❈ Finishing Products Comparison Chart
▸ Evaporative Finishes:
Evaporative finishes dry as their solvents disperse into the air. They will always redissolve into the solvent originally used to thin them,making them easier to repair but also a little less durable.
Product |
Ease of Application |
Repairability |
Flame Resistance |
Health & Safety |
Water Resistance |
Chemical Resistance |
Scratch Resistance |
| Wax | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good | Poor | Fair | Poor |
| Shellac | Good | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Fair | Poor | Fair |
| Nitrocellulose Lacquer | Fair | Excellent | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Fair |
| Water-based Finishes | Good | Poor | Excellent | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
▸ Reactive Finishes:
Reactive finishes undergo a chemical change as they cure, making them not only more difficult to repair but also more durable(except for linseed and tung oil) than most evaporative finishes.
Product |
Ease of Application |
Repairability |
Flame Resistance |
Health & Safety |
Water Resistance |
Chemical Resistance |
Scratch Resistance |
| Linseed Oil | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Poor | Fair | Poor |
| Tung Oil | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Fair | Fair | Poor |
| Oil-based Varnish | Good | Poor | Good | Poor | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Oil-based Polyurethane | Good | Poor | Good | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Catalyzed Lacquer | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |