Sikkens Filter 7 instead of trad varnish, pics.

Joined
20 Jun 2019
Messages
1,386
Location
Odessa
Visit site
I am replacing all the trad varnish on my boat with Sikkens Filter 7, ('Dark Oak' tint) 1A7DFD50-912C-4A8A-8DF1-B3E071E4DEE9-314-00000059481253F0.jpgDB7A2F02-AE42-4160-879E-528A854A6C48-314-000000594FEBF11B.jpg0875137C-A0EE-41DE-AE1C-4E83F0901A46-314-00000059527D18F1.jpgD53A6539-1CD0-47AE-B904-DEDCB10802B2-314-00000059579526E1.jpg1B42C269-AEDD-43EA-9A82-886FDA9FAA6A-314-000000595CDFDC66.jpginstead of trad varnish. I hope this of interest, I am describing a product which is working very well for me. A reccomendation in fact.
The advantages are that, after the usual sanding, it's easy to just paint it on without thinning each coat, or rubbing down between coats. You can use as many coats as you wish, and invisible touching-up, eg rope burns on the capping rail, is straightforward, you just brush it on.

A couple of years in Norway stripped most of the trad varnish, but after 1 year, a new capping rail was installed and coated with Filter 7.
After a winter covered in piles of snow and ice, the Filter 7 looked like new, but the old varnish had just peeled off. So it stands up to bad conditions very well indeed.

Sikkens say it is waterproof, but microporous to let the wood breathe, it seems to work anyway.

It is definitely not as glossy as varnish, you don't get that mirror shine, but more of an 'eggshell' level of reflectiveness. I would say sanding down to 400 grit is as far as it's worth going.

The boat is used all year round, so I don't have the downtime for trad varnish.
I am very pleased with it anyway.
( The boat is 'Marihøna' a Norwegian-built gaff cutter by John Atkins, lots of pics etc online)
 
Last edited:

ianc1200

Well-known member
Joined
6 Dec 2005
Messages
3,179
Location
Frinton on Sea
Visit site
Which colour did you use?

I tried this approach (back to Epifanes now) but used the pine colour on mahogany to avoid darkening the wood. Also remember it was a two part system, Filter 7 was certainly one lot but there was a second product which I can't remember went on first or second.

I did it because of a series of tests in PBO and Classic Boat which impressed me.

Seen several gaff boats lately with it on the spars.
 

Rappey

Well-known member
Joined
13 Dec 2019
Messages
4,264
Visit site
International sell "woodskin" which is apperently a rebranded sikkens product.
Epifanes gives a beautiful finish but omg it's a lot more money since I last used it.
That sikkens filter 7 on your boat looks amazing ?
Newly oiled,sealed and varnish wood looks amazing when done.
I found if not recoated within a year you certainly pay the price..
 
Joined
20 Jun 2019
Messages
1,386
Location
Odessa
Visit site
Which colour did you use?

I tried this approach (back to Epifanes now) but used the pine colour on mahogany to avoid darkening the wood. Also remember it was a two part system, Filter 7 was certainly one lot but there was a second product which I can't remember went on first or second.

I did it because of a series of tests in PBO and Classic Boat which impressed me.

Seen several gaff boats lately with it on the spars.
The shade is Dark Oak. In the photos, there are about 3-4 coats, and each coat makes it a bit darker.
Light Oak is the lightest colour, but offers much less UV resistance I'm told.
All the other shades are even darker!
Yes Sikkens sell a one-pack specific primer for Filter 7, but they say you only need to use it on new wood, which has never been coated before.
International Woodskin is meant to be much the same stuff, but it seems to be available in fewer tints, and to be more expensive.
 
Last edited:

Rappey

Well-known member
Joined
13 Dec 2019
Messages
4,264
Visit site
Sikkens always had a great reputation in the carpentry trade
I'm sure someone thought " let's rebranded it as international, mark it up and sell lots in the marine outlets".
I used to use ronseal. It was OK but each coat got darker over the years until it may as well have been dark brown paint !
 

rgsmg53

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2014
Messages
139
Location
Portishead
Visit site
+1 for Sikkens.

I've used Sikkens for a few years now on my teak handrails. I sanded them back to remove old varnish, applied 1 coat of Basecoat and then 2 coats of Filter 7 as recommended in their data sheets (IIRC). I use the teak colour which is only slightly darker than varnished original timber. The Filter 7 is the UV-resistant coating.

I usually hand sand to provide a key and apply a maintenance coat of Filter 7 once a year.

I find the colour and satin finish very attractive for hand rails.

In contrast, I spent many hours applying multiple coats of Le Tonkinois to the new saloon door which looked great to start with but does not withstand UV well at all. It won't be long before this gets the Sikkens treatment too.

Works really well on garden furniture too!
 

Quandary

Well-known member
Joined
20 Mar 2008
Messages
8,197
Location
Argyll
Visit site
I like the reddish tint in that dark oak colour, I use Sikkens Novatop on timber cladding at home in 'Palisander' which looked like that to begin with but as more coats are applied is now just a heavy shade of dark brown. No longer available in less than 2.5 litre tins which is twice what I need for a maintenance coat so I think it is time to switch to the Filter 7.
Appreciate the pictures, they have helped me with my decision.
 
Top