Question
I wanted to bring my final coat of pre-cat lacquer up a notch and was planning on using Behlen's Deluxing Compound to smooth and polish the finish. Any thoughts on that subject? How long does the final coat of lacquer have to cure before any polishing?
Forum Responses
I find that with many precatalyzed lacquers, as long as the finish is cured and as long as it has gone through most of its "shrink-back," it's O.K. to buff/polish/compound (three interchangeable words).
There are many rubbing compounds you can use in your polishing sequences. If the Behlen's Deluxing Compound is the same as Mohawk's Deluxing Compound, then it can be used. But these materials were really meant for revitalizing a finished surface that has already gone through a polishing sequence, has sustained wear and tear, and needs reconditioning.
My understanding is that this deluxing compound contains wax in addition to a fine Tripoli-type abrasive.
Instead, I would opt for regular compounds and polishing abrasives which are available not only from Behlen's, but from many other sources. Consider auto body finish suppliers like 3M, Meguires and DuPont. These compounds/polishes/buffing agents are actually meant as the next step after wetsanding newly finished (or refinished) coatings. I find that the post-buffing cleanup is easier with these liquid abrasives than it is with deluxing compound.
If you want to wax the surface afterwards, that's your choice. These compounds are meant to burnish the surface with a fine scratch pattern, creating a shine. They are not part of the waxing process the way that deluxing compound is.
