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  • Woodworker's Journal

    Finish Shelf Life, and How to Extend It

    Nov 02, 2018 4 minutes
    By Michael Dresdner

    What’s the shelf life of your favorite finish? Is there a way to store it that increases shelf life? How do I know when it’s time to bite the bullet and toss it? And finally, how do I legally and safely discard old finish?

    Shelf Life

    Manufacturers typically suggest a shelf life of three years for most finishes, assuming they are stored correctly. That includes both aerosol and regular cans of water-based clears, paint, oil-based varnish, polyurethane, Danish oil, gel urethane, wiping varnish, lacquer and even two-part conversion varnish, provided the reactive agent is stored separately. In reality, you can often use much older

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