ECO Friendly
Varnish your guitar with water-based, environmentally friendly products.
Easy application.
Dye your guitar with NitorTint Aqua dyes. Easy to apply with a dye stick
Colour range
NitorAqua Water dyes are available in a wide range of colours.
Complete process
The whole process from start to finish. Dyes, base coats and water-based finishes.
Do you want to achieve a professional result with our range of water-based products? Follow the tutorials attached below
Manual Application with Foam Brush:
Wood Preparation:
- Prepare the guitar by sanding with P240 grit sandpaper until the surface is smooth. Dampen the guitar surface with water and allow it to dry for the raising of the grain (wood fibres/fuzz) to occur.
- Sand with P400 to remove the raised grain and leave the guitar ready for application. Mask off the surfaces you do not wish to stain or wish to protect from marks using masking tape (painter’s tape).
Wood Staining:
- VERY IMPORTANT. Shake the stain bottle well before use.
- Moisten a cloth or a piece of sponge with the stain and rub it in the direction of the wood grain, making longitudinal movements over the entire guitar until the stain is perfectly distributed. Apply a second coat of stain, but this should be mixed with 15% Nitoraqua lacquer. In this way, the stain will be protected from the lacquer coats you will apply later.
- Work in sections. For example, start from the lowest side and work your way up. Apply from the centre of the section outwards to avoid drips on the edges.
- The intensity of the colour will increase if you apply more coats. Therefore, if you need a more intense colour or if there are areas that are not stained, you can gently sand with P800 and reapply.
Application of NitorAqua Lacquer
- Mix 1 part NitorAqua Lacquer and 1 part Water. (50% dilution).
- Shake well to incorporate and spread using a FOAM BRUSH in the direction of the wood grain. Once the entire guitar surface is covered, allow to dry for 4 to 6 hours.
- Sand with P800 to level the surface and apply a new coat of Nitoraqua Lacquer. Repeat this process until the surface is completely smooth and without imperfections before the next coat.
Sanding:
- Once the final coat of lacquer is applied, perform staged sanding: start sanding with P1000, P1500, P2000, and finish with P3000. Sanding can be done dry or wet. This will leave the surface as smooth as possible and ready for polishing. The surface is ready for polishing when it is completely matt and no shine or irregularity is visible.
Polishing:
- If you decide to use a matte lacquer, you must skip the polishing process.
- Shake the polishing compound bottle vigorously until the product has a creamy appearance. Distribute the product over the entire surface, leaving a thin layer of compound, and start polishing with the white (cut/abrasive) sponge/pad.
- It is important to wipe off the excess compound with a cloth before moving on to the next stage. Be careful not to overheat the surface, do not polish at too high revolutions, and do not apply too much pressure so as not to damage the lacquer. Repeat the process with the Superfinish polish and the black sponge/pad. With this type of sponge and polish, you will achieve the maximum possible degree of gloss.
Cleaning:
- Once you reach this point, the polishing work will be finished, but your guitar may not look as glossy as you initially thought. This is because you still need to clean off the excess polishing compound that has remained. For this, you will only need a cloth and a little Polish & Cleaner to dampen the surface. Once all these steps have been followed, the degree of gloss obtained should be very high.
Manual Application with Spray Gun:
The process is similar to application with a brush, so we will only list the differences with respect to it.
Wood Staining:
- The staining process can also be done with a spray gun. In this case, you must shake the stain, pour it into the spray gun, and apply the product directly and undiluted.
Application of Nitoraqua Lacquer Primer:
- In the spray gun application process, we recommend using a sealing primer for the first 2-3 coats. With these coats, we will manage to fill the wood grain/pores and leave the surface smooth and prepared to start applying the topcoat.
- Can the use of a primer be omitted? The answer is yes, as the topcoat can fill the pores and smooth the surface. However, the primer or sealing coat is designed to complete this process sooner as it has greater coverage. It also allows for easier sanding; that is, it is a softer product, and that is why it is only used for the first coats. Especially for spray gun application, it is highly recommended to use this product.
Application of Nitoraqua Lacquer:
- Here, you should dilute the product at 70/30. That is, 70% lacquer and 30% water or distilled water. Once the surface is fully covered, allow to dry for at least 12 hours. The drying time should be longer here because, by applying a higher percentage of lacquer in each coat, it will require more time to be totally dry. Sanding, polishing, and cleaning will be done in the same way as in the manual application.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- How does the water-based lacquer perform over time compared to Nitro or PU (resistance, colour, scratches…)?
Water-based lacquer is less resistant to scratching and impacts compared to polyurethane lacquer, and similar to or slightly inferior to nitrocellulose. It is closer to nitrocellulose than to PU.
When measuring the gloss level, the % of gloss for this product is slightly lower than polyurethane finishes and similar to nitro. For matte finishes, it is similar to other types of products.
- Is it necessary to use Nitoraqua primer (sealing coat) in manual application processes (with a brush)?
The primer has different properties than the topcoat since the former has a greater covering capacity. That is, you will need fewer coats and therefore less time to fill the pores and leave the surface smooth. It is also sanded more easily than the topcoat, which is harder. However, if you only want to purchase one bottle of product, you can use it as shown in the video above and apply topcoats until you achieve the goal. In both ways, you will achieve an excellent result if you follow the stipulated steps.
- How many guitars can be lacquered with 1 bottle of 0.75 L?
Depending on the quantity applied and whether you do it with a spray gun or a brush. You can lacquer between 3 and 5 guitars. The amount you will need for each guitar will be determined by the type of wood pore. On very porous woods, you will need to apply more coats of product.
- Is it suitable for acoustic guitars?
Yes, it can be applied to acoustic and classical guitars without issue.
- Can we apply it over an already painted and lacquered body?
Yes, you can apply the lacquer without any problem. If, in addition to the lacquer, you want to use the Nitoraqua stain, you must start applying it from the bare wood.
- What products can we apply this product over and which ones can we not? Can other lacquers be used over this one?
You can use this product over any surface or product, and you will not have compatibility problems. However, you cannot use this product and then apply another lacquer over it, as there will be compatibility problems and the water-based lacquer will be damaged.
- Why is it important to sand the wood before applying any product?
Because sanding removes imperfections, opens the wood pores, and allows for better adhesion of the stain and lacquer, achieving a more uniform and professional finish.
- What does “raising the grain” of the wood mean?
It is the process of dampening and then sanding the surface to eliminate the small raised wood fibres. This prevents irregularities when applying the lacquer.
- What does the use of Grain Filler contribute? Is it necessary to use it in the process?
The grain filler is a water-based sealing paste, which is recommended for woods with very open pores, such as mahogany or ash. If it is used, the number of lacquer coats you will need afterwards will be reduced. On smoother woods like alder or maple, it can be omitted, and only NitorAqua Lacquer can be used.
- Can I apply the stain before or after the grain filler?
Yes, but the order affects the result:
Before: the colour may vary slightly due to the different absorption of the pore filler.
After: you must match the tone well to avoid visible differences. You can also mix stain with grain filler to modify the colour of this paste.
- What is the ideal stain mixing ratio?
The water-based stain comes ready for application. However, it is highly recommended to mix the second (and final) coat of stain with 15% Nitoraqua lacquer. This way, we ensure that when applying the lacquer with a brush, the stain will not be lifted from the wood. This layer of stain combined with lacquer acts as a protective film.
- Can solvent-based stains be used instead of water-based stains for this type of project?
Yes, they can be used, but taking into account the application instructions for this product.
- Can the stains be mixed with each other to obtain a new colour?
Yes, the stains can be mixed with each other without any problem. Both water-based and solvent-based stains can be mixed so that each customer can achieve the colour they desire.
- How long should I let it dry between coats?
It is recommended to allow drying for at least 3-4 hours between each application before sanding and applying the next coat.
- What happens if I apply more lacquer than recommended in the 50% ratio?
The greater the amount of lacquer, the more coverage you will have in each coat, which in turn will take longer to dry completely. With a higher proportion of lacquer, there is also a risk of scratches and irregularities remaining between coats, which must be completely sanded before the next lacquer coat.
- How many coats of lacquer should be applied?
It will depend entirely on the type of wood and the desired finish, but generally, between 6 and 10 coats are applied until a smooth surface without imperfections is obtained.
- How do I know if the surface is ready for polishing? How often should I repeat the polishing process?
When the surface is completely matt and without shine, it will be ready for polishing.
- How long do I have to wait to polish?
Proper drying is essential to achieve a good polish. Wait a minimum of 48-72 hours after the last coat of lacquer before moving on to the polishing phase.
