Enduro-Var

If the finish feels cool to the touch, it's not ready. When you can sand it to a dry powder, it is ready for the next coat. Dry times will be longer if it is raining, cold, or humid. When in doubt, waiting longer is always better.

General Finishes offers a complete coatings system with a finish for every objective.

General Finishes Professional, Industrial, and OEM Water-Based Topcoats

• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 2K Conversion Varnish
• Enduro Professional 1K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 1K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Pro Series Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Pro Series White Poly
• Enduro Professional Pre-Cat Lacquer

General Finishes Retail Water-Based Topcoats:

• High Performance Topcoat
• Flat Out Flat Topcoat
• Enduro-Var II Topcoat
• Exterior 450 Topcoat
• Wood Turners Finish

General Finishes Exterior Water-Based Topcoats:

• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K Clear Poly
• Enduro Professional Tintable 2K White Poly
• Enduro Professional 2K Conversion Varnish
• Exterior 450 Topcoat
• Exterior 450 White

General Finishes Oil-Based Topcoats

• Arm-R-Seal 
• Seal-A-Cell
• Gel Satin Topcoat
• Wood Bowl Finish
• Butcher Block Oil
• Outdoor Oil
• Hard Wax Oil 

GENERAL PRACTICE:

1. Oil-based topcoats and ENDURO-VAR II will amber over time.
2. All other water-based and High Performance top coats dry clear.
3. Never use any water-based topcoat with long oils such as Danish, Tung or Linseed.
4. Water-based top coats clean up with soap and water. Oil-based topcoats require mineral spirits for cleanup.
5. If you use water-based topcoats over oil-based finishes, make sure that you wait 72 hours between the two products. It is essential to let the oil finish dry longer.
6. For more complex projects with many details and corners or large surface areas such as cabinets, we recommend either ARM-R-SEAL liquid oil-based topcoats or water-based topcoats. Large surfaces such as cabinets or tables and complex projects with lots of detail are easier to cover with a liquid topcoat rather than a GEL SATIN topcoat.
7. Enduro Professional Topcoats are thinner and intended to be sprayed
8. HIGH PERFORMANCE can be brushed or sprayed. It can be thinned by adding 5-10% distilled water if needed. 

Compare all topcoats

Our first concern is the use of the epoxy. Although you have may had success with this process previously, we do not recommend the use of Enduro-Var with epoxy or any oil based products. Enduro-Var works well on its own or with GFs water based finishes. There is a great possibility that future finishes can fail.

Nor do we recommend adding denatured alcohol, which should not be used in any of General Finishes water based products. Denatured alcohol can change the polarity of a finish formula, kicking out polymer particles that would look like grit on the surface. Denatured alcohol could also deactivate the defoamers in the formula.

The use of Extender won't help you. It is a water based product and will not melt through existing layers of finish in the same manner that solvent finishes do.

We interpret that you are trying to remove witness lines which are basically sanding marks. For your current situation, we recommend attempting to build the area with just Enduro-Var, then buffing out with a 2000-3000 grit. You may have to sand down and start over if that is not successful.

Future forward. Use Enduro-Var on its own. Although it is a favorite among Luthiers, it is a unique hybrid finish that does not pay well with other finishes.

Contributed by Jeff Jewitt of Homestead Finishing Supplies

Day 1:

• Prep sand the wood with 220-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a wet coat of General Finishes Enduro-Var Gloss and dry for 2 hours.
• Level sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a second wet coat and dry for 2 hours.
• Lightly sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Spray a third wet coat and allow to dry overnight.

Day 2:

• Level sand with 320-grit sandpaper.
• Wipe down with water mixed with 5% Denatured Alcohol.
• Spray a fourth wet coat 2-3 mils thick and dry 1 hour.
• Spray 3 more coats, 1 hour between coats, for a total of 4 coats the second day.

Let your project dry 1 week, then:

• Level sand dry with Mirka P800.
• Dry sand with Mirka P1200.
• Dry sand with 2000-grit Mirka Abralon.

Note: Do not use any lubricants of any type for sanding.

Final:

• Buff 3M Finesse-It Material on with foam buffing pad to high gloss.

Toning is the process of adding colorant, either dye or pigmented stain into a top coat and then applying over an entire piece in order to subtly deepen the color. All of our stains can be used: Stock base colors of RTM, Water-Based Wood Stains or Dye stains. If you are new to toning, we recommend starting with Dyes stains, which can be easier to use as they only contain dyes and no pigments. 

All of General Finishes water-based topcoats with the exception of Conversion Vanish can be tinted to create lightly colored finishes for toning.  It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TEST to your satisfaction before application to your entire project. 

• https://gf.video/How-To-Darken-Cabinets-By-Toning-Water-Based

There are limits anytime you add pigments or dyes to water-based topcoats. Toning should always be done in small increments to achieve the desired color. If you are starting with a light honey tone door and you want to create an Espresso color this will take multiple coats of color including base coat of stain followed by several toning coats. It is impossible to achieve a radical color change with just 1 coat of toner.

A good rule to follow when toning is starting with a minimal amount of stain or dye, 5-10% by volume. Some colors work better than others. Normally 1-2 ounces or stain per quart of clear topcoat is sufficient to create a toner. Always test color first and strain material through a fine mesh filter to remove any undissolved particle of pigment. Once you have achieved the desired color tone apply a clear topcoat to lock in the color. Toner made with water based wood stain should be used at point of use only. Do not store for extended periods of time. 

Enduro-Var sprays beautifully if the gun is absolutely clean and does not have any other finish residue. Proper cleaning with acetone followed with hot water should purge the fluid passage. Enduro-Var itself will not cause gun failure.

Another possibility is the power of the gun. Some of the lower quality guns can overheat causing the product to cure in the gun - they need a rest once in a while if you are using them all day.

Also note that Enduro-Var ADHERES WELL only over WATER STAINS, DYE STAINS, and RAW WOOD.

General Finishes water-based products can be sprayed through compressed air, HVLP, airless or C.A.S. units.

DOWNLOAD SPRAY TIP CHART PDF 

SURFACE PREPARATION:

All surfaces should be clean and free from dirt and oil and sanded.

Indicated below are instructional videos we have for preparing a surface for a new coat of paint or finish:

• Prep sand raw wood.
• Prep sand an existing finish.
• Power prep an existing high-use finish such as kitchen cabinets.

SPRAY APPLICATION OF GENERAL FINISHES WATER-BASED FINISHES:

All General Finishes water-based topcoats and wood stains are ready to spray from the container without additives with the exception of Conversion Varnish. Always strain material through a medium to fine mesh filter before spraying. If necessary, in hot or dry climates, reduce 10 to 15% with General Finishes Extender to extend the open time.

PRE SEALING:

Softwoods such as Pine absorb stain at an uneven rate and may respond better to staining if the wood is pre-sealed. General Finishes Pre-Stain Conditioner Natural can be applied to raw wood to condition the surface for uniform penetration of the stain. Pre-sealing will cause the final stain to be lighter so you may need to use a darker color. Always test your color on a hidden part of the furniture. Allow the Pre-Stain Conditioner to dry 30 minutes before applying your final stain color.

If you are using a sprayer that has been used for oil-based or lacquers, clean the unit thoroughly with acetone followed with hot water to purge the fluid passage. Apply a thin coat first that will dry and harden faster. Sand this first coat down to a smooth base on which to build your finish coats with a 220-320 grade foam sanding pad or #400-grit sandpaper. It is better to spray 2 thin coats rather than 1 heavy coat.

Contact your supplier to verify proper tip sizes for your specific equipment. GF's general recommended fluid tips for Wood Stains and Top Coats are Compressed air - .040 and Airless - .009.

DOWNLOAD SPRAY TIP CHART PDF

This PDF lists general guidelines for several different types of sprayers with specific General Finishes product recommendations for HVLP listed below.

RECOMMENDED TIPS FOR GENERAL FINISHES PRODUCTS USING HVLP:

• Milk Paint: 1.8mm-2.0mm
• Brushable White Enamel 1.8mm-2.0mm
• Stain Blocker: 1.8mm-2.0mm
• Pearl Effects: 1.8mm-2.0mm
• Glaze Effects: 1.8mm-2.0mm
• High-Performance Topcoat: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Flat Out Flat Top Coat: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Enduro-Var 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Water-Based Wood Stain: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Water-Based Dye Stain: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Exterior 450 Topcoat:1.1mm-1.3mm
• Exterior 450 Stain: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Enduro Sanding Sealer: 1.3-1.4mm
• Enduro White Poly: 1.3mm-1.5mm
• Enduro Black Poly: 1.3mm-1.5mm
• Enduro White Under Coat 1.5mm-1.8mm
• Enduro Clear Poly: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Enduro Pre Cat Lacquer: 1.1mm-1.3mm
• Enduro Conversion Varnish: 1.1mm-1.3mm

Air caps should be medium size. Contact your supplier to verify proper tip sizes for your specific equipment.

Break your work into sections such as dresser top or drawer fronts. Spraying too large of an area can result in a textured grainy surface. A correctly sprayed finish should appear even and glossy. It is important to spray enough material to allow proper flow and leveling of the finish.

Spray medium wet films at 3-5 wet ml thickness. Practice makes perfect. If you have never sprayed finishes before, take a large piece of cardboard and practice your technique first. Spray water on the cardboard to learn how the gun works. Check your fluid settings and adjust the controls to get comfortable with the spray angles and to develop your technique.

SPRAYING TOPCOATS:

Keep your gun at a 90* angle, 6-8" from the surface. On large flat areas, use wet, even patterns 6 to 8 wide. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to 2-3" to reduce overspray. For topcoats, overlap each pass 25% to conceal lines.

Watch our video how to spray water-based topcoats here.

SPRAYING WATER BASED WOOD STAINS:

Keep your gun at a 90* angle, 6-8" from the surface. On large flat areas, use wet, even patterns 6 to 8 wide. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to 2-3" to reduce overspray. Overlap each pass of stain 50% for even coverage and wipe back the excess with an absorbent cloth. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to 2-3" to reduce overspray.

SPRAYING WATER BASED DYE STAINS:

Keep your gun at a 90* angle, 6-8" from the surface. On large flat areas, use wet, even patterns 6 to 8 wide. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to 2-3" to reduce overspray. Overlap each pass of stain 50% for even coverage. If coverage is even, there is no need to wipe. If you have issues with uneven coverage, wipe back the excess with an absorbent cloth. For narrow surfaces, reduce the fan pattern to 2-3" to reduce overspray.

Renewable resources are a recent, eco-friendly advancement in the paint and coatings industry.

They are comprised of plant proteins such as corn; as well as conventional and innovative oils derived from plants such as Euphorbia lagascae, Vernonia galamensis from the sunflower family, and Calendula officinalis, aka marigold.

General Finishes products formulated with renewable resources meet the standard of excellence you have come to expect — including adhesion, coverage, color and durability — with all benefits of water finishes.

GF coatings made with Renewable Resources are: Enduro-Var II, Milk Paint, Water Based Wood Stain, Exterior 450 Stain and Wood Turner's Finish. Look for the green icon!