatings company do this for you right at the factory - this way you are sure of a consistent sheen throughout your various projects. All that said, a 20 sheen is rather dull. Be careful not to go too far, since you might end up with a crackle finish.


From contributor L:
You could use a different product. MLC's dull is a 15. Target's waterborne is 10.

From contributor P:
You can add flattening paste to the finish to adjust the sheen to your choice. Check with your supplier(s) for the product and chart that defines the mixing ratios. Of course you could always just order material in the correct sheen for these jobs. If you do any pigmented finishes, then you are used to ordering material in the right color for each job.

From the original questioner:
The additive agent from the manufacturer was the answer. It stores longer. Thanks for the responses.
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