General Finishes Dry-Time Extender, Pint

I was having great difficulty using some Minwax water based spar varnish since it dried so fast that the brush marks never leveled out. I put one numerous coats of varnish before I added this product, but there were always significant brush marks no matter how fast I applied the varnish. After adding this product to the varnish, it slowed the dry time enough so the surface now looks smooth after varnishing.Note that I added this at close to the recommended 10% by volume in order to achieve satisfactory results. I would highly recommend this product for quick drying water based varnishes. .

General Finishes Dry-Time Extender is a project saver and headache/stress reducer. It eliminates the pressure anxiety that comes from knowing paint or stain not only has to be applied super quickly, but also perfectly to keep it from streaking or looking like a mess. When I’ve added the extender I’m more relaxed, and I know I’m going to do a better job for that reason alone. It also makes blending and correcting easier, and I don’t want to be without this for any paint or stain project. I’m an enthusiastic fan of General Finishes, which I’ve arrived at by going back and forth from their products to others, trying the different products because they’re either less expensive or have been recommended, but I always come back to GF.All of my reviews are my own; no affiliation with the merchandise or seller in any capacity.

Received item in good condition. The extender works okay to slow the dry time ( I used it with the glaze, which dries super fast). I think it is rather pricey, although for the amount you get, it will last a very very long time.

I couldn’t have painted properly with latex paint without this. The paint dried too fast and I kept getting roller marks with a foam roller. When I added this, the paint really has time to smooth out as it dries - I’m amazed that even bubbles popped on their own. I finally have the mirror smooth finish on wood with a foam roller that people talk about. I don’t even use this with any General Finishes paint, just some other brand of latex paint, and it still works like a dream. The instructions are quite vague so I just add enough for the paint to feel kind of thinned out and watery, then I start painting. The only con is if you’ve poured out a lot of paint and added extender, the paint will thicken eventually midway through your job (the extender evaporates?) and you’ve got to add more extender. So working with a smaller amount of paint and adding this stuff as you go along is probably more efficient and cost effective.

Recently worked on a project consisting of three massive and ornate bookcases that all required to be stained with GF water based espresso on maple. I hate staining wood in general (let alone maple) but unfortunately the project was already started by some flakey cabinetmaker and I needed to step in to complete it. The added working time this extender provides is the reason that I didn’t torch the suckers and just walk away. True lifesaver. Also, when GF says don’t use T-shirt rags to wipe off water based stain.....take it seriously.

This is so easy to apply and it is true to the color that’s on the bottle.

I have never used a product like this before and it was perfect for my paint project. It allows for more working time with paint projects.

It works good. Actually I used too much and it worked too good. So remember, use this sparingly.