Lacquered furniture is beautiful and offers many advantages, but it is also delicate. Over time, it may tend to turn yellow or acquire an unpleasant patina of dirt. But don't worry! It is easy to clean a lacquered kitchen correctly, even if it requires a little extra care.
Whenever possible, avoid abrasive chemical products, which can damage the lacquer of your furniture. For maintenance cleaning, we recommend using a soft microfiber cloth soaked in warm water. Wring it out, then add a few drops of white vinegar.
Although lacquer may be a durable finish, it is vulnerable to chips, scratches and wear.
Durability, Appearance and Affordability
Lacquer is tough. It lasts as long or longer than any of its competitors without flaking or chipping. Lacquer remains clear for years without the yellowing usually associated with varnish, polyurethane or shellac.
Look for soft cotton or chamois that will attract dust and avoid rubbing dirt into your surface. Start a regular routine once-a-week to remove any dust buildup. Avoid Spills. Lacquer protects the surface from immediate stains from liquid, but prolonged exposure will cause lacquer to dim in those areas or cloud.
High quality paste wax, 0000 steel wool and a little elbow grease can work wonders by making the scuff less visible. If the lacquer is thick enough, you can buff out scuffs with either rubbing and polishing compound, for gloss lacquer, or with 0000 steel wool and paste wax, for satin finishes.
Spray a small amount of solvent-based furniture cleaner on a dry rag and wipe the lacquer gently, starting with a small section. Wipe this away immediately with a damp cloth and then dry the area with a dry cloth. Repeat this process, working in manageable sections, until the lacquer is clean.
As mentioned above, lacquer is very tough. It lasts longer than any of its competitors without chipping and flaking off. It remains clear for years and non-yellowing options are available to keep your furniture looking in tip-top shape for a very long time.
As already mentioned, lacquer is the toughest of the two, though both leave hard, durable surfaces. Generally, the most common reason for favouring lacquer is simply that it wears better. Varnish can look very beautiful when applied correctly, but it doesn't have the same longevity.
Despite being available in variances, polyurethane is more durable. It is thick and leaves a strong coating. Lacquer is thin and penetrates the wood surface. It is also durable but susceptible to scratches and discoloration after some time.
Scratch resistance
For example, oil-based polyurethane varnish and catalyzed lacquers are much more scratch resistant than shellac and nitrocellulose lacquer, and usually a little more scratch resistant than acrylic and polyurethane water-based finishes.
Rub a quarter-sized amount of automotive wax over the lacquer furniture to camouflage minor scratches if you cannot find a scratch remover. Apply the wax with a tack cloth. Re-apply a new coat of wax every couple months to keep the furniture looking blemish-free.
Covering the Finish
Second, polyurethane is not the best choice for painting over lacquer finishes. Polyurethane will not bond or grip well with the lacquer and will peel off over time with general use. Instead, use an alkyd varnish. Alkyd varnishes are a polyester resin that will adhere better and repair more easily.
Give it a swish in lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol, shake it out, and let it dry hard. When you need it again, just stand it in solvent. It will be soft and ready to use within 30 minutes. Water-soluble finishes: use soap and water.
If you have a handheld sander, you can use it to polish your wood lacquer. Similar to the micro-mesh process, use a 2000-grit sanding pad to expose any scratches in the lacquer, then spray a 3000-grit pad with water. Use this soaked pad to buff the entire surface of your project.
No, you can't apply poly over lacquer as polyurethane won't bond. The polyurethane coat will peel and flake over time. To protect your lacquer finish from water damages and scratches, apply alkyd varnish instead of polyurethane.
Polyurethane, varnish, and lacquer are tried-and-true sealants with excellent waterproofing properties. They're either brushed or sprayed onto clean, sanded wood and then allowed to dry completely, prior to the piece being lightly re-sanded and recoated.
A lacquers is used to generate an extremely shiny and glossy finish to a wood surface that is otherwise difficult to obtain via the use of varnishes, shellac or other finishing substances. It is highly durable yet may scratch over time due to excessive contact.
It is extremely durable and one of the hardest of the topcoat finishes. It is stronger and better wearing than shellac and varnish. (Debatable as to whether or not it's harder and more durable than polyurethane). Lacquer is also capable of producing an extreme high gloss finish.
To answer the original question first touch up of acrylic lacquer is very easy and will work fine. Remember that you are now using a spray applied finish and to touch up this finish you will need to spray the repaired area. You will also need to mask off areas you do not want to spray.
A lacquer finish is more brittle and prone to cracks than varnish or polyurethane, but the good news is that the cracks are repairable. Unlike varnish or polyurethane, lacquer doesn't cure after it hardens, which means that you can soften it with fresh lacquer. A single re-coat may be enough to heal some cracking.
It resists most household liquids, chemicals and solvents, in addition to being fairly scratch resistant. However, pre-catalyzed lacquer suffers that same problem as the nitrocellulose lacquers that came before it, and which it is also made with; it will yellow over time.
Wipe the area with a cloth dampened with acetone. Rinse with a damp cloth and wipe dry. If any stain remains, make a poultice of water, 3% hydrogen peroxide, and a mild powder detergent.
Lacquer finish is beautiful on wood furniture. The hard, glossy finish is applied in several coats. Resilient lacquer is a bit difficult to remove when you want to refinish your furniture with new lacquer. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make the process a little bit easier.
Dust weekly with a soft cloth slightly dampened with water, then quickly blot the area with another soft, dry white cloth. Never use paper towels or pretreated furniture polishing cloths on lacquer.