Polyvinyl over paint?

[ironhat]

I'm finishing up a bathroom cabinet for my daughter's children's bathroom and the unit is painted. I had an aquaintance who does custom cabinets tell me that he put polyvinyl acrylic over paint in situations of high wear. I don't really know the guy well enough to call and bug him for advice so I'll bug you folks.

TIA

[cabinetman]

It would be necessary to know exactly what the polyvinyl is, as there are variables in paint mixtures. Here is a pretty complete explanation of the chemistry.
.

[herb fellows]

Is that essentially Minwax polycrilic? I've heard other people talk glowingly about it, but I had no luck with it. In my experience, it was very hard to brush out evenly and it yellowed within a year despite claims to the contrary from Minwax. I suppose you could thin it to make it brush better, don't know how to cure the yellowing though.

[ironhat]

Yea, Herb, I was thinking of the Minwax product. I've never had issues with it or had any yellowing. But, then again, I've only used it on stained wood that wouldn't show the yellowing. I kinda liked it myself but to each their own, right!?

[Mr__Bill]

I use Poly-Acrylic over paint all the time. Most paint marks very easy it seems and the clear coating makes for a tough finish. Over white it looks like the old lead based white paint great for that antique look. If you used a semi or gloss paint you need to sand it first, carefully you don't go through the paint. You can use flat paint and then coat it for a nice tough finish that is very easy to apply.
As for brushing it out, use lots of finish on the brush and don't try to go back over it. I find that thinning it makes for an inferior finish while water is the clean up to use it seems that water is not the real thinner for it. It is as though you get an emulsification rather than a truly thinned product. Perhaps there is a chemist or real paint person here that can explain it better than me.

Bill

[herb fellows]

Yea, Herb, I was thinking of the Minwax product. I've never had issues with it or had any yellowing. But, then again, I've only used it on stained wood that wouldn't show the yellowing. I kinda liked it myself but to each their own, right!?

Yeah, Chiz, my problem was over white oil base paint, some shelving in a closet. However, others here say that it's been ok for them, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's something I'm doing wrong.