General Finshes dead flat topcoat can


New water-based polyurethane topcoat adds protection to bare or painted wood without imparting color or altering sheen.


General Finishes recently launched Dead Flat, a durable matte sheen now included in its High Performance Topcoat lineup. It's a single-component water-based cabinet and furniture-grade finish that can be brushed, sprayed or rolled.

Christine Adams, marketing director for General Finishes, reports that this cross-linked polyurethane is an ideal topcoat for protecting figured woods and can be used over paint that already has a flat sheen. "With Dead Flat, the beauty of the wood grain displays with natural clarity, and the color of painted projects shows with more intense saturation," Adams says.


Applying dead flat paint with a roller

Due to recent advances in its patented polymer technology, General Finishes has formulated Dead Flat without the use of the durability-reducing matting agents required in the past. This gives it the durability of higher gloss finishes with a more natural appearance and low luster.


Demonstrating dead flat coat on painted and unpainted wood
Dead Flat imparts no color and doesn’t alter the sheen of painted or bare-wood surfaces once it dries.

Adams reports that Dead Flat has a <5-degree sheen (compared with the company's Flat Out Flat product that has a <10-degree sheen), with improved chemical and water-resistance properties. It meets KCMA durability standards, contains no Prop 65 chemicals, uses renewable resources and is VOC compliant nationwide.

When applying by hand, use a synthetic bristle or foam brush or a short nap roller or pad.