Melamine Lacquer can be a bit fiddly to apply and there’s no better way than spraying it. If you don’t have access to spray equipment then this aerosol version is the ideal way.
Melamine Gloss Lacquer will quickly build to a bright gloss finish and dries in a matter of minutes.
Touch dry and safe to handle within five minutes the lacquer chemically cures to give a tougher finish. The lacquer achieves practically all of this (about 90%) within seven days, after which the process slows and can take up to another two weeks to fully complete.
Best used over a Cellulose Sanding Sealer (brushing or aerosol) and can be overcoated with a wax for a softer tactile feel.
When you’re looking for a hard-wearing, heat and water resistant, quick drying gloss lacquer you need look no further than Melamine Lacquer.
Based on cellulose technology, Melamine Lacquer has a catalyst suspended within it; when the lacquer is in the can it is inert but once applied and exposed to the air, the lacquer dries within five minutes like a cellulose and then the catalyst kicks in and the lacquer goes on to chemically cure to give a more durable coating. 90% of the curing process happens in the first seven days after application, making the lacquer very hard wearing, the remaining 10% of the process can take up to two weeks more to give maximum toughness, something you only need to consider if the lacquer is going to be subjected to extremely hard use.
Melamine Lacquer is designed to give a full gloss finish which will be achieved with a very careful application. It can be applied by brush (foam or bristle), cloth or by spraying. Where necessary, use cellulose thinners to dilute the product – especially helpful if working on a large area.
The gloss level of Melamine Lacquer can be increased by using burnishing cream once it has dried, and it can also be overcoated with friction polish (to increase the depth of the shine) or woodwax 22 or microcrystalline wax (for a more natural feel).
Chestnut Products’ Microcrystalline Wax is a blend of high quality waxes rich in microcrystalline wax – a wax derived from the petroleum refining process and known for the fineness of its crystals.
This is mixed with a special solvent to create a firm wax which, when dry, knits down to form a very dense coating making it very water resistant, meaning that it is ideal for any items that are likely to come into contact with water for short periods of time.
Microcrystalline waxes also have a higher melting point than other waxes traditionally used to make polishing waxes, the benefit of which is that repeated handling of items finished in Microcrystalline Wax won’t finger mark in the same way, as the melting point is higher than normal body temperature.
Microcrystalline Wax should be used over one of the Chestnut Products’ sanding sealers and allowed to dry (about 20 minutes) before buffing to a shine.
For best results apply a very thin coat, spreading the wax evenly over the entire surface.
Microcrystalline Wax can also be used on the buffing wheel system. In this situation use the A and B Wheel as normal, then apply the Microcrystalline Wax to the item you are polishing. Allow 20 minutes for the wax to dry then buff and normal using the C Wheel. You can use the same C Wheel for both Microcrystalline Wax and the Carnuaba Wax Stick.
Microcrystalline Wax has been tested to the EN71 Part 3 regulations regarding coatings used on toys.
This is the same wax Chestnut use in the tinned version of Microcrystalline Wax but in a solid block form with no solvent. This means there’s no waiting around for it to dry before buffing it.
Like the original version, this wax should be used very sparingly, a little goes a very long way and once applied it might even be necessary to spread it thinner using Safety Cloth (the texture of this makes it ideal for this purpose).
The Microcrystalline Wax Stick is also perfect for use on the Buffing Wheel System, use it on Wheel C to buff up to a brilliant, hard wearing finish. 
This acrylic Reducer is the perfect thinner/flow medium for our Iridescent Paints and Metallic Paints, essential when using an air brush. Use sparingly, only a little should be required. This will also ensure that it does not affect the opacity and brightness of the colours.
Shellac Sanding Sealer is the traditional way of sealing timber prior to applying a polish or a wax.
Chestnuts version has a high percentage of real shellac which means it does the job extremely well, dissolved in an ethanol solution to make it easy to apply and quick drying.
Applied by cloth, brush or spray it dries in about 20 minutes, making it very popular for cabinet and architectural work as it is easy to keep a wet edge running. It is also popular with woodturners and highlights the natural grain of the timber extremely well.
Sand back lightly after application and apply Friction Polish, French Polish or any of Chestnuts waxes on top.
Conforms to EN71 Part 3 – suitable for toys and nursery furniture.
The ideal way to experiment with the different colours available to decide which ones you prefer, the Spirit Stain Kit contains one bottle (min. contents 25ml) of each of the nine colours. These are exactly the same stain as in the bigger bottles and will intermix if you want to vary the shades available.The stains are very fade resistant, quick drying and non-grain raising.
WoodWax 22 contains beeswax (for shine) and carnauba wax (for hardness). Blended together in a solvent to produce a soft creamy paste. This makes it very easy to apply over any surface.
WoodWax 22 is quick drying enough to be applied onto unsealed wood but works best on one of Chestnuts sanding sealers.
If working on the lathe the wax should be applied with the lathe stopped.
Apply using a cloth (Safety Cloth or Stockinette works well with this); the wax spreads easily over the surface, after about 20 seconds it starts to drag slightly. This means it is ready to buff up; if you haven’t covered the whole piece by then don’t worry, just take a little more wax from the tin and carry on applying, the wax won’t mind waiting!
It’s best to buff WoodWax 22 as soon as you can; that way any surplus wax that might have been applied will be removed, allowing the shine to really show through.
If working on the lathe Safety Cloth should be used for the buffing process and let the lathe do the work for you. Off the lathe Safety Cloth or Stockinette can be used.
A second or even third coat of wax can be applied if required, leaving about twenty minutes between coats. After three coats the finish can become softer and will mark very easily.
