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Paint hardness

Type of coatings	Pencil Hardness
Catalyzed polyester	9H
Catalyzed polyurethane	9H
Catalyzed Modified Acrylic polyurethane	4H
Catalyzed Acrylic polyurethane	2H
Water-based polyurethane	3H
Water-based urethane/ Isocyanate Catalyst	2H
Conversion varnish	4H
Low VOC Catalyzed laquer [24 hrs]	2H
Low VOC laquer	3H
Urethane/Nitrocellulose laquer [24 hrs}	F
Water reducible laquer	2H
Tung oil/polyurethane wipe-on finish	2H
Water-based polyurethane wipe-on finish	HB-F
Aerosol precat	3B
Aerosol water clear acrylic	3B
Aerosol clear shellac	3B
Aerosol nitrocellulose/ polyurethane	HB
Aerosol nitrocellulose	3B
Amber (orange) Shellac 1 lb. cut	3B

Paint Primers

Types of primers

Oil based - the best takes 24 hours to dry, smells, cleans up with paint thinner, penetrates wood and paper, and will last a life time.

Shellac - alcohol solvent primmer - drys fast, seals well - cheaper than the best oil based.

latex and other compromise primers - "If it doesn't stink, it won't sink!" If you think cleaning up with water saves you time - you are correct - each and every time you will paint - and you will scrape and paint often. It sits on top of the wood or paper and comes off. Don't use latex primers - especially for out side work.

Varnish vs Lacquer vs Shellac

In the USA, varnish refers to an oil-based solvent finish with a variety of dissolved resins.

The term lacquer comes from the lac insect (Laccifer lacca) whose secretion, called lac, are a polymer that is soluble in alcohol. Shellac is a brittle or flaky secretion of the lac insect. (In the UK however, the term lacquer has a different meaning; if you spray it, it's lacquer - if you brush it, it's varnish!) In America today the word lacquer refers to nitrocellulose dissolved in alcohol or a different solvent.

Shelac is a different 'lac'; a brittle or flaky secretion of a different lac insect, Coccus lacca.

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