Confused by varnish

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Sandy said:
I only use Le Tonkinos as the modern stuff tends to evaporate in salt air. Easy to use on anything. Give Brian a ring and talk over what you want to do.
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I used to be a big fan of Le Tonk' until I experienced an occasion when it wouldn't dry. I'd applied it to a wooden wash board to which I'd filled some surface imperfections using West epoxy thickened with a filler. When I went to the Le Tonk website it did carry a warning about varnishing problems associated with West epoxies. I've now gone back to using Ronseal products.
Mike
 
mikegunn said:
. . . I experienced an occasion when it wouldn't dry. I'd applied it to a wooden wash board to which I'd filled some surface imperfections using West epoxy thickened with a filler.
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Don't be too hard on Le Tonkinos - you can have similar problems with any varnish on top of West. The problem is the amine blush. Even when the surface doesn't feel 'greasy' it can still be present. It's best to always wash the cured epoxy with plain , reasonably warm water before starting any sanding.
 
pcatterall said:
yes but he wants it to go over existing varnish. I have just used Ronseal exterior or their yacht varnish and it does what it says on the tin! Not to say that the more 'exotic' ones like le tonkinos may not be a bit better.
Brush cleaning is an issue, I dont think that the water based 'easy clean' varnishes are much good externally. I use throw away brushes and ( depending on the time between coats/temperature etc) sometimes wrap the brushes in plastic and use them for the next coat.
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I don't think it's either sustainable or thrifty to throw away brushes. My late father, who lived through the austerity of WW2 and its aftermath always used to clean brushes after use, and I have continued the tradition. I have some brushes that are forty years old. The smaller ones are easier to clean, but tend to wear out more quickly.
I also often clean roller sleeves that have been used for water-based paints.
It is said in our family that we originally came to Ireland from Scotland in the 16th century.
 
I used SADOLIN on the handrails rather than leave them grey and bare ,they were teak and when sanded were lighter, the Sadolin was I believe Teak coloured . as opposed to the Dark Oak I've used on the garage door at home. They don't peel can be touched up and look fresh and will recoat .
 
We all have different priorities and experiences. My experience is limited - and limited to the mast of a large old gaffer and the teak tiller/ply washboards of a 1980s boat.

The mast work had to last a long while. I scraped it then a couple of coats of Burgess Woodsealer (UV protection, water based), then soaked it in Deks Oyle 1 until it wouldn't take any more and then D2 (numerous coats). To give it some physical protection greater than the D2 and keep the shine of the D2, I gave it numerous coats of Burgess Topcoat ( gloss) (again, water based and super quick). That unusual mix of products worked for a long while until the boat was sold, when it still looked good.

25 years on and to the tiller and washboards (the latter not in great condition): read a lot about Woodsealer and used that thinking it was just what I needed. Found it ok but, even within the confines of the garden cabin where I was working, its physical resistance was not good at all and so I added a number of coats of Burgess Topcoat (the clear gloss stuff) and again it worked and gave protection to the appearance underneath.

Both were mongrel applications, both worked over time and both looked good, but not Classic Boat perfect (but neither were the boats !)
 
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Motor_Sailor said:
How can it possibly evaporate after two months? It dries to be a solid coating like varnish (albeit slightly less hard and only a sheen rather than hi-gloss). Do your other paints mysteriously evaporate?

The trouble with Woodskin is that people believe it's the lazy man's varnish and that surface preparation is less critical. I've seen people slap in on damp wood, softened wood, remains of previous varnish coatings, etc, etc. But the surface preparation and wood condition are as critical as varnish. But when done well you get a coating that is good for many years, and any chips or wear points are easy to make good. The trade off is that it's not a superyacht standard deep gloss.
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Simples. I applied it, went sailing and after two months had to rub it down and start again. I have a GRP boat there is no external paintwork apart from the grab rails. I take it others do sail with the grab rails getting wet from spray and in the water sometimes?

Chatted to a pal who had the same problem, perhaps it is the sunshine in Devon or the warm pulse of nuclear submarines waiting to be decommissioned, and he recommended Le Tonk, two years on I am delighted with the stuff.
 
Sandy said:
Simples. I applied it, went sailing and after two months had to rub it down and start again. I have a GRP boat there is no external paintwork apart from the grab rails. I take it others do sail with the grab rails getting wet from spray and in the water sometimes?

Chatted to a pal who had the same problem, perhaps it is the sunshine in Devon or the warm pulse of nuclear submarines waiting to be decommissioned, and he recommended Le Tonk, two years on I am delighted with the stuff.
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:)

It seems that everyone has their favourite wood coating. As personal as his own favourite tipple. I have very little wood but have gone for that very "in" colour of grey. It is of course under constant review and is likely to change at any moment . I'm surprised there isn't a varnish with caffeine in it . It's in everything else.
 
LONG_KEELER said:
:)

It seems that everyone has their favourite wood coating. As personal as his own favourite tipple. I have very little wood but have gone for that very "in" colour of grey. It is of course under constant review and is likely to change at any moment . I'm surprised there isn't a varnish with caffeine in it . It's in everything else.
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I am pretty sure Starbucks do that. ;)
 
I have used various varnishes, mostly with decent effect at least for a while, but recently I too have been using Epiphanes for the small amount I need to do, just the tiller and ensign staff. I think that although there will be differences the chief factors are the amount of preparation, the conditions during the application, and the skill of the user.
 
One thing I learnt decades ago was that when it failed, polyurethane varnish came off in sheets, and could be next to impossible to patch up whereas conventional varnishes could be rubbed down to a feather edge where it was still sound and touched up.

Of course you risk a piebald effect where freshly sanded wood adjoins sound but faded areas, but that can also fade in time.

I use International Original. Still seems to work that way.
 
Tranona said:
"Varnish" is a generic term that covers a whole range of different formulations with different properties. However whatever you choose it is unwise to put it on an existing coating unless you know what it is.

If you are looking for long life, easy application and maintenance then for external use consider porous woodstains such as International Woodskin or more sophisticated, Cetol No 7. The former is very popular as it is untinted, but does tend to darken wood and has a sheen rather than a gloss. The trade of is long life and easy touch up.
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Yes I have used International Woodskin on cockpit sole boards and with little more than 1 coat it has lasted extremely well. I wonder if it is a suitable alternative to more traditional varnishes.
Steveeasy
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
I don't think it's either sustainable or thrifty to throw away brushes. My late father, who lived through the austerity of WW2 and its aftermath always used to clean brushes after use, and I have continued the tradition. I have some brushes that are forty years old. The smaller ones are easier to clean, but tend to wear out more quickly.
I also often clean roller sleeves that have been used for water-based paints.
It is said in our family that we originally came to Ireland from Scotland in the 16th century.
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I clean brushes and rollers used with water based products in our washing machine short programme. It brings them up lovely - like new.
 
Spirit (of Glenans) said:
I don't think it's either sustainable or thrifty to throw away brushes. My late father, who lived through the austerity of WW2 and its aftermath always used to clean brushes after use, and I have continued the tradition. I have some brushes that are forty years old. The smaller ones are easier to clean, but tend to wear out more quickly.
I also often clean roller sleeves that have been used for water-based paints.
It is said in our family that we originally came to Ireland from Scotland in the 16th century.
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Not sure! I always clean after water based use. and use cheap throw aways for other paints. Lots of solvents to clean brushes and they have to be disposed of? I would clean high quality brushes though.
 
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