Join the CrystaLac Club! New Club members get 10% off their first order! See Terms*

How to Choose the Right Top Coat for Your Project

 

We often get asked, “What is the difference between your topcoats?” So here is a brief overview of the differences, so 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 scratch resistance, 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◦. 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 the 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.

 

Previous Next