I’ve got some minwax water based acrylic I’d like to use on the carcass of a dresser I built and was curious if anyone had applied it as a wipe on. Reason for the wipe on preference is the large vertical surface areas the need to be covered. I figured it would be easier to apply. I’ve had good results with wipe on polys but haven’t heard a thing about polyacrylics.
Just trying to use what I have on the shelf.
thanks
Shawn
Replies
My attempt at this was not good. The product dried way to fast when applied with a rag. I don't think I'd try it again on anything larger than a shoe box.
I have used Polycrylic to finish decorative interior paneling and had success using a lambs wool applicator pad—not exactly wipe-on, but not really brushed, either. Most of it was done flat before the panels were hung, so not directly applicable to your situation. But it was an effective way to cover very large areas with pretty decent surface quality. I was not aiming all the way for furniture-grade, but the satin sheen I used looks and feels quite good. I suspect higher gloss levels would reveal more imperfections.
I use a lot of water based poly, but have never wiped it on. I've used bristle brushes, foam brushes, and lambswool on floors.
I never try anew method or type of finish without using a practice board first. I had a mess very early on, and don't ever want that to happen again.
Use a piece of scrap and see if it works. It will only cost pennies infinish and a rag. And who knows, you might discover a great thing.
I did a couple of test runs on some scrap and on the back side of one of the drawers that had been coated with wax free shellac. It definitely does dry very fast. And I would agree it's probably doable on a small surface project, but not for doing larger panels. Not worth the risk to save a couple bucks. Thanks for the feedback!
I always spray it.
I've been using tile sponges recently as a hand applicator. I haven't used it with water based finishes yet, but I will eventually (Been using a lot of oil based varnish recently).
I cut off a piece about the size of the palm of my hand. It works quite well, you can squeeze a little harder and get a little more finish, or lighten up, and it will pull finish back off the surface. You can't squeeze to much, or you get bubbles, just like any foam brush. Maybe not for everyone, but I've found great results with this method.
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