Time between Waterlox Coats

[Josh Reid]

Title says it all. How long between coats for Waterlox Original? If it is dry to touch can I go ahead with the next coat or does it need some curing time? The back of the can says over night. However, If I apply something in the morning can I go ahead and apply another coat that evening? Thanks for the help.

[Brian Kent]

The other Texans can give you climate-appropriate advice, but if you wipe it on, you can do 3 per day, brush on 1 per day.

[Scott Holmes]

Well I'm another Texan; the weather in Lubbock and Houston are a bit different...

WAY different! As Brian said... 3 wipe-on coats per day, one brush on coat per day.

[Brian Kent]

Actually Scott, you are the Texan I was thinking about.

Us Californians just think Texas is one giant unified country. I forgot you actually have different climate zones!

Brian

[Jim Rimmer]

Yeah, the High Plains and the Caprock are whole different climate than the Gulf coast and the coastal plains. I would think things would dry pretty quickly in Lubbock.

[Josh Reid]

Yah just a little drier up here. Thanks for the info. That will speed up my finishing process significantly.

[Scott Holmes]

Josh,

Don't rush it; the dry air speeds the evaporation of the MS the curing still needs oxygen so a fan blowing over the dry-to-touch table will speed curing faster than the dry Lubbock air.

I recommend 3 wipe-on per day or 1 brush on per day

[Chip Schaffner]

24 hours between coats – longer if under 50 degrees F or high humidity >50%, after final coat do not put the floor, counter top, table top, etc into service for 5-7 days

The dry time of Waterlox products can vary widely based on many different parameters e.g. temperature, humidity, air movement and substrate.

Generally speaking, when cured at 70 degrees, < 30% humidity, 1 mil DFT (dry film thickness) Waterlox products require 24 hours of dry time between coats to fully cure.

There are three ingredients necessary to curing an oil-based finish:

1. Air movement (ventilation)
2. Temperature
3. Low-Humidity level

All three play a part in curing or drying a finish, but air movement or ventilation is the key to your success. Not only for removing the solvent fumes that evaporate from the finish but for replacing the oxygen molecules in the room that the finish needs to polymerize or cure.

Temperature always acts as a catalyst to speed the drying process, the lower the temp the slower the dry, the higher the temp the slightly faster the dry. Keeping in mind too high too high of a temperature, 85+ degrees, will tend to cause the film to “skin” on the surface cutting off the flow of oxygen to the film underneath, resulting in a soft, incomplete through-dried film, especially in a low-humidity atmosphere..

High Humidity will also impede the drying process because there is less free oxygen in a high humidity atmosphere; the lower the humidity the better.

Air movement (ventilation) is needed to supply the film with fresh oxygen molecules. It is the oxygen molecules in the air that interacts with the varnish that creates a chemical reaction and causes the film to dry. Therefore, the better the ventilation (during and after the final coat) the quicker or sooner the film obtains its final hardness and other film properties.

All that is necessary is a gentle air flow that circulates the air around the room (not blowing directly on the floor, furniture, or piece being finished) with a fresh air source i.e. a window opened slightly (1 or 2 inches). The placement of a box fan in a window of the room being coated, running at low-speed, pulling air out of the room, is the best solution. Not only does it exhaust the solvent fumes it pulls in fresh air loaded with the necessary oxygen molecules.

Although temperature and humidity can not always be predicted or controlled, the employment of air movement will generally overcome the negative effects of low temperature or high humidity and increase the success of your job.

Hope this helps.

Chip Schaffner - Waterlox

[Scott Holmes]

Chip since when does the high quality; phenolic resin/tung oil, Waterlox varnish fully cure in 24 hours? Would it not be more correct to say fully 'DRY" and it's ready for recoat in 24 hours?

I think full curing takes about 30 days.

FYI I use and recommend your product all the time. Just finished a job that used 21 gallons.

[Chip Schaffner]

Mr. Holmes,

You are absolutely correct. Waterlox will dry in about 24 hours as stated. The product will cure in 30 days. My typing got away from me.

Thank you,

Chip Schaffner - Waterlox

[Neal Clayton]

nice to see you here chip and i have a question, which i'll start in another thread.

been using your company's products for a couple of years now .