Is Citadel Ardcoat any good?

[cram]

Like the title says, is Citadel Ardcoat any good?

I've heard its pretty tough stuff and I'm hoping a couple of coats after painting will help hold together some 'Infinity' models I've glued together!

I really put in a lot of work painting up my stuff and I would be gutted to say the least if this stuff gives me a crap finish. I'd put a coat or two of Galeria matt varnish on after to kill the shine.

Currently use acrylic varnish, but like I said above I'd like to coat with something a bit tougher.

Many thanks Marc.

[Jagannath]

Not quite an answer, but I use Vallejo polyurethane gloss - it's absolutely bomb proof. I do one coat, then another coat on any surfaces I'm worried about (heads, sharp edges etc). With a topcoat of testors matte (which is also a lacquer as opposed to varmish) I end up with a super tough finish.

[Major_Gilbear]

I second Jagannath's suggestion of a polyurethane rather than acrylic varnish followed by Testors Dullcote.

I use a diamond hard flooring-grade non-yellowing UV-resistant water based polyurethane varnish. A tin is expensive, but it will last you forever. I thin a little with some clean water on a palette, and apply all over with a clean brush (pointy bits will get an extra coat or two). Once dry (24h) I spray it with the Dullcote (allow to dry 24h also!). Done!

With acrylic varnish, I note that it takes forever to go fully hard, and that in turn limits its protection. If you spray seal before it's fully-cured, you can sometimes leave the model "sticky", and this will basically ruin the paintjob. Not to scaremonger here, but I have seen this happen first-hand, and I spend too long on my paintjobs to ever be doing them again for reasons like this.

[Jagannath]

^That\s exactly my formula (but using the Vallejo) and - touch wood - I've never had a varnishing problem (or anything other than a perfect flat finish) since I started on this recipe. It's super tough too.

[Ballardian]

 I've used both 'Ardcoat & the Vallejo mentioned - both will give you what you're looking for & are easy to get hold of. Dullcote can be difficult to get hold of - I use Windsor & Newton Professional matt spraycans - many art shops will carry it & it's the mattest matt I've ever come across, excellent stuff - it's not cheap (about £12-15 for a 400ml can), but it's the best I've used.