2 part varnish vs single part???

[Dougal]

Looking at revarnishing tiller and all wooden (teak) cleats and bollards etc.

2 part varnish seems hugely expensive in comparrison to normal polyurethane stuff.

Considering most items have lines chafing them, will 2 part give me THAT much better protection?

How about the UV version of clear epoxy - I have some. Should I maybe use that? If so, should I also overcoat with varnish?

Sorry for all the questions, but there's just SUCH a wealth of knowledge here...

 

[PCUK]

I use Blakes Duragloss one pack. Tried their two pack but didn't find it any better. Duragloss is cat claws proof indoors so should resist rope scuffs!

 

[jwilson]

Looking at revarnishing tiller and all wooden (teak) cleats and bollards etc.

2 part varnish seems hugely expensive in comparrison to normal polyurethane stuff.

Considering most items have lines chafing them, will 2 part give me THAT much better protection?

How about the UV version of clear epoxy - I have some. Should I maybe use that? If so, should I also overcoat with varnish?

Sorry for all the questions, but there's just SUCH a wealth of knowledge here...

Two pack is longer-lasting and harder, but not enough so that it wll stop chafing from lines or chips from being banged. It is also MUCH harder to get off when you want to revarnish. The bits where water has got under flake off, and the rest is really hard to get off. I used two-pack on a boat once, never again after the work taken to fully strip it.

 

[Amulet]

Looking at revarnishing tiller and all wooden (teak) cleats and bollards etc.

2 part varnish seems hugely expensive in comparrison to normal polyurethane stuff.

Considering most items have lines chafing them, will 2 part give me THAT much better protection?

How about the UV version of clear epoxy - I have some. Should I maybe use that? If so, should I also overcoat with varnish?

Sorry for all the questions, but there's just SUCH a wealth of knowledge here...

Two part polyurethane is the only option apart from down below. One part poly will not hack it.

I'm not really a fan of PolyU above decks, but accept the two part because it does give you the chance to slap on lots of coats in a short space of time. If I had time I'd use conventional varnish.

Forget one part polyU. Your choice is between two part and conventional varnish.

In my experience two part bleaches rather than mellows like trad varnish. However your brightwork is limited, and taking it back to the wood every few years is probably tolerable.

 

[tillergirl]

Amulet is very right about 2 pot bleaching rather than mellowing. Very unsatisfying stuff to apply as well and intolerant of substrat movement (tiny movement). I find touching up of damage is unsatisfactory in comparison to traditional varnishes. Hate the two pot stuff though admit it's hard. I also agreed with his comment on one pot PolyU. Forget it. Use a traditional style varnish. I have Blakes Classic on my genny cleats and it has lasted two seasons and still isn't bad although I am in the process of converting all to Epifanes. With pot you have also got the question of how much mix up.

 

[aslabend]

I did my tiller (oak) and jib sheet cleats (teak) with clear epoxy (couple of coats) and then about 5 coats of two pack. That was 3 years ago and they still look like they were done yesterday. Where ropes drag round the cleats has worn through but I expected that. It certainly lasts well but looks "plasticy" when compared to real varnishes. I'm happy with cleats and tiller to be done like this but plan to do my cockpit combings with varnish when the current finish has worn off sufficiently.

I suggest doing some samples to see which you prefer.

 

[PCUK]

Sorry Amulet, you've obviously never tried Duragloss and are therefore basing your assumptions on inferior one packs. Duragloss lasts five seaons on my aft rails that are always exposed.

 

[Amulet]

Sorry Amulet, you've obviously never tried Duragloss and are therefore basing your assumptions on inferior one packs. Duragloss lasts five seaons on my aft rails that are always exposed.

Always willing to learn, will give it a try.

There have been umpteen varnish threads over the years. Geezers with time on their hands doing their own boats seem to use conventional. I was surprised by the professional varnishers's preference for two pack PolyU - but the guy that does my spars also loves it. I think it's cos you really can get four to six coats on in one day. I find it ugly because it bleaches, but of course any damaged areas which you touch up are more yellow.

How does the Duragloss go? If you have to take a damaged area down to the wood does it end up matching the older varnish around it?

 

[G12]

I was undecided about what to use on my tiller this year but ended up using International Schooner Gold. I'm extremely happy with the way it went on and it's definitely a load harder than its predecessor. I put on 9 coats (some thinned) with wet and dry every second coat. The only bummer is that it's about 12 hrs between coats unless you're somewhere really warm. Also, I left mine for 18-24 hrs before sanding it to make it that little bit harder.
Anyway, it was worth it. Tiller looks amazing.
I picked that varnish as it is supposedly extremely UV resistant and it does have a lovely colour to it.

 

[Neil]

I was surprised by the professional varnishers's preference for two pack PolyU - but the guy that does my spars also loves it. I think it's cos you really can get four to six coats on in one day.

Can you really overcoat that quick? I got some International Perfection Plus 2-pack for the rubbing strakes. According to the destructions, at 15 deg C, the overcoat time is 14 hr?

Of course I put the first coat on and it immediately rained on it......

 

[PCUK]

Duragloss tacks off like two pack paint, so put it on and leave it. Several coats possible in one day, especially if you do wet on wet application.
I've not found anything to come anywhere near it for performance, whether single or two pack.

 

[G12]

Duragloss tacks off like two pack paint, so put it on and leave it. Several coats possible in one day, especially if you do wet on wet application.
I've not found anything to come anywhere near it for performance, whether single or two pack.

Seems that as long as it's warm you can get a few coats on......

http://www.boatpaint.co.uk/datasheets/Blakes/Dura-Gloss Varnish.pdf


Might try some of that on my exterior teak, the only reason I haven't done it in the international is the drying time.

 

[Amulet]

Can you really overcoat that quick? I got some International Perfection Plus 2-pack for the rubbing strakes. According to the destructions, at 15 deg C, the overcoat time is 14 hr?

Of course I put the first coat on and it immediately rained on it......

You can, see Skipper's Six Coats a Day system.
I'm not recommending it, though it is what's on my spars. It is robust and does the job fine. It looks good for two to three years in my experience, but it bleaches with the sun, which doesn't look great, and if you patch up any damaged areas, then the new bits are darker (the "right" colour) so it looks blotchy.

I've heard pro varnishers argue forcibly that this is the best system, but they reckon on taking it back to the wood as soon as it looks unsightly.

By the way, if you do lash on six coats, you have to let the last one dry completely, flat it back by sanding, and then apply a careful top coat or two. It's not an elegant business, but with Skippers "gel" varnish you can really build it up. Because it cures rather than dries, you don't have problems with solvent entrapment like a conventional varnish, so if you make a pig's ear of it you can sand out any sags.

Now, having said all that, I'm actually a conventional varnish man at heart, and Epifanes is my real weapon of choice.