Ralph I have already repainted the river bottom a light gray base coat to start over with. Charlie around here you can buy Future floor wax at Ace Hardware, Walmart, Fred's and Ingle's grocery stores. You can't put the wax directly on spackling compound. I recommend using plaster for a base coat with a coat of latex paint, then color however you want and tint or not to you preference.

Thanks Mike, I already used polyurethane on it but it isn't shiny enough for "water". I just searched "online" our local Walmart and they have it in stock.
Charlie

Charlie I recommend putting a base coat of Gloss Medium (also available at Wally World, probably under the name of Modge Podge, in the craft section) before applying the Future floor wax to seal the paint and get the wettest look.

Thanks Mike, I have a bottle of that. Good stuff.
Charlie

I just re-read your other post. If you are wanting to put this on top of polyurethane you don't need to do all that other stuff with the gloss medium and what have you. You should be good to go.

Well here is the umpthteen version of the river color/water:

I like the colour better, although the blue is still a bit too prominent for my tastes. I think that if the surface were totally smooth and level, that colour would be perfect - a deep and slow-moving river.
You've certainly nailed the wet-look and the colour, but the surface suggests a deep, roiling and fast-moving flow, which should have at least some "white-water"...that may be difficult to add in a convincing manner.

Wayne

Wayne the pics make the water look more turbulent than it actually is. If you run your finger along the surface you would feel very little undulation.

Well it looks like there is no Future in Future. I'm getting low on the Future floor wax after doing this river and when I went to buy some more at the usual places no one had any! After doing some research on the net it turns out Johnson sold Future to Pledge who in their infinite wisdom decided to discontinue it!!! Nothing made water look wetter for the price. Oh well I guess I will have to go for something else .

Mike it is still sold but a new name
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/future-floor-polish">https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbr ... oor-polish</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://hardwareonlinestore.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=productdetails&virtuemart_product_id=2598&virtuemart_category_id=10005&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvuDPBRDnARIsAGhuAmaQboqRycPaG5C8ENWWcvVSi_Oe_TOp6TjSORIBhySLskGmztEo65gaAlSMEALw_wcB&ppcsclkid=OtGMhwB9I3mP&ppcstrkid=1332290283&ppcsu=xhg7f5djqitnahs">https://hardwareonlinestore.com/index.p ... 5djqitnahs</a><!-- m -->
hope this helps
Charlie

Charlie the way I understand it that product has some of the future formula in it but it also has a cleaning agent as well so I'm afraid to try it. How about you volunteering to give it a try?

Thats why I linked the first article. They seem to like it. I will try it when I find it, I think Walmart is supposed to have it but with them it's hard to tell.
Charlie

OK Mike, I am trying it out, results in a day or two. [attachment=28117]
Charlie

Looking forward to your results Charlie. If I can find some here I will try it as well. If it is like the regular future you can't put it directly onto foam, spackle or latex paint. I always put a thin coating of a gloss medium on first.

Mike, it will be a while. I have a coat on and it works OK, but I found out I have not got a smooth river under it. I will probably have to do some light sanding and then some more coats. It turns milky where it is too thick, but as it dries it clears up. (by the way, it isn't wax)
Charlie