Acrylothane Premium Water-Based Topcoat

First time DIY. Used CrystaLac Acrylothane Premium Water-Based Topcoat on inexpensive wood TV tables from Amazon. I purchased a quart of CrystaLac Acrylothane, foam brushes, and a sanding pad from www.crystalac.com.

Very smooth, minimally glossy finish after 5 coats. Only used about 4-6 oz for 4 tables. A huge improvement compared to prior to topcoat application. I love this product!

I followed the instructions from the website and CrystaLac Academy video tutorials on https://www.crystalac.com/blogs/crystalacacademy and YouTube. Below is my summary of this info plus my observations.
• Always practice your process on a similar test project/material before applying to your main project
• Environment
o 68-75°F, medium humidity, 70°F/70% is ideal
o Low humidity causes the product to dry too quickly & too high humidity causes the product to dry slowly in between coats
o 70% humidity was only possible when it rained. With lower humidity, I applied generous product and spread the topcoat quickly!
o Indoor use is satisfactory since low VOCs, but should keep doors/windows open. Faint odor noted only if near the jar.
• Preparation
o Floor covering under furniture to catch dust & drips
o Disposable gloves
o “Clean, scuff, clean”
o Vacuum, then clean any residue with wipes (I used a microfiber towel + water)
o Very gently, light scuff with a 220-grit sanding pad (rinseable), be careful to not remove the existing finish
o Clean any residue with wipes (microfiber towel + water)
• Opening the can
o Remove plastic lid (a little challenging, used pliers)
o Pry the can’s metal lid open using a screwdriver going in a circle. Pry then move in short distances. Do not damage the lid lip.
o Remove the lid while turning away from the can to avoid dropping particulates into the can from inside of the lid or from on top of the lid
• Stir the product using a paint stick, never shake the can (induces bubbles)
• Application
o Lower foam brush into can, “dip & drip”, and do not drag the brush across the inner edge of the can since it creates air bubbles & a sticky lid
o Apply the product using smooth, gentle, longitudinal brushing starting near the edge
o Finish the unexposed edge from the wet center
o Expect surface to have waves initially. It’s self-leveling after about 10”
• Times
o “Dry time” – dry to touch in 15-20”
o “Recoat time” – 2-4°
 -- Environmental factors affect drying time, e.g., humidity, temperature
 -- Apply 3-5 coats
• No sanding in between coats
• If left overnight, clean the surface with a moist microfiber towel (as above) before more coats
o “Cure time” – multiple variables, certain maximal hardness is reached in 30 days, and light use of furniture perhaps in a few days
• Clean up
o Water is used to clean site drips, brushes, and skin
• Storage
o Return lid to can, close with thumb pressure or gentle hammer taps in a circle, reverse of the can opening process
o Do not store in the garage since hard freezes and temperatures >100° reduce the quality of the product
o Shelf life is 5 years
o If product dries, add a little water

Hope this helps
Not an incentivized review

I love the ease of Acrylothane!
It went on easy with a brush but it also went on using my hand, like GF does. I bought the matt and it made my tabletop look amazing without taking away from the look I was trying to achieve.
Thanks for another great product!

I constructe a drawer for a sailboat interior. The drawer and supporting frame were birch plywood with teak trim. I used crystalac for finish the wood spraying on three coats I worked well which is what I expected