How to apply Tough Coat Fusion Mineral Paint

How to apply Tough Coat Fusion Mineral Paint

I get a lot of emails and inquiries asking lots of question about using Fusion, I try to address them all, but some Q’s get asked more than others. The most FAQ is  ‘What is the difference between Fusion and Chalk Paint?’ I wrote a blog post about that here. The next most asked question is …

‘How do I  apply the Tough Coat?’

Tough coat is Fusions non-yellowing wipe on water based poly. It is so simple to use and can be applied in many different ways,  with a brush, a damp clean rag, a sponge or Fusions applicator pad. I have had success with all but prefer the applicator pad. The applicator pads are inexpensive can be washed out and reused and leave a lovely smooth finish.

Here is a very quick video showing you how.

Why do I apply Tough Coat?

Fusion has a built in top coat so why would you need Tough Coat?  Good question! Fusion Mineral Paint is famous for its built in top coat. It has a waterproof, scrubbable and non-pourous surface when dry, so why the extra step? Well there are a few areas that I always top coat like a dining room table top and a girls dressing table top. You could also argue that kitchen cabinets need it too, I have a post all about that you can see it here. 

Tips

When using Tough Coat, it’s best to leave your paint to dry overnight before use. The paint is fragile to water while drying and applying the Tough Coat too soon could reactivate the paint. The Tough Coat has matting agents in the formula and those need to be reincorporated before you use it. We don’t want to introduce bubbles so roll the bottle to mix or take off the lid and mix with a stir stick.

When your first coat is good and dry ( maybe 1-2 hrs or less ) you can apply another coat. Don’t be tempted to go back over it as it can hold texture.  Wipe on and leave, any gaps you have missed in the first pass can be got on the second coat. Using Tough Coat over dark colours such as Midnight Blue or Ash and Coal black can sometimes leave a haze, this is the water evaporating off the paint and getting trapped under the Tough Coat.

I have managed to avoid the hazing by letting the paint dry for a good couple days ( the longer the better ) and using very thins coats with good drying time in between. Alternatively you can use Fusion’s Stain and Finishing Oil all in One for dark colours.  SFO is an Oil based top coat and is applied in a very similar way to Tough Coat. We don’t have this product in the UK at the moment  but it is available to purchase everywhere else.

How far does it go?

Tough Coat is a matte poly and comes in a 500 ml bottle it will cover approx 75 sq.ft (7m2), this will of course depend greatly on your application. It’s a thick formula so if applied with a brush won’t go as far as if applied with a damp rag, sponge or applicator pad. A bottle of Tough Coat lasts me a very long in the shop and I paint almost everyday! This is because most surfaces just don’t need it when you use Fusion Mineral Paint.

I hope this answers most of your questions? if not shoot me an email or comment below and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Sarah X

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