I will be spraying white pigmented pre cat lacquer for the first time. Looking for do's and dont's,tips.Wood species will be soft maple
From contributor ja
If this is for a kitchen or bathroom spray no less than 4 coats. Two coats of a vinyl primer followed by two topcoats of paint. I've been finishing now 7 years and learned this the hard way. Also ease all edges of doors to prolong water damage! Good Luck
From contributor To
Thanks James
no it is a entertainment center I will be spraying.
From contributor Bo
Since you are using soft maple, make sure you do not sand the wood too slick. Maple is a very tight grain wood and will tend to almost polish if you use too fine of a paper. I would not use any finer than 120 grit. This will allow the primer to bond better. I personally use poplar or alder when using pigmented lacquer.
From contributor Ri
"If this is for a kitchen or bathroom spray no less than 4 coats"
Better check your pre-cat lacquer PI sheet first. A lot of pre-cats have a max dry film build of just 2 mils, max usually around 5 mils. If you exceed that you run the risk of checking. (That dry film is total film build on most brands also not just topcoat)
From contributor Bi
Rick is spot on, don't over build the finish.
Pigmented lacquer adds an additional challenge of proper surface preparation. Surface flaws will be far more visible. A good undercoat will allow you to level minor surface flaws, but you will need to ensure a good surface prior to the undercoat.
