Help with gesso??

Question

Hi there...I'm new with using gesso..I'm a furniture finisher and I'm using gesso on wood. Now my question is do i need to seal it in with some sort of finish..either water base or solvent...i need to paint over it and don't want the paint which is acrylic to reactivate the gesso. Can i used lacquer based material over top of it...thanks for your help

Answer 1

Modern gesso is made with a water-based polymer emulsion, very similar to latex house paint. Once dry, it is inert and can be painted over with virtually any medium. Nothing can "re-activate" it once dry, though it can be dissolved with heavy applications of ammonia, methyl alcohol, or very hot water.

Note - some traditional gesso grounds are made with linseed oil and take many days to dry - if this is what you're using, don't paint over it with acrylic paint - use oil- or alkyd- based paint instead as acrylic will eventually peel off.

Answer 2

With all of the above being true, It is interesting that you are using gesso on the furniture, as it has the consistency of pancake batter liquid. I would think if you would just use a white primer that sprays on and dries immediately. If you are using the gesso to add texture or volume, than I think that acrylic modeling paste might be easier and you can carve it when it is wet or dry,sand it, build up layers and it still can be painted over.

Answer 3

The whole point of Gesso is that it can NOT be reactivated. It is a perfect primer. You can work on Gesso with any paint you want even leaf gold without doing anything else to it except maybe some sanding.

Answer 4

I have used water based glazes and acrylic paints over gesso and never had it reactivate, so you shouldn't have a problem no matter what you use for your next layer. Good luck.