Revelation

[DarrylF]

I hate finishing. Probably more than I hate sanding.

A few weeks ago I came across a gel poly finish at Toolies in Newcastle. I've heard a fair bit about these gel finishes from the US, and I've been looking for it, but this was the first time I've found some. The particular one they had is made in the US by a company called Petri - http://www.petripaintcompany.com/new.html - expensive, if I remember corectly about $28 for a quart tin of the stuff.

I finished building a bench seat for SWMBO this afternoon in Tassie oak, with a really nice highly figured top. Two weekends to build it, and it came up really well. I decided to give the gel finish a go on it.

I wiped on the first coat in about 20 minutes. Amazing. Dead easy to apply, went on really smooth, very little odour, no runs or drips, easy clean up, and the grain looks truly spectacular.

They reckon this stuff looks better the more coats you apply - if that's true, I will be seriously impressed. So far, I'm a convert. Might actually get to like finishing - or at least not hate it so much

Anyone else used it? Any tips?

[Shane Watson]

20 mins??? Will stick to me spraygun me thinks... No wonder you don't like finishing if your spending that sort of time on the first coat...heheh...

[DarrylF]

I'd prefer to spray - but I don't have anywhere to set up a dedicated spray area, and I hate getting overspray everywhere.

20 mins wasn't too bad, considering the bench has a slatted shelf underneath, and probably would have taken me at least twice as long to brush on a finish.