{"id":11021,"date":"2021-04-16T10:41:23","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T10:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resin-expert.com\/?p=11021"},"modified":"2023-08-16T09:52:55","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T09:52:55","slug":"lacquer-vs-polyurethane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resin-expert.com\/en\/guide\/lacquer-vs-polyurethane","title":{"rendered":"Lacquer vs Polyurethane – The Differences of Poly Over Lacquer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Painting and refurbishing wood can be hard work, so you want to make sure that the products chosen bring out the best in your wood piece. There are many products available to do this, so it can be a little bit of a challenge to choose the products that offer the best results for your project. This is also true when deciding on lacquer vs polyurethane, as both provide certain benefits, and also come with some disadvantages. Sometimes, these types of finishes are not needed, and a good coat of quality furniture oil will do the trick. But for now, let us take a closer look at polyurethane vs lacquer for the best durable topcoat.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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What Is Lacquer?<\/h2>\n

Lacquer is a favorite durable finish preferred by many, and is not the same as varnish. There are many differences, the main ones being their consistency and ingredients. Lacquer for one is a lot thinner than varnish and provides a more durable, clear finish. Some also confuse lacquer with shellac, which is made out of the shellac from the lac beetle. This is dissolved in alcohol that then gives you a durable and high-gloss finish. Shellac, however, is placed in its own category.<\/p>\n

The traditional form of lacquer comes from the lacquer tree itself, which is native to China. The tree sap is collected and the resin harvested. The resin goes through a refining process which is then added to a lacquer thinner.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Then there are the more modern synthetic lacquers, which come in different forms. These consist of synthetic polymers dissolved in a lacquer thinner and provide a more durable finish as well as other benefits, especially when compared to a finish like shellac<\/strong><\/a>. We will be dealing mainly with nitrocellulose lacquer when referring to what is lacquer. Other types of\u00a0lacquer include:<\/p>\n