Glass like paint?

[mackmack]

I have sorta been posting alot lately, simply because I have had so many questions stored up for so long but never had a forum such as this that could/would actually answer them.

Luckily, my questions tend to be so amateurish that it normally takes only a few of your guys to chime in to set me straight, and I appreciate that.

Anyways, I wanted to achieve that glass like affect on painted wood that I see in the stores sometimes. Where it almost looks like the paint is sealed under a thin veil of clear glass.

I have been using the glossiest paint I could find(an enamel), and although there is a nice shine to it, it doesn't have that deep glaze that looks so cool.

Do I need some sort of clear gloss to cover my piece in for that effect? or is that just many many coats of the glossy stuff I have been using(as of now I apply 3). Thanks like always.

[25]

If I am not mistaken I think they usually achieve that finish with a technique called a French Polish.

[newbie2wood]

If you are referring to a "piano finish," the glossiness is the result of lacquer and buffing/polishing.
________
Roll A Joint

[leehljp]

Generally, it involves several coats of finish, and sanding between every coat, and lots of elbow grease. Also consider this - good finishing takes almost as much time as spent on the construction.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

This would involve building many layers of lacquer (typically don't have to sand between levels) or poly. Must use Gloss not Matte or Semi. Build 7-10 layers of finish. Allow to dry for a week until finish is hard. Then start with 500 grit working up to 1500 grit sand paper. You will wet sand these grits with a little lubricant such as Murphys Oil Soap. This should result in a nice hazy matte finish. To go to semi gloss get #2 Pumice and sprinkle on with water and lubricant. Go to town on it, getting nice even sheen. Let it slurry dry and wipe it off. Nice semi gloss finish. To get to high gloss you are describing then apply #4 pumice repeating aforementioned steps but using polisher/buffer to get appropriate sheen. Then use Rottenstone (even finer) for final using same techinique as #4 pumice. Wax with paste wax of your choice. This is very condensed.
Assume you want to do this to speakers or guitar or the like?

[cabinetman]

For glossy colors, seal the substrate completely with a sanding sealer or if open grain, use a "grain filler". Then apply your coats of color enamel. On a scrap, after color is cured try a clear varnish, or a clear polyurethane (oil base) for a brand that doesn't have an amber hue. If that isn't sufficient, after all your color coats have "cured", not just dries, but "cured", try wet sanding with wet-or-dry silicon carbide sandpaper, to 1500 - 2000 and then rub out with a fine grade of rottenstone or rubbing compound.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[maxparot]

Lacquer, sanding and buffing will typically get that glass finish but if you want that finish with extra depth to the finish it will require clear over the color. Similar result can be had with poly or catalized enamel but nothing looks quite like a well done lacquer job.