Ok...so I just built the farmhouse bed for a doll for my daughter and painted it white. I bought some clear high-gloss poly for put a finish over it and its yellow! It leaves a yellow tint! What do you guys use for a clear sealer for stuff you paint??? I don't not want to use a sealer because I'm sure it will get beat on and I want it protected...help!
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tncraftsman
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 05:53
You used the right product,
You used the right product, however polyurethane can yellow. Poly is naturally yellowish in color. It's not noticed because poly is generally applied in thin coats. Over time the poly will tend to yellow, especially if exposed to direct sunlight. The lighter the color is covers the more pronounced the yellow is. It's more noticeable on your bed because it's white.
Unfortunately yellowing is a characteristic of polyurethane. For the next project look for a water-based poly. They tend to not yellow as fast as oil-based poly. Also look for a poly that has a UV protection in it. I've had good results with poly-acrylic from General Finish and Minwax.
claydowling
Wed, 04/06/2011 - 07:09
Paint durability
One solution to improving paint durability is to put a layer of sanding sealer under it. It tends to improve adhesion. If you can find it, exterior oil based paint is also really durable. But it's a pain in the tail to use so you'll only find it at professional paint stores, and even then you have to ask nicely.
It's really hard to do with a gift for your daughter, but possibly giving the paint a couple of weeks to cure before handing it over can also help durability a lot. The manufacturer estimates 4 weeks for full curing. Best of luck with that though, I can't do it.