Brushing Lacquer for Special Antique Black Finish

Brushing the lacquer is an unusual process in the finishing. Usually the lacquer is applied by spray that will give the perfect smooth and even finish film. But in this article we want to share the other technique of lacquer application. The NC lacquer is applied by brush to create the brush marks that is purposed to make finish with special look. The brush application makes the brush lines or brush mark as the special effect for the finish. With the combination of black stain and glaze application, then we can get a special antique-looking finish. The finishing system is using the NC system, the easiest material to make antique. There are many antique finishes that can be generated with NC finishes, but this finish is very special because of the unusual technique. 

Here is the finishing process, step by step.

• Sealer application.

It is the first step to prepare the wood surface to produce the smooth surface as the base before the application of stain. Apply sealer by spray to the entire surface evenly. Wait until the sealer layer is dry. The sealer layer will stiffen the wood fibers and make a rough surface. Sand the surface with #320  sandpaper to cut off the wood fiber and produce the smooth surface.

Check the finish result; make sure we got the smooth surface and enough film build. We may need to apply two layers of sealer to make sure we get it. Repeat the sealer application and the sanding operation if necessary to ensure we get the smooth surface and enough film build. 

• Black stain application.

Black stain is applied to produce the black paint color for the finish. We can use the black toner or black stain since they are less contain binder. Avoid the use of black base coat or black enamel since the material will build a thick black film layer. Too thick black paint will make it difficult to be broken with the brushing process. The black stain is applied by spray to the surface. Apply a 2-layer coat of black stain to cover the entire surface. Wait until it dries and check the result; make sure we got even black color to the entire surface. If necessary, we can repeat the stain application.

• Brushing the sealer.

Brushing the lacquer is the important step for this finish. The step is purposed to make the special effect in this finishing system. Sealer is applied by brush at the surface. How the brushing is done will determine the appearance of the finishing. The technique in the brushing application will determine the brush mark and finally will result in a different-looking finish.
Use a paintbrush with a thick head and good quality. Dip the tip of the brush into the sealer; brush the sealer to the surface. Stroke the brush according to the grain direction. Make sure we get the even and similar brush marks.

The lacquer brushing will dissolve some of the black stain and open some black stain layers to show the wood's natural color underneath. This technique will result in a black finish with brush marks and wood color. The NC sealer is a fast-dry material; he will also leave the brushmark texture on the surface that brings the finish to a more antic look.

 

brushing the lacquer

 

You can see how to brush the sealer in this video

 

Let the sealer dry and check the result. Make sure we get the brushmark and texture we need. 

• Sealer

Sealer is applied to cover the finishing effect and color to give protection and prepare for the next glaze application. Apply 1 coat of sealer by spraying the wet coat evenly to the overall finishing surface. Wait until the sealer layer has dried and do sanding to produce a smooth surface.

• Glaze application

Glaze is used to enhance the antic looked at the finishing. Apply glaze by brush to let it cover the even layer at the finish surface. The glaze will fill in the groove and the brush marks to enhance the antique look. Do some highlights to enliven the finishing look. You can see how glaze is applied in our previous article: how to apply the glaze

• Top coat application.

The top coat is applied as the final coat to provide protection to the finishing effects and color. Use the NC top coat with a medium gloss or low gloss

Apply the top coat by spraying a wet coat evenly to the overall surface. Let the top coat dry and check the result. Make sure we got the smooth and even finish. We can repeat the top coat application to make the finish smooth and even.