Wiping on Catalyzed Varnish or 2k varnish

[Ben Reish]

I am trying to repair/do-it-right a staircase hand rail that I removed the varnish from while trying to remove crayon.... It was obviously a thin coat originally. I want a clear, non-yellowing finish and I have found that catalyzed varnish or 2k conversion varnish is the way to obtain a clear finish. But, the descriptions I've seen all say 'spray only'. I want to wipe it on and do not see why I can't. Any information on why spraying is the only method would be appreciated.

[Wayne Lomman]

Ben, brush application is fine for small areas. However it does depend on the drying time for the product you use. Fast ones are not good to hand apply and this is the main reason why spraying is recommended. Choose one that is a bit slower or that you can use a slow thinner with. Cheers

[John TenEyck]

How clear do you want it? This is Arm-R-Seal on curly maple:



Made to wipe on, very durable once cured.

John

[Ben Reish]

Well, John, my wife has hickory cabinets in her kitchen and we chose Maple because the mill work shop didn't do hickory for a price we could afford. So the baked on finish of commercial cabinetry on light colored hickory is how clear I am shooting for. I am restricted due to the banister already being installed, so I thought that wiping would be a cleaner method to get a smooth finish on it. The lighting may make it utterly not matter, but I have to try. Side note: our GC for the house remodel went bankrupt 12 months into a 4 month project so the guys who did the work on the rest of the trim around the house were not the ones who did the finishing of the banister, and I am not opening the can of whatever lacquer the original guys used inside my house while I have to live there (or I'd use that, but I'm not going to).

[Ben Reish]

Thanks Wayne. I'll look into the drying times for the products I can get. I had not thought of that angle.

[Kevin Jenness]

What is your objection to using the original finish? If it is objectionable odor or toxicity, CV will not likely be an improvement. Most acrylic based waterborne finishes are non-yellowing and less odorous/flammable/toxic. Whatever you use, do a sample first to establish a color and sheen match.

[Ben Reish]

Odor is the main problem with the original finish. No one could stay in the house when the original finishing was being done without a respirator of some kind.

I am not interested in water-based acrylics because I did that on a kitchen table and the finish, while not yellowing, does not stand up to the use a kitchen table sees. I do not want the same sorts of things I've seen on my kitchen table happening to my banister.

[John TenEyck]

Not all WB acrylics are the same and some of the good ones are arguably as durable as their solvent based counterparts.

Everything is a compromise. If you want low odor you want WB. There are WB conversion varnishes available, too.

John