Updated March 2025 A candy coat wood finish can be achieved on many types of projects, and this article will focus specifically on how to achieve it even when you are working with darker colors or low-sheen colors. Why am I highlighting “darker colors and low-sheen?” When using darker, pigmented colors in a 1K paint […]

Many woodworkers consider woods with a high oil and rosin content to be among the most beautiful materials available, but finishing oily woods has historically been a challenge to accomplish properly and safely. While the correct surface preparation of the selected wood species is important, the methods of preparation come from various schools of thought.

Updated: January 2025 Any time there’s a stretch of cold weather, we usually receive a fresh batch of calls and emails about concerns related to cold-weather applications. So, now is a great time to remind everyone that water-based coatings are typically more sensitive to cold weather than oil- or solvent-based coatings and extra attention should

This is going to be a strange opening sentence for this post, but to be perfectly honest, I often steer away from using ANY kind of wood stain if I don’t have to; this includes water-based wood stains. Let me explain: See, I love the look of natural wood in all its variations, and for

My last article explored the value and purpose for using Target Coatings SA5 Brush and Spray Retarder, especially in warm and/or dry weather environments.  For this post, I’ll explain how and when you might want to use the other additive Target Coatings offers, CL100 water-based crosslinker.  Part 1: What is a Crosslinker (vs. a Catalyst)

As we transition into the dog days of summer, now is a good time to talk about the potential challenges of wood finishing in warm weather. As we have discussed in a previous article about wood finishing in cold temperatures, wood coatings can be sensitive to environmental conditions and therefore different techniques for application may

Have you ever wondered why, for example, when you order EM2000… The product that arrives is also labeled EM2382? Or why Emtech® products have different label colors? Or what the 6- to 7-digit lot number means? Even long-time Target Coatings customers are sometimes confused by our labeling system, which I’ll explain below. First, it is

Updated: May 2024 My earlier post about water based varnish generated some questions about water based lacquer, so I’ll address those today. Just so you know, anywhere from three to four times a day my phone rings and a customer asks, “Does [this product] create a lacquer type finish?” When the word “lacquer” enters the