Hi Can someone please tell me the difference between lacquer and varnish?
I'm showing my ignorance, I know, but I've done very little in the way of finishing
I'm showing my ignorance, I know, but I've done very little in the way of finishing
Froggy":2bdd296g said:Hi Can someone please tell me the difference between lacquer and varnish?
I'm showing my ignorance, I know, but I've done very little in the way of finishing
Sgian Dubh":2mvefs7n said:Evaporative finishes use alcohol, acetone and lacquer (cellulose) thinners as solvents and thinners. Lacquers and shellac fall into this group. The solids are soft and string like in solution but as the solvents evaporate they lock together in a solid mass like dried spaghetti. Successive layers burn in to one another and form a contiguous whole. The solvent will re-soften the film, eg, lacquer thinners will soften cured lacquer, and alcohol softens cured shellac.
Jake":29bm798d said:You seem to be equating lacquer with cellulose there, Richard?
There are plenty of products on the market which call themselves waterbourne lacquers (I assume they fall within your coalescing category)
... plenty which call themselves 2 pack/part waterbourne acrylic lacquer. As those are 2 pack, they have to be reactive I assume.
Even if that is just sloppy usage, the terms don't seem to have any really distinct meaning at least that I can discern.
Froggy":397811oc said:Thanks for that Sgian and Jake, Could you give me some examples of when you would use lacquer instead of varnish and vice versa please?
Froggy":2z4eyz2n said:...where abouts in Leeds are you? I'm from Birstall near Batley and went to school in Leeds.
Sgian Dubh":2msjkpjx said:Acid catalysed lacquer
Jake":1w9kkd0m said:Sorry to ignore all the good advice you're been given and obsess about terminology, but acid cat is another contradiction - if a reaction is being catalysed, that's not an evaporative finish. So those categories of yours sound more useful distinctions (if more clunky) than the varnish/lacquer one. Unless I'm missing some link somewhere.
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