[mcusi]

I'm toning a couple of cabinets in my garage and noticed that the wxtra dark walnut is drying to a somewhat chalky looking color. Also happened with medium brown walnut, but not nearly as much. 
What could be causing this, and what can I do to fix it?

[Ron Ramirez]

A picture would help, but in the absence of one I will guess that your cabinets are experiencing what is called "blushing" due to high humidity while spraying.

Mohawk makes a spray product called No Blush Plus. Just spray a little No Blush Plus on the whitish areas and the blushing goes away instantly, revealing the true color of the toner.

Like Brylcreem...a little dab'll do ya. Don't go overboard with the No Blush Plus, just spritz a little bit on the affected areas, let dry, and then carry on with your lacquer spraying.

[mcusi]

Thanks Ron! Would you know who sells this product? I'll look at Westlund, as that's where I got my previous Mohawk products. 
Is spraying another coat or two an option if the humidity has resolved??

[462ron]

Constantines is where I got mine!

Ron

[Phlogiston]

Make one pass - let it dry, then do it again as needed. The overlap causes the blushing in a humid/hot environment. Tonner can be applied in "dry" coats rather than "wet". This will result in a rough looking application, but, since you are going to topcoat it, this won't matter. Most applications of tonner look better if not uniformly dark - not stripes of light and dark, but not as heavy as most people apply.

The darker the color the more obvious the blush. It is still there in lighter colors but can't be seen as well.

The other option is to wait till it is drier and less warm, which may be a long shot in some parts of the country. Sometimes I cool the cabinet in an air-conditioned room (my office) and, once the paint is applied remove the cabinet to said room - which may result in some solvent stink.

P.S. Best that I can tell "No Blush" products are mostly solvent (lacquer thinner). I also adjust my paint with MORE thinner in those less desirable conditions. This is also tough with cans.

[mcusi]

Thanks very much! This is a learning process and there is SO much knowledge to access in these forums.

[Tgace459]

I have had luck with CAREFULLY dampening a clean rag with thinner, letting it evaporate till its just slightly damp then GENTLY wipe the clouded portion.