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kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (clear)

5/1/18       
david zaret Member

i've been shooting kem-aqua plus for a few years now, but lately i've been considering exploring other options...

does anyone have experience with the lenmar duralaq, and any comparisons to the kem-aqua? both seem to spray well, but i'm particularly curious about durability, cleaner resistance, etc. is it good for kitchen cabinets? how does it compare?

thanks for sharing any experience...

-- dz

5/1/18       #3: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
John Member

I just finished my first spraying job with Duralaq. It sprays great compared to KemAqua Plus, at least with my HVLP set up. I have to add GF's Extender to KA+ in order to get it to spray well. Even then I have a hard time getting a good film with less than 3 coats. The Duralaq sprays better for me and two coats gives a good finish.

Now for the bad news. Duralaq is easily damaged by Windex, 409, and probably anything else with ammonia in it. I'm sure acetone is deadly on it. KA+ is much better in terms of chemical durability. It is KCMA rated, Duralaq is not. I would not use Duralaq as my topcoat for kitchen cabinets.

I have not yet tried Lenmar's MegaVar yet, but it is KCMA rated and should have much better chemical durability.

John

5/1/18       #4: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
Kevin

kem aqua is Sherwin Williams product. They own Sayerlack now and you should be able to get the Sayerlack Hydroplus polyurethane through your distributor. Its great product. Give it a shot.

5/1/18       #6: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
John Member

I should have mentioned before if you are looking for great all around product I like GF's Enduro Clear Poly. Easy to spray, hard and abrasion resistant, very clear, and durable against common household chemicals.

John

5/1/18       #7: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

guys - this is incredibly helpful, thanks.

enduro clear poly is my absolute favorite clear. i would use it if i could... here's the rub - first, it's $90 a gallon, and second, it's impossible to get. i use a lot of clear, and i'm not buying a gallon at a time from woodcraft. i pay $30 a gallon for KAP and it's always right down the street. if enduro clear poly was ... $50, and down the street, it would be my only choice.

great information guys. woodweb to the rescue, again.

--- dz

5/1/18       #8: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
John Member

Look into the Sayerlack product at SW and Magnavar at BM then. Both should be available locally, and likely for less than you are paying for Clear Poly.

John

5/1/18       #9: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

john i definitely will - already have a call in with my BM dealer.

by the way, i am using a Kremlin AAA sprayer, and i have spraying kem-aqua down to a science. it sprays really, really well, without thinning and such. i had issues with the HVLP, but after dialing it in with the Kremlin, sprays nicely. just my $0.02.

thanks again for your help.

-- dz

5/1/18       #10: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

john just to be clear - you're referencing this product correct:

http://www.lenmar-coatings.com/product-detail/pro/lenmar/megavar-water
borne-polyurethane-finish

5/1/18       #11: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
John Member

Yes, MegaVar. Sorry for the mis-spelling.

I've heard others report great results with KA+ when using a AAA set up. I'm using a a mid range HVLP conversion gun with PPS H/O cup, and it's not nearly as easy to spray as most other WB clearcoats I've used.

FWIW, I pay $53/gallon for Enduro Clear Poly if I buy it in 5 gallon pails, including shipping.

John

John

5/1/18       #12: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

what sort of shelf life do you get on an open 5 gallon pail? $53 isn't bad.

i used an HVLP with PPS for many years, and about a year ago we got the kremlin. it's sprays like a dream, and it's *fast* - the speed of laying down material takes some getting used to. i've heard that others have issues with the AAA setup with KAP with foaming and micro bubbles, and i've only very rarely seen that with the clear, but i think it's more prevalent with the pigmented. the white is certainly harder to spray.

when i had the PPS, one thing that i did that really helped was to back-pressure the cup with an air line on a regulator - more pressure than i got from the connection to the gun - and force the material out. that was a useful change to the setup, and helped with thicker finishes. obviously with the AAA all of that is completely unnecessary.

thanks for the info and guidance.

--- dz

5/1/18       #14: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
John Member

I can't say yet, David. I bought a pail last August I think it was for a friend and it's still fine after using about half and the rest sitting all Winter. I use it faster than that and haven't had any go bad yet.

I can say that I've had several partially used gallon cans of EnduroVar, Clear Poly, and White Poly on the shelf for over a year with no problem. I try not to do that, but sometimes it happens.

FWIW, I've started to buy satin or semi gloss and then add flatters to it when I need to cut the sheen rather than buy cans of several different sheens. That allows me to buy in 5 gal quantities for both a lower price and faster use. I get the flatters from Hood Finishing, for about $25/gallon and it doesn't take a lot.

I've heard others say the AAA is a great way to go. I don't think my volume is high enough to justify one. I'm curious about boosting the pressure on the PPS cup. I thought the pressure relief trips around 9 psi, or were you not using the H/O cup? I run around 4 - 5 psi most of the time on my H/O cup, and go to maybe 6 psi (and a larger N/N, too) for high viscosity products like SW's ProClassic. My on board regulator can easily go higher but I've never tried for fear of tripping the pressure relief.

John

5/2/18       #15: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

john, i'm not boosting it much. i'd say on average 5psi. but the main thing is the variability - if i am spraying something really thin (shellac), i dial it back, if it's something more viscous, i can crank it up if necessary. the bleed tube off the turbine gives me marginal pressure, and obviously not adjustable. it's a minor, but useful, upgrade to the PPS cup.

honestly, with the AAA, now i only have shellac loaded in the HVLP and i don't use the compressor pressure line at all. shellac sprays like a dream right out of the cup.

5/3/18       #16: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

my rep is getting me a test gallon of megavar.

this stuff is significantly more expensive than duralaq or KAP - $65 a gallon. is that what you are seeing, and do you feel it justifies the price over a KAP?

5/15/18       #17: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
Gary Member

Agree with Kevin on the Sayerlack, I spray about 16 - 5 gallon pails a week, spray over1000 gallons a year. great stuff!

4/16/19       #18: kem-aqua plus vs. lemmar duralaq (c ...
david zaret Member

just to close the loop on this... i switched to sayerlack hydroplus, i've sprayed 10 five gallon pails so far, and it's fantastic. it's forgiving, looks great, lays down wonderfully... great product.

on the kremlin i'm spraying it successfully with a 06-094 tip, but my pattern isn't perfect, and i have a feeling i should switch to a 09. does anyone have guidance on specifically which tip to use for this product? thanks.


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