We often hear dry time and cure time used interchangeably when referring to the finishing products we use, but do we truly understand what that means?

No worries! CrystaLac is here to help.

​First, we will go over what it means for OUR products.

Dry time:

​Dry time is the time that it takes your product to be well….dry. Dry to touch doesn’t always mean that the product is fully dry. But beyond that, it is the time that is needed before your coating can be re-coated or lightly used.
CrystaLac makes waterborne products, so when we refer to dry time we are referencing the time needed for the water to evaporate out of the product , leaving solids behind. The dry time for our products is 2-4 hours before they are ready to be re-coated, depending on the product. This ensures you don’t trap the evaporating water between the coats.

Cure Time:
Cure time is the amount of time is takes for the coating to reach MAXIMUM hardness and protection. This again occurs by the evaporation of water out our products. Throughout this time the coating is solidifying to reach total protection. Meaning it’s resistance to chemicals, scratches, water, heat etc.

The cure time for CrystaLac products is 30 days. Within a week you can use your project no problem, but you want to take care to avoid deep scratches, allowing water to sit, use of chemicals etc. until the 30 days are up. It is very possible it can cure faster, but we take the approach of using caution so that you always have long lasting results and protection.
Thin layers will cure faster, and the number of coats you use can effect the cure time as well. Remember the more coats the longer lasting the protection. 3-5 coats is typical for most applications.

What about other products?

Keep in mind that every brand is different, and to always refer to the information on the label/company for specific and correct information.

Solvent/Oil-Based: Oil based coatings do not use water evaporation, but they dry when the oils oxidize, meaning they are reacting with the oxygen in the air to harden. The dry time is typically 6-8 hours, with re-coating between 8-10 hours. The cure time is from 10 days to 3 months.

​Latex: Latex is typically dry enough to recoat in 2-4 hours and the cure time can be 2-4 weeks.
Spray paint: The dry time is typically 15 minutes to an hour, and the cure time is 24-48 hours. (keep in mind this is not a protective coating)

Nitrocellulose Lacquer (solvent based): Nitro dries by the evaporation of the solvents. It dries very quickly at 15 minutes, and you can add coats before it fully dries, but the cure time can be anywhere from 2 weeks- 6 months. Yikes!

Acrylics: Acrylics dry in from about 30 minutes to 2 hours, with the cure time about 2-6 weeks. *

Epoxy: Epoxy dries in 24-48 hours. It cures through exothermic reactions, which simply put, means as the molecules react they generate heat. This is one of the many reasons it is so toxic. The curing process can be sped up through administering heat however. It typically takes 72hrs-30 days to fully cure.

Again, all of this is dependent on the brand you are using and your application process. These times can be affected by temperature, humidity and more.
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*Also remember that additives will greatly affect the dry and cure times.

General Guide for CrystaLac products:
Dry time/ Re-coating: 2-4 hours between coats
Before use: 1 week
Cure time: Approx. 30 days

​​CrystaLac Products are all non-yellowing, but sometimes yellowing still occurs. Why does this happen?
 
This is not due to anything in our products, but it is most commonly caused by tannins in the wood.
 
Here is what tannins are. "Tannins are complex chemical substances derived from phenolic acids (sometimes called tannic acid). ... The word tannin comes from the old German word tanna meaning oak. It refers to the use of wood tannins derived from oak trees that were used to convert animal hides into leather. (United States Department of Services, n.d.)"
 
When you paint/coat the wood, this wets these tannins and brings them to the surface. That is why sometimes when you paint raw wood without priming you don’t see discoloration until you apply the topcoat.
 
You can prevent this from happening by properly prepping your piece with It's Not Shellac sanding sealer. It has tannin blocker built in to prevent this or you.
 
You can also use several coats of Universal White or our Flip'N'Awesome paints, as they have a tannin blocker built into the formula as well. With certain wood you will need more coats then others to fully block the tannins, especially if painting something white.
 
Another thing to keep in mind is ANY solvent or oil based products WILL amber over time. So keep this in mind if using any other products under CrystaLac products.

Why should I use CrystaLac Sanding Sealer?
 
Waterborne finishes “wet” the wood and cause the wood grain to raise. Sanding Sealer helps to minimize the grain raise so that less sanding is needed. CrystaLac’s amber-toned sealer also helps to enhance the warm colors of the woodgrain. Our topcoats are CRYSTAL clear, but many people are used to the “wet” darkened look that an oil or lacquer finish provides. Our amber-toned sanding sealer allows you to still create this look while still providing the benefits of a nice clear finish.
 
CrystaLac also offers “It’s Knot Shellac”. This is a clear version of our sanding sealer created for if you DON’T prefer the amber tint . It also works to block the tannins that can bleed through the finish, causing yellowing. This is especially important if you are painting your project white or a solid color.
 
CrystaLac Sanding Sealers and It’s Knot Shellac can also be used as a pre-stain conditioner. This isn’t needed if using our gel-stain, but other stains often absorb into the wood unevenly, causing discoloration. Our sanding sealer can be used under these types of stains to give you an even coverage and colors.
 
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Application:
The sealers can be applied by either brushing or spraying. The thin viscosity makes it easy to spread and allows it to penetrate into porous woods. To start apply 1 thin coat and allow it to dry. Lightly scuff sand to remove any raised grain fibers, then apply an additional 1 to 2 coats to seal wood and provide an excellent surface that will be ready to topcoat.
 
As a conditioner : Apply 1 coat of Sanding Sealer to the bare wood and allow to dry*. Sand back down to bare wood leaving the sealer only in the wood grain and pores. Apply stain and allow it to thoroughly dry.
 
All CrystaLac products are non-toxic, eco-friendly and food grade safe. CystaLac has been making specialty coatings for over 50 years!
 

We often get asked, “What is the difference between your topcoats?” So here is a brief overview of each of them, so that you can make an educated decision on what you need.

We offer 4 different topcoats at the moment: Super Premium, Extreme Protection, CrabCoat Marine/exterior , and BriteTone
All of our topcoats are Non-toxic, Eco- friendly, and food-grade safe. They all offer UV protection, non-yellowing, and they self-level for easy application. They can be brushed on or sprayed straight from the container.

We are a specialty topcoat manufacturing company and have been making topcoats for over 50 years! So, no matter what topcoat you choose, you can feel confident knowing the quality is higher than items purchased at a box store. None of our products will give you water rings, and they can withstand heat up to about 350◦ once cured. We do not recommend contact with direct heat/flame, but they are durable enough for coasters, on ceramic mugs etc.

Super Premium(SP): Super premium is offered in Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss and Gloss. It is often used for items such as cabinets, side tables, chairs etc due to it's durability. It does all the things described above and is a great general all-purpose topcoat that provides quality protection of your project.

Extreme Protection(EP): Extreme Protection is offered in Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss and Gloss. It is often used for high traffic areas such as kitchen counters, bar tops, and floors. It has basic UV protection to prevent fading of your projects from the sun. This is especially important if painting items with red/purple pigmentation such as purple heart wood or a red stain. It also has a component in it that gives it a higher scuff and scratch resistance than the SP, though both are scratch resistant. It is a great all-purpose topcoat and a great go-to if you are unsure what you need.

BriteTone (BT): Britetone is offered in Matte, Satin, and Gloss. It is often used for instruments, tumblers, coasters, jewelry, and items where you are trying to achieve a “glass” like look similar to the look of epoxy. It has our highest quality resins and offers the highest solids content. This doesn’t mean that it is a thicker coating, as much as that it BUILDS faster with less coats. It is scratch resistant and durable enough for something like a bar top as well.

CrabCoat Marine/Exterior (CC): Crabcoat is offered in Satin and Gloss. It is designed for exterior projects such as signs, sailboats, and outdoor furniture such as a porch rocking chair. It can flex with the wood during temperature and humidity changes, which prevents cracking and gives it better exterior longevity. Of all our topcoats it has the highest UV protection and stabilizers, as well as mildew protection built in. It is the only topcoat we recommend for outdoor use. This does not make it better than our other topcoats. It is just designed perfectly different for exterior needs.
 
 

The past few years Gel-Stains have taken over the stain market, and it is no wonder why. The consistency helps to get even coverage more easily, as well as providing the ability to apply stains over veneer and existing finishes creating brand new possibilities!
Oil-based gel stains have been around for ages, but did you know that water-based gel stains are available? Not only is this convenient because it is compatible with other water-based products ,such as CrystaLac's non-yellowing water-based topcoats (which is near impossible with oil), but it also dries faster with no odor to boot!

It makes an easy fix to damaged surfaces, taking only minutes to apply with long lasting results.

Here is a great example of how easy a fix can be:

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The CrystaLac Company makes the only water-based gel stains on the market. They can be applied as seen here over a multi-colored damaged surface, or directly on raw wood. CrystaLac gel stains are designed to give you even coverage no matter how it is applied (sprayed or brushed) and adhere to any surface.
Not only do they provide beautiful natural wood colors, but they offer bright fun options that still show off the wood grain. My personal favorite is the Sapphire Blue as seen below:

​These were built and finished by Matt Nunley at MC Farms. I love how he created a new look by mixing the natural wood color with something fun.  You can also layer the colors to get a multi-dimensional look

I created the next look using only two colors! Sapphire blue and pink. I put down the pink first with a foam brush, sanded it back with a block 220 sanding pad, and after it dried layered the Sapphire blue over it. The shiny sheen was the Super Premium gloss. 

. The photo below is veneer rough sanded to create patches, and then I added a layer of light green stain over it. Super easy and wonderfully unique!

You can also achieve these looks with natural wood colors, but I really wanted to show off the creative opportunities these gel stains of  Not only are there beautiful premade colors, but you can create your own using CrystaLac's pigment set and clear gel-stain base.  


The possibilities are endless with The CrytaLac Company