Mastering Water-Based & Solvent High-Gloss Coatings

High-gloss finishes are unforgiving.

They magnify every sanding scratch, every dust nib, every system mistake. But when built and applied correctly, nothing delivers a more premium, high-end look.

Join Sean Connors and Harvey Zook from Novalk USA along with the HQ Paint team for a deep-dive educational session designed specifically for professional finishers, cabinet manufacturers, and millwork shops who want to confidently spray and polish high-gloss systems — without costly rework.

This is not a product demo.
This is real-world process education. You’ll leave with practical knowledge you can immediately apply in your shop.

What We’ll Cover

🔹 Building the Right System Stack

• Primer vs sealer vs isolator decisions
• Waterborne vs solvent-based advantages
• 1K vs 2K technologies in high-gloss applications
• Proper film builds for maximum gloss
• Avoiding intercoat adhesion failures

🔹 Surface Prep That Holds Up at 90+ Sheen

• Sanding sequences that eliminate telegraphing
• Managing grain raise in water-based systems
• Contamination control & static management
• MDF vs hardwood best practices

🔹 Spray Application Best Practices

• Dialing in atomization for high solids materials
• Proper wet mil targets for leveling
• Flash times & recoat windows
• Humidity and temperature management
• Avoiding orange peel, solvent pop, cratering & microbubbles

🔹 Troubleshooting High-Gloss Failures

• Dieback and gloss loss
• Witness lines & edge mapping
• Adhesion issues
• Buff-through mistakes
• Rapid root-cause diagnosis

🔹 Cutting, Buffing & Polishing to a Mirror Finish

• Proper cure timing before sanding
• Grit progression for leveling
• Wet vs dry sanding strategies
• Compounds, pads & swirl prevention
• Achieving consistent, repeatable mirror gloss

Who Should Attend

• Cabinet manufacturers
• Custom millwork shops
• Furniture finishers
• Refinishing professionals
• Spray technicians & production managers

If you’ve ever struggled with high-gloss, or want to confidently offer it as a premium service, this class is for you.

Seats Are Limited

To allow for meaningful Q&A and discussion, attendance will be capped.

Reserve your spot and learn how to build high-gloss finishes that perform consistently in real production environments.

Important Note: You will need a respirator to participate

If you do not have one, we can provide one for a fee

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