Rustins PCGL1000 1L Plastic Coating and Hardener Gloss

I have used this product on several occasions with excellent results every time. On interior doors, on a beech block desktop, and on solid beech block kitchen worktops. For the worktops I applied with a spray gun. Can also be used for ceramic restoration. READ MANUFACTURERS INFO AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE CAREFULLY. Product data sheets and user guides can be downloaded from the ‘recourse centre’ of RUSTINS own website [rustins.ltd]. Familiarise yourself with surface types and preparation. Understand that contamination by oils or waxes will bring about an adverse reaction when applying Rustins PCGL - therefore mixing vessels, brushes, and substrates must be totally free of oils or waxes. Note what guidance is given on re-coat timings – that is important. Once fully dry and fully cured PCGL becomes a highly durable and inert coating that resists damage by many solvents and alcohol, that has an attractive finish, and that brings out the natural beauty of wood. Be WARNED: When applying THE ODOUR IS VERY FUNKY AND LINGERS. Apply to doors, for example, with the door off its hinges and on trestles, and if you can, and in an airy space; GARAGE/SHED/GAZEBO etc., but DO ensure that the ambient temperature IS NOT below 15 degrees celsius.

I purchased this to apply a strong durable surface to my newly installed solid wood worktops in the kitchen. The finish looks great and it appears to provide a good plastic coating to the worktops. The recommended duration for this type of coating is 3 years so although it appears expensive as an initial layout, it becomes value for money if you only have to re-apply every 36 months. Many other wood worktop applications only last for 12 months. It is easy to apply with a roller and the gloss finish looks great, I cannot comment on long term durability, but I am three months in and spilt lots of food and drink on to the surface and it still looks great. However, it is not armour plating and if you drop something sharp or heavy, it will damage the surface. Highly recommended.

Rustins Plastic Coating was used by Brian May of rock group Queen to finish his famous guitar, The Red Special, in 1963. Hence it is favoured by those who seek to build replicas of his guitar. In general, RPC is simple to use but there are a few key limitations that need to be understood to avoid the finish wrinkling or rippling. A previous version of the instruction leaflet stated "A minimum of three coats is recommended but many more can be applied. Marquetry is often given as many as nine coats." It is not known exactly how many coats Brian May applied to his guitar, but since the Red Special was finished with knife cut mahogany marquetry veneer approximately 0.6 mm thick, it is likely that he followed this advice and applied many coats. The most key piece of information is that you have to either get three coats on within two hours (to achieve the window for a chemical bond) or wait several days for the previous coating(s) to fully harden before the window for a mechanical bond will be achieved. This is because the surface hardens relatively quickly but under layer remains soft and can be reactivated by the next coat leading to a wrinkled or pitted finish. The recommended time that should be left for the coat to harden completely varies from 3 to 6 days because this is dependent on ambient temperature. The warmer the temperature, the sooner the coat will harden. The instruction leaflet recommends temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. Initial rubbing down should be done using 600 to 1000 grit wet and dry and/or 0000 grade wire wool to apply a key for the next coat. Only progress to a finer grit when you are ready to apply the final coat. Try to avoid using RPC on a product that has been assembled using PVA or water based glue, as the coating can sometimes react with the PVA glue and cause problems later on. The best glue to use is Cascamite or other resin based glue. RPC is extremely sensitive to contaminants such as cleaning chemicals, wax polishes, food stuffs, oils etc. If these for any reason enter the timber the strong solvents in the PC will dissolve them out and will probably not affect the first coat but the second.

Although the product instructions say it should not be used on painted wood, I have nonetheless found it compatible with painted wood, MDF and even epoxy. I have only tried it with acrylic based paints and not oil. In fact it's so good that I'm currently using in an artwork where I'm painting layers of acrylic paint and sealing each layer with RPC. It's however not the most easiest product to apply, as it jells up quicky and you need to work fast (keep some RPC solvent nearby to clean your brush or use disposable foam rollers). Avoid the temptation to apply another coat before the first one dries up. I leave it in a cool garage overnight before applying another layer. It's also fine if you allow it to fully harden before applying another layer. The finish is very durable once fully hardened. I even filled a metal cup with boiling water and placed it on a wood surface with RPC and epoxy for over an hour. RPC performed better than epoxy and didn't leave a mark! It's reasonably scratch resistant but not scratch proof. Obviously if you try to scratch it with a sharp object it will leave a mark. I have posted stuff on Instagram which you can find under my profile artizan_of_oz.

Ok, this is incredible stuff. We used it to protect a wooden bathroom vanity unit from all the water and whatnot that had defeated it's previously hard-waxed coating. Rustin's is two part, sort of like epoxy, goes on like varnish, dries to a hard shiny surface that can be glass-like with a bit of effort, or with slightly less effort it can be matte. I liked it, wasn't difficult to use and you could re-coat every 2hrs or so which built up layers quickly. Just make sure you read the instructions and follow them. For instance, this unit had previously been waxed, which means it needed a really good clean to get the wax off entirely before applying this stuff. I did the work and consequently it does a proper job.

This is the dogs doings! Used the small option also available to do 2 guitars, 4 coats each, and the finish is astonishing! If you want a glass hard, glass looking finish then forget that stuff that "does what it says on the tin" Compared to this, just leave it in the tin until you need an average job. It'll keep when mixed for a couple of days in a sealed container in the cold and you can recoat after a couple of hours, but I prefer to use a single mix and leave to cure for a day or so. 2 coats, brushed on, is enough for a stunning finish but, 2000 grade wet and dry (wet of course), Tcut, elbow grease and some good wax polish and more elbow grease and I dare you to publish anything less than a 5 star review! If you do, you didn't try hard enough and buy the tin stuff and put up with an OK finish. As an aside. Two ways to clean brushes after use instead of using Rustins thinners. Methylated spirit. Only seems to work on a near perfect 1:4 mix though. Cellulose Thinners. Will easily recover a hardened bad mix that Meths couldn't clean, even after the brush has gone crispy!

This product is great, but also exceptionally smelly. Best to start applying coats in the morning so by evening time, you could get several coats on and all fumes have disappeared. Be sure to wear a face mask with an A graded filter that also covers Formaldehyde which is a known carcinogenic. The hardener is acidic and should never get into your eyes. I just started using it and it surely is a fantastic product, but also requires proper precautions. The table in the photo has 3 layers on and is already dry. I didn't sand at all between the first layer, which readily soaked into the softwood, and the second one. I did flatten the second one with 400 grit wet and dry paper before applying the third one, being very generous with its cover. Brush marks are not visible anymore. I found it very easy to use compared with other varnishes. Water now just sits on top instead of leaving a white mark, see photos.

I used the product to seal and finnish a pine baby changing tray I made to fit across the dropsides of a cot bed the plasticote worked very well giving me a hard shiny easyclean finnish it flowed on really well an excellent product