Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the Arm-R-Seal and the Gel Top Coat? I'm refinishing my kitchen cabinets with the Java Gel Stain.
1164865
I used the arm-R-Seal on all the bedroom furniture I built. I tried the Gel Top Coat & it did not have a smooth looking finish. I also used Java Gel Stain on all the same furniture with all positive results.
1164866
would love to be able to answer your question, but i've never used gel top coat. all i can say, is that i used arm-r-seal to finish a kitchen island. as other reviewers recommended i did smooth, all in one direction coats. it came out fabulous. spills bead up and are wiped away without stains left behind. to me........this is one of the best products i have ever used to seal furniture. the satin finish is perfect.....not too shiny but has a great smooth feel. since using it to seal my island, i have painted, applied a minwax to weather/distress my furniture and topped it with arm-r-seal and they look better than store bought. good luck in your project. hope my comments helped. would love to be able to answer your question, but i've never used gel top coat. all i can say, is that i used arm-r-seal to finish a kitchen island. as other reviewers recommended i did smooth, all in one direction coats. it came out fabulous. spills bead up and are wiped away without stains left behind. to me........this is one of the best products i have ever used to seal furniture. the satin finish is perfect.....not too shiny but has a great smooth feel. since using it to seal my island, i have painted, applied a minwax to weather/distress my furniture and topped it with arm-r-seal and... » Read More would love to be able to answer your question, but i've never used gel top coat. all i can say, is that i used arm-r-seal to finish a kitchen island. as other reviewers recommended i did smooth, all in one direction coats. it came out fabulous. spills bead up and are wiped away without stains left behind. to me........this is one of the best products i have ever used to seal furniture. the satin finish is perfect.....not too shiny but has a great smooth feel. since using it to seal my island, i have painted, applied a minwax to weather/distress my furniture and topped it with arm-r-seal and they look better than store bought. good luck in your project. hope my comments helped. « Show Less
1164867
Hello,The gel has a different consistency first off and requires an applicator where as the arm r seal just needs a piece of old t shirt. 2nd, the gel top coat is allegedly not as tough as arm r seal, according to their website. The gel adds more of an amber color than the arm r seal. I think both can be used for vertical surfaces. Also, do not buy more than you need because both will go bad after about 2-3months.But since you are using the gel stain, you should use gel top coat. General finishes specifically says to use the two together. I think with the arm r seal you would need to wait a long time for the stain to dry in, or use a coat of shellac to seal it in. Both of those options take longer. Hello,The gel has a different consistency first off and requires an applicator where as the arm r seal just needs a piece of old t shirt. 2nd, the gel top coat is allegedly not as tough as arm r seal, according to their website. The gel adds more of an amber color than the arm r seal. I think both can be used for vertical surfaces. Also, do not buy more than you need because both will go bad after about 2-3months.But since you are using the gel stain, you should use gel top coat. General finishes specifically says to use the two together. I think with the arm r seal... » Read More Hello,The gel has a different consistency first off and requires an applicator where as the arm r seal just needs a piece of old t shirt. 2nd, the gel top coat is allegedly not as tough as arm r seal, according to their website. The gel adds more of an amber color than the arm r seal. I think both can be used for vertical surfaces. Also, do not buy more than you need because both will go bad after about 2-3months.But since you are using the gel stain, you should use gel top coat. General finishes specifically says to use the two together. I think with the arm r seal you would need to wait a long time for the stain to dry in, or use a coat of shellac to seal it in. Both of those options take longer. « Show Less
1284293
I don't think it matters what brand you use. If it's time to reseal the counter then the other brand has probably worn off. I have no idea what sealer was used on my counter top in the past, but that didn't stop me from buying this product. To be safe and have peace of mind, just test a small area and see what happens. �
1021600
Any gel polish works great! I haven't used Shellac polish at all...I used Gelish, Finger Paints gel polish as well as gel polishes sold at Wal-Mart. And I use fingerpaints bonder, base and top coat but any brand base and top would work
475275
They call this a "gelly sandwich". A gelly sandwich is when you use shellac or gel polish base coat, regular nail polish, and shellac top coat. It will "work" but it won't last as long. To do a gelly sandwich, you'll have to apply the shellac base coat, cure for 10 seconds or whatever your gel base coat instruction says; apply regular nail polish (but the uv light doesn't dry regular polish. However, you can use the fan.); after the regular polish has dried, apply your gel top coat and cure for two minutes.
723560
There is no difference. Both do the same job. I called 3M and they could not tell me the difference. The general purpose cleaner is effective for removing adhesive.
1938119
I was confused by this too, but it just means that these Gel base and top coats need to be soaked off. Use a cotton ball with pure acetone then wrap with a square of tin foil and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. That is how I was taught. I do know that they do make kits like "BMC UV Gel Nail Art Polish Acrylic Aluminum Nail Wrap Soaking Pad Remover Kit" but it is less expensive to just use acetone and tin foil. Do a search for the kit here on Amazon.
1546498
I would likely use Minwax or polyurethane, both in the paint dept. of Home Depot, or could get through Amazon. Polyurethane will give you a higher gloss finish.Why I used this >> was to stain kitchen and bath cabinets darker that were '80's oak'. I then used this topcoat over the base gel stain.
614592
Am not sure. Is that a brand or a color. I know that The nail tech and another one who uses it or a similar one to cure several brands of Gel polish that we have in the shop have had no problem with it/them. Barbara
1263021
from what I read it has to be the gel nailpolish with the led lamp but I am sure you can use regular nailpolish after top coat after it dries.
1261383
If I'm reading this correctly, you're applying the hard gel on top of color gel, which you're not suppose to do. This is meant to be used as a base or a builder gel.. Not like a top coat. If you were applying it on foundation gel or base coat then that would be fine. The color runs because it isn't cured long enough but it's suppose to be capped off with top coat.
94392
I used 3M 5200 sealant/adhesive. If you run drill bit backwards to drill holes... Gelcoat will not crack and splinter. Enjoy, C
349882
Yes, I used the Java gel stain on my cupboards and then used the polyacrylic over to add shine and protection.
1073784
I should also mention that I really like Good Stuff! Its a gel that is easy to apply with a lint free rag. I make end grain cutting boards and 3-4 thin coats produces a beautiful and protective finish. I do refinish the boards every 6 months but they take a beating during those six months. I hope this helps.
192461
Yes, in order to get the cabinets stained well I removed all screws. You need to do a light sanding anyway to remove the gloss finish. The gel goes a long way. I like the sock method to get gel on and it takes a couple of coats. However, I was able to buy a quart and did my kitchen and a bathroom.
2233585
I haven't used the Arm-R-Seal yet. I have used the Gel Stains & the Gel Topcoat in Satin in a very small bathroom in the middle of the house and I was pleasantly surprised that the smell was minimal - very tolerable. I can say that using it inside without good ventilation does require overnight or slightly longer drying time. I don't know if that helps but I actually called General Finishes on the phone and spoke to a very helpful person.
1815062
File the top coat to break the seal then soak off. Some ppl don't file its up to you :):):):)
163142
There's a risk of alligatoring of the topcoat, if the urethane doesn't adhere well. Zinsser's SealCoat (100% wax-free shellac) can act as a buffer between the two, since almost anything will stick to it.