Paint Type
Lacquer paint is a fast-drying coating designed to form a smooth and hard finish. It is commonly used on furniture and woodwork as well as some metal surfaces.
Lacquer paint works best on properly prepared wood and metal. Existing finishes should be tested before lacquer is applied.
| Surface | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer or sealer | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood | Excellent with a wood-finishing lacquer | Use clean, dry wood; sand as needed and remove dust, wax, grease, and incompatible finish. | Use the lacquer system's sanding sealer or primer when specified. | Often smooth and fast-drying, with sheen and durability determined by the formula. | — |
| Metal | Good with a metal or automotive lacquer | Remove rust and loose coating, then clean, degrease, dry, and prepare the surface for adhesion. | Use a lacquer-compatible metal primer unless direct application is approved. | Can produce a hard, glossy finish that may be polished after curing. | — |
| Aluminum | Good with an approved metal lacquer system | Remove oxidation, clean and degrease thoroughly, then abrade or pretreat as directed. | Use an aluminum-compatible primer when the product system requires one. | Product-specific; industrial and automotive lacquers may be designed for high gloss. | — |
| Unglazed ceramic | Good for decorative use when listed by the product | Remove dust and contamination and let the porous ceramic dry fully. | Product-specific; glazed ceramic needs a different adhesion system. | Usually smooth and glossy; not automatically suitable for food contact, heat, or washing. | — |
| Masonry | Limited to products that expressly approve masonry or plaster | Use a cured, clean, dry surface free from dust, loose material, and moisture problems. | Product-specific. | Best treated as a decorative finish unless the product approves the exposure and wear. | — |
Sources: Rust-Oleum Lacquer Spray, Sherwin-Williams Opex Acrylic Clear Metal Lacquer, Sher-Wood CAB-Acrylic Lacquer, and Mohawk DuraCoat Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer.
Explore painters in the PaintZeal reference who worked with lacquer paint.
David Alfaro Siqueiros was a Mexican painter and muralist who deliberately embraced modern industrial materials and methods, including lacquer, enamel, pyroxylin, and automotive coatings, as alternatives to traditional easel-painting materials.
Billy Al Bengston was an American painter associated with postwar Los Angeles who adapted automotive lacquer, enamel, aluminum, and high-gloss finishing methods to fine-art painting.
Ushio Shinohara is a Japanese artist known for energetic action-based painting, Neo-Dada and Pop experimentation, and works using fluorescent Day-Glo color, lacquer, and unconventional materials.
Mohamed Melehi was a Moroccan painter known for crisp hard-edge abstraction and rhythmic wave forms, including glossy works made with industrial lacquer applied by spray gun.
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