2 Toned Finishes

Inevitably there comes a time that a customer will require a 2 toned finish, or multiple colors on the same piece. There are a few important things to remember when doing this.

this is the tape that I recommend for masking the line between the two finishes.
Scotch® Fine Line Tape 218

Polypropylene film with special processed backing that allows taping over freshly painted acrylic lacquer or enamel surfaces sooner and with less chance of imprint damage. Provides finest color separation line possible in multi-color striping jobs.
3M fine line tape

Make it as simple as possible. If you have two finishes going on one table, for example, make sure you formulate your colors to be comleted in a few as possible steps as possible. If you create a formulated color that can be accomplished in 4 steps, and you have 2 colors, you'll have 8 steps for each section.

Minimize clearcoat ridge. Don't color one section and then put 2 or three coats of finish on it before you start finishing the next section. Not only will you develop an uneven clear-coat mil between the two sections, but the clear-coat will tend to 'mound' against the edge of the tape, further adding to the uneven clear-coat.

A typical system for 2 toned finishes for me would include:
1. Mask off the lighter colored area
2. stain dark area
3. very light coat of sealer on the dark area.
4. unmask light area/mask dark area
5. stain light area
6. very light coat of sealer on the light area.
7. unmask
8. scuff the entire piece
9. apply a second coat of sealer
10. scuff
11. touch up tape line as nessesary
12. topcoat.