Wood

Coatings 101
Coatings 101 - Overview
• Understanding Valspar and the Valspar Wood Division
• Basic Composition of Wood Coatings
• Types of Professional Wood Coatings
• Appropriate use of Finishes
• Stains and Sealers
• Troubleshooting/Tips
• Selecting the Correct Finish
Who is Valspar?
• Founded in 1806, headquartered in Minneapolis
• Worlds 6th largest paint company
• Partners with the world’s leading brands
• 80 worldwide locations
• 10,000 + employees
• Corporate sales $3.6 billion in 2010
• Listed on NYSE (VAL)
• Service the Industrial, Architectural, Wood, and
Packaging segments
 Valspar Wood – Our Mission

To enhance and protect our customer’s brand to help them

succeed, for when it matters most by:

•Providing superior products and dependable results

•Partnering with our customer from start to finish
•Developing the most innovative solutions
•Providing market-leading color and style expertise
Valspar Wood - A Few of Our
Customers…
Solvent Based
Wood
Coatings
Definition of Lacquer
A broad generic term referring to blend of
solvents and synthetic resins, which when
applied to a substrate form a solid film that
enhances the beauty, changes the color or
appearance, and provides durability.
Wood Coating Families
• Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer
• Post-Catalyzed Lacquer
• Conversion Varnish
• Water-based Finishes
• Two Component Urethane*
• Polyester*
• UV Curable*

*Outside the scope of Coatings 101

Typical Composition of Coatings
• Resins/Binders – The primary film producing agent
• Modifying Resins – Enhance performance,
durability, flexibility, etc
• Solvents – Carrier for the resin system
• Pigments – Color particles that might be dispersed
in the finish
• Additives – Components to improve flow,
sandability, alter sheen, improve mar resistance,
provide anti-yellowing, or any number of other
variables.
How Do Coatings Dry?
Evaporative finishes
• Solvent evaporates, leaving resins that pack together to form
film
• Film will re-dissolve if solvent is reintroduced
• One coat will “burn in” to another coat
• Examples: NC Lacquer

Reactive finishes
• Solvent evaporates and chemical cross-linking occurs
• Finishes adhere by mechanical adhesion (sanding)
• Examples: Pre-Catalyzed Lacquers, Conversion Varnishes
Nitrocellulose Lacquer

• Nitrocellulose resin
• Dries by solvent evaporation
• Dissolves previous coat
• Fast dry
• Easy touch-up
• Polishes easily to a high gloss
• Yellows easily
• Lower in solids
• Limited impact or abrasion resistance
• Commonly furniture finish
• Not recommended for cabinetry where
moisture is an issue
Luster Lac Professional

• Basic chemistry-28% solids

nitrocellulose/maleic
• Amber lacquer - slightly yellow in the can. No
UV screen agent added.
• Ideal for interior wood fixtures such as molding,
door frames & millwork
• Typically used by painting contractors where
low cost finish is desired
• For areas where moisture/chemical/scratch/UV
resistance not required. Not Intended for
kitchen or bath
• Should not be used over light colored
stains/finishes because of natural amber color
• Available in white, clear & black
Luster Lac Premium

• BasicChemistry-25% solids
Nitrocellulose/Alkyd
• “Water White” lacquer - water clear in the
can. UV screen agent added to aid in
slowing the yellowing of the coating
• Furniture grade lacquer. More durable
than Luster Lac Professional
• Not intended for kitchen or bath cabinets
• Should not be used over light colored
stains/finishes where yellowing will be an
issue
• Available in clear and white
Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer
• Cross linking resin (typically urea)
• Alkyd, nitrocellulose, plasticizer
• Solvent evaporation & chemical
reaction
• Catalyst added at point of
manufacture
• Shelf life considerations (6 – 12
months)
• Attains full chemical resistance
properties in 1-2 weeks
• Improved scratch, mar, abrasion, and
moisture resistance
•Common finish used by custom
furniture and kitchen cabinets makers
 Valtec Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer

• 27% solids self-sealing pre-catalyzed

lacquer
• Recommended for most interior wood
finishing applications including kitchen
and bathroom cabinets
• Passes all KCMA durability testing
• Contains UV absorbers, resists yellowing
• Easy touch-up
• Available in clear
• Widely used coating for many applications
Post-Catalyzed Lacquer
• Combine properties of pre-cats and
conversion varnish
• Less NC more alkyd / urea
• Catalyst added by Distributor or end user
• Pot life of 6 months once catalyzed
• Coating cures by solvent release, then by
chemical reaction
• Cross-linking contributes to harder, more
durable coating
• Typically higher solids than Pre-Cat
 Valtec Ultra Conversion Lacquer

• 30% solids self-sealing catalyzed lacquer

• Approaches the durability of a conversion
varnish in a “pre-catalyzed” form
• Catalyzed at the Distributor-6 month shelf
life once catalyzed
• For any application where higher
performance properties are required (i.e.
chemical & abrasion resistance), but
customer does not want to add catalyst
• Contains UV absorbers, resists yellowing
• Available in clear and white
Conversion Varnish

• Urea, alkyd, melamine & plasticizer

• Contains no nitrocellulose
• More durable than lacquers
• Requires catalyzation
• Pot-life considerations
• Requires more skilled application
• Ideal for cabinetry and commercial
millwork
•Higher Solids/Higher Film Build
Valguard Conversion Varnish

• 41% solids clear, 63% solids white

conversion varnishes
• Premium coating for interior fine
woodworking
• For surfaces where superior
chemical/abrasion resistance is
required
• Passes all KCMA durability testing
• Best product for kitchen and bathroom
cabinetry
• High solids white provides excellent
finish for MDF (especially cabinet
doors)
• Resists yellowing
• Available in clear & white
Summary of Common Finishes
Conventional Pre-Catalyzed Post-Catalyzed Conversion
Lacquer Lacquer Lacquer Varnish

Valspar Luster Lac Valpro Precat, Valtec Ultra Conversion Valpro Conversion
Product Professional, Luster Valtec Precatalyzed Lacquer Varnish, Valguard
Lac Premium Lacquer Conversion Varnish
Target Painting contractors, Small to medium size Small to medium size Small to larger size
Customer furniture makers, furniture shops high-end industrial high-end industrial shops
refinishers shops
Typical Interior molding and Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Cabinets,
Application door packages, Furniture, Architectural Furniture, Architectural Furniture, Architectural
furniture. Millwork Millwork Millwork

Typical 20 - 28% by weight 24 - 28% by weight 30 % by weight 36 - 40% by weight

Solid
Content
Durability Fair durability. Will not Good durability, Very good durability. Superior durability with
Pass KCMA Typically passes Coating performance excellent moisture,
KCMA testing approaches that of a abrasion, and chemical
conversion varnish. resistance
Valspar/Competitor Cross Reference

Conventional Pre-Catalyzed Post-Catalyzed Conversion

Lacquer Lacquer Lacquer Varnish

Valspar Luster Lac Valpro Precat, Valtec Ultra Valpro Conversion

Professional, Luster Valtec Precatalyzed Conversion Lacquer Varnish, Valguard
Lac Premium Lacquer Conversion Varnish
Chemcraft Chemlak ES Lacquer, Danspeed E-Var, Plastofix
Opticlear

Gemini Coatings High Build, High PC- 00XX Series, UL-Series CV-Series
Solids, CL series S59xx Series PCV-Series

M.L.Campbell’s High Build, Magnalac Magnamax Krystal,

Royalac Water White HP Klear Var
Lacquer
Sherwin Williams Sherwood High Sherwood Precat, T77 High Solids Water V84F60 Series
Build, Sherwood White Precat Conversion Varnish,
Finish Lacquer V84F80 Series WW
Conversion Varnish
Water Based
Wood
Coatings
Water Borne Finish

• Latex emulsion, acrylic hardener,

plasticizer
• Coalescing solvents & water
• Emulsified resins create “milky”
appearance in can
• More durable than conventional NC
lacquers
• More susceptible to environment
during application/cure
• Available as conventional/non-catalyzed,
pre-catalyzed, or post-catalyzed
 Water versus Solvent Based Finishes
Conventional Wisdom
Pros Cons
• More environmentally friendly - lower • Usually slower drying times
VOC and HAPS • More grain raise
• Isocyanate and formaldehyde free • Coating may have a cloudy
• Reduce hazardous material disposal appearance
• Greatly reduced fire risk – reduced • More affected by environmental
insurance cost conditions – Humidity, Temperature
• Typically offer good scratch resistance • Equipment considerations – Works
• Tend to be higher in Volume Solids – better with conventional or HVLP than
good film build, higher coverage per air-assisted airless
gallon • Prices may run 10% to 20% higher
• Resists Yellowing
• Lower odor
 Zenith Waterborne
Finishing System
• Latest generation of waterborne
technology
• Lacquer, Pre-catalyzed lacquer
and Conversion Varnish
• Coating performance that equals
or surpasses equivalent solvent
based coatings
• Exceptional clarity and leveling
properties
• Passes stringent Greenguard
certification for Indoor Air Quality
• Full “system”. Stains, glazes, solid
color paints and clear topcoats
Summary of Zenith
Waterborne Finishes
Zenith Zenith Zenith
Waterborne Pre-Catalyzed Conversion
Lacquer Lacquer Varnish

Target Finishing and painting Finishing and painting Small to larger size
Customer contractors, furniture contractors, furniture high-end industrial shops
makers, refinishers makers, refinishers,
cabinet/millwork shops
Typical Interior molding and Kitchen cabinets, fine Kitchen cabinets,
Application door packages, furniture, architectural architectural millwork,
household furniture, millwork restaurant/institutional
children’s furniture furniture

Solid Content 30% by weight 35% by weight 38% by weight

Durability Good durability, but not Excellent durability, Superior durability with
intended for use in high exceeds KCMA standards excellent moisture,
moisture/high wear abrasion, and chemical
areas resistance; exceeds KCMA