Aqua Coat Grain Filler

How to apply grain filler using Aqua Coat Clear, waterbased, Grain Filler.

[@jamesfriedman1878]

Very informative video Sam. I appreciated your comment in the video about using a light seal coat of shellac sanding sealer prior to commencing the pore-filling. I like how the product is eco friendly (unlike epoxy and cyanoacrylate) and so easy to use. Can't wait to try this on my next guitar pore-fill project and toss out the epoxy for good. Nice jazz track throughout!

[@kaizze8777]

I just ordered this, cannot wait to plug up the grains on my custom guitar job, I kind of like the grained finish, but I like the modern @zero grain finished look better. more professional and more off the showroom kind of look

[@wizard-of-other-oz]

...and more plastic)

[@stoddmi]

great video. I am painting a guitar and I used sanding sealer, but the grain is still pretty strong I am going to lightly sand and apply your technique.. Thanks again!

[@ecaff9515]

Excellent video. You make it it look so easy and simple. Thank you for sharing. Great product and excelent prcess.

[@binguslevine]

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide this useful information. I just built an end grain chessboard (similar for a cutting board) and so am not worried about food safety. I was thinking that I would try the aqua coat and wondered what are your thoughts on filling END grain? Thanks again. You have a new subscriber. Best to you.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Greg, I love the grain filler on end grain. Because end grain is more difficult to sand, the grain filler levels out any imperfections, sands easily and provides a perfect surface for a finish coat of poly, lacquer or paint. Thanks for subscribing.

[@binguslevine]

Sam the Finishing Man: Thanks so much. It also says a lot about you that you still answer questions posed within a 4 year old video. Best to you. Greg

[@ukguitaryogi2888]

can you talk about many grain filling techniques into detail please many thanks , things like grain filling ash and other wide open pore woods and curves in the woods. many thanks

[@dccd673]

Boy am I glad I never went ahead with painting my oak cabinets after watching diys. Not once did any of the people used the grain filler. My question is: if I can’t remove dirt (or it could be worn out) on the corners, which I imagine the previous owners rarely cleaned, how should I go about it? I actually like the finished look on the one you did. Did you apply anything else after the grain filler? Great video btw

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

I like to clean with a citrus cleaner first to get the grease off, then soapy water for the dirt, then a quick wipe with mineral spirits. After the grain filler all I added was a top coat.

[@35gvs]

Great video! One question, should I sand before applying the aqua coat?

[@conirish2004]

great video

[@dothraki7596]

Hey Sam the finishing man, the previous owners used white grain filler to the wood cabinets, now I am stripping, the white remains, how do I get rid of it?????????

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

If the previous owner did a good job, I don't think you'll get it all out. Dentil pic maybe? I wouldn't try. Find an alternate finish to cover it.

[@jimmysanchez1149]

Excellent video, I'm gonna paint a oak cabinets, my question is... should i prime first and then aqua filler?? Or first aqua filler and then the regular process primer, sanding and paint??

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

In this case I grain fill first, then prime, then paint. The grain filler now comes in a white so it's easier to see prior to painting.

[@lisaiedema2746]

I'm new to this product...can it be used to conceal or make scratches less visible?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Yes it will help hide scratches, but the best way is to sand them out.

[@lamborn55]

I've found that sanding affects the stained surface below, and lets original wood color through...not my cup of tea...any suggestions?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Sure, dont sand through the grain filler and the stain or you'll get to bare wood again.

[@neonether]

I had the same problem with my project and had to re-stain. Light sanding with 320, much like in this video, made the surface look opaque and white. The grain filler really gummed up some areas. Sanding lightly took the stain off and blotched a good amount of the wood stain. Thankfully the re-stain over the aqua coat fixed the issue, but not sure what happened or if I want to take that chance again. I may have to do some experimenting if I want to use this again.

[@pianomanny1397]

Thanks so much for the instruction. I am going to paint my kitchen cabinets which are currently of the variety shown in your video, typical oak with a satin finish. I'm going to use an antique white paint that is water based. Do I need to scuff the cabinets prior to using the Aqua Coat or can I simply apply it directly over the current finish? Thank you.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Salvatore Restucci The grain filler can go right over the existing finish.

[@taniacolderbank4367]

This looks great. Sam--I'd like to mask the heavy grained look of my golden oak cabinets and gel stain with a walnut color . . . I'd like to see the wood grain, but don't want it to be heavily contrasted. Any suggestions?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

I would gel stain first, then grain fill, then clear coat. This should give you the color you want but the grain filler will take away the deep, heavy graining associated with oak.

[@ewayne1527]

I’m building a red oak keepsake box for my wife. She wants it stained and as you mentioned I should stain first then apply Aqua Coat. Do I need a sealer between staining and AC? And can I go straight to a polyurethane finish after multiple applications of AC?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

E - No sealer is needed in either situation. Use Aqua Coat finishes as your top coat for zero risk of contamination.

[@THRobinson]

I'm looking into getting some of this to try for guitars... just curious... why stain, shellac and then filler? why not the filler directly after staining?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

There are many ways to get from here to there. This is my way, you can certainly apply the filler before shellac too. I like the extra protection of the shellac coat before the filler as you'll have to sand the filler and you don't want to get into the stain when sanding.

[@jacquelinezaragoza2504]

can I use this and then paint my cabinets white? I'm trying to achieve the no grain look.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Jacqueline Zaragoza Yes you can Jackie. That's exactly what it's for. If it's heavy grained, like oak, it might take a few light applications to fill completely. Have patience with the grain filler and your cabinets will look better because of it.

[@matthughes88]

Will this product prevent tannin bleed through when painting oak cabinets white, or will I need to put on a coat of shellac and allow it to dry? I'm top coating with a waterborne acrylic.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

While I find it does a great job sealing in tannins I still apply a coat of Sealcoat before I apply the grain filler. No reason to skip such an easy step for the extra protection you get.

[@07blackdog]

Is that TransTint you are holding? I am finishing moldings,doors,and staircase in my house. Wood is red oak. When attempting a dark red mahogany finish, I only found success after using TransTint,then a tung oil stain and tung oil top coat. The color is gorgeous but the grain is very open , as you showed. I think this product is what I need.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

07blackdog Yes it is Trans Tint. You can add it directly to the grain filler, and/or the top coat. Some experimentation on scrap wood to determine the mixture and best application method is necessary.

[@CanadianHardwoodPro]

Is there a product compatible with oil based finishes? I'm working on a 13 foot long bubinga slab and it has cracks and the grain is porous like walnut or jatoba. Owner wants a glass tabletop like surface. I've tried 5 coats of oil based polyurethane and the pores just do not want to fill.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Yes! This is it! You'll never fill pores just by adding poly, you must grain fill first. Just follow the procedure and your customer will be thrilled.

[@eddimarkowitz9377]

Hi there, thanks so much for your videos. I have a question to ask you , i recently sprayed my sapele doors without filling the pores and I'm not happy with the results. Can I use this product on already precat lacquered doors and top coat it with precat lacquer ? Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Eddi Markowitz Yes you can, Eddi.

[@jacktrotter5357]

Why did you use shellac before using grain filler ?

[@bh6776]

Aquaciot is water based so I imagine the seal coat would add extra protection over your stain and prevent from raising the grain?

[@Ronbrownsbest]

Good job Sam. Do you have any idea what the SRP might be and where can I get some? Ron

[@WoodcraftSupply]

+coolhammerman You can get Aqua Coat at Woodcraft: www.woodcraft.com/search2/search.aspx?query=aqua%20coat. The SRP is $18.99 for the Pint, and the Quart is priced at $34.99.

[@Jordan-wp8xi]

When you say stain, shellac, grain filler, then topcoat - what do you mean by "topcoat"? Would polyurethane work?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Yes any clear coat finish.

[@gbuggy006]

Hi Sam, Thanks for doing the finishing pores filler video. After staining my mahogany and then filling the grain with Acqua Coat, can I then use shellac as a final finish?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

MaryC Shellac is fine over the grain filler. It should look great!

[@gbuggy006]

Sam the Finishing Man thanks so much!

[@lamborn55]

Dewaxed Shellac is compatible with just about any finish!

[@dennisgilsoul4663]

What is with the pink dots on the label?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

I believe that is the dot Matrix.

[@mrpoolplayer6379]

How does this water based product affect my project that already has on oil based stain on it. My project is oak & walnut, they are raw now, was hoping to stain them with Min-Wax & then apply some kind of finish

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Mr BreakRAK Stain first, then Grain filler, which will dry clear. Then top coat with whatever you choose.

[@taniacolderbank4367]

thanks

[@thomassolano1578]

Hi Sam I have purchased raw oak kitchen Cabinets that I have stained. Will I use this after the stain and I will not need to polyurethane ?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Thomas Solano Yes, use the grain filler after stain. No, it's not a finish. You must top coat after the grain filler.

[@thomassolano1578]

Do you recommend a good topcoat?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Thomas Solano One mistake made often is the use of different products from different companies that don't work well together. Stick within a line of products for your best results. Take a look at aquacoat.com for water based finishes that are easy to apply and work great for all furniture and cabinetry.

[@coachdopp3658]

Can I spray a tinted laquer onto this grain filler?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Coach Dopp Sure you can Coach, just make sure its completely dry first.

[@coachdopp3658]

Do you think this grain filler would be a good way to get rid of fish eye? If you were to skim coat the surface and then spray the laquer back over it

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Coach Dopp I guess you can bury the contamination with it?... Seems like more work to skim coat the entire door. Wouldn't be my choice. Get rid of contamination first. Fix the problem while it's out front, bury it now and it will come up later.

[@coachdopp3658]

How would you suggest getting rid of contaminated cabinets

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Coach Dopp Fish eye is usually caused by drops of oil that dont mix with the finish. The finish is repelled out from the droplet resulting in fish "eye". If we're talking about one door, strip it and start over. If it's a whole kitchen....Degrease first, I like citrus based cleaners. Wipe down with mineral spirits. Sand to 220. Apply one coat of dewaxed shellac, Sealcoat, then grain fill, then tinted lacquer.

[@dougiefroghopper7567]

Grain filler method on the curved surface of the raised panel?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Dougie FrogHopper Hi Doug, I put filler on the card scraper to apply it to concave or convex surfaces. That's why I like thinner cards, so they flex slightly. I also try to overfill, rather than under fill. I'd rather sand off a slight hump than fill a slight ditch.

[@emanuelmorales2914]

@@SamtheFinishingMan can you do a video grain filling the grooves of the cabinet doors ? I paint/refinish cabinet doors and oak doors are a pain because of grains. We have used this product but not having success with grooves of doors mainly because we try not to seal the grooves /panel.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

@@emanuelmorales2914 Grooves? And why not seal them?

[@Arcturian1111]

I'm gonna try this on an unfinished ash guitar body.

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

Perfect! Show me pictures when you're done.

[@NexusCapital]

Hi Sam I recently used a dewaxed shellac on some oak cabinets then applied grain filler over the top and experienced what I have heard being described as alligatoring it just cracked all over the top the shellac that is any ideas as to why? Also what happened to your cabinet painting video using this Aqua coat product?

[@Exodus5K]

@NexusCapital? What pound cut of shellac did you put on your project (by chance did you just apply something like Zinnser Seal Coat right out of the can?) Alligatoring happens with shellac when you're applying too heavy of a cut. Try brushing thin layers of denatured alcohol over the shellac, 1 or 2 strokes most at a time for a given area. This will dissolve the shellac and smooth it back out, if your brush too much you'll just smear the shellac and make it uneven. Continue this until it's smooth then brush on a few more coats of shellac to build back up anything that might have been lost from brushing on solvent.

[@NexusCapital]

Conor McKee wow thank you for the detailed reply I really appreciate it. Painting cabinets specifically Oak and filling the grain has been a very steep learning curve for me.

[@Exodus5K]

Woodworking is a hard hobby. It can be very unforgiving. If you're using Seal Coat, try cutting it with denatured alcohol 1:1, better to apply many thin coats than a few thick coats. Also, how old is the shellac you're using? It can and does go bad. I'm trying this product out myself this evening. About to put a 3rd coat on a few test pieces of walnut and hickory. We'll see how it goes.

[@Exodus5K]

Ooh, meant to add something -- if you're doing this indoors try cutting with everclear instead of denatured alcohol. It'll be kinder on your lungs.

[@johnornes8994]

What about the non-flat areas?

[@SamtheFinishingMan]

John Ornes Good question John. The concave and convex areas offer a special challenge and an opportunity for us to practice paitience. In a cove I can use a squeegee or plastic scraper to apply filler. In smaller areas like a bead I might use a rag to apply it. Patience.

[@dales204]

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