How to varnish or.......

[david_e]

The marineply washboards on my Beneteau are well and truly in need of re-furbishment, being down to the bare wood and greying in some parts.

1 I have borrowed a sander, after removing everything what do I clean the surface with?

2 What type of varnish or similar is the easiest to put on? would like to get it done in a day if poss?

3 Any special brushes required?

 

[davel]

See the thread just below this one Fed Up with Varnish .
Quite a few opinions and recomendations given there.

 

[VicS]

Take care with the sander as you don't want to sand right through the top ply, although if it's genuine marine ply that should be the same thickness as all the others. The other trouble with a sander, other than a belt sander, is that it will leave little scratches across the grain. So you must finish by hand along the line of the grain.

All sanding dust must be removed before varnishing. A vacuum cleaner will remove the bulk of it but not all so remove the last traces with a lint free rag and white spirit. When you think the surface is clean , clean it again!

You need to work in a dust free place such as a clean spare room where no one else will go. While varnishing you need to wear clothing which will not shed 'bits'. A nylon overall would be ideal, your favourite old sweater is not.

Choose a good UV resistant varnish. Buy a good quality brush which will not shed bristles.

Follow the varnish manufacturers instructions. That is likely to be a first coat thinned with about 10% white spirit, followed by 5 or 6 coats unthinned. sanding back to a smooth surface will be necessary after the first coat, followed by rigorous cleaning of the surface again. Very light sanding, with a very fine paper, between coats may also be advised.

Apply good 'round' coats taking care to brush out evenly finishing off with the grain. Work in good light and avoid going back over the bits alredy done.

Clean the brush throughly after each use.

Allow the recommended drying times between coats and allow to harden for a few days after the last coat.

It is NOT a one day job. For good results that will look good and last it will take a week or more. Done properly all that will be needed annually is a very light sanding and one fresh coat.

All good coatings manufacturers publish leaflets explaining the techniques required and you will probably find the same on their websites.

As for brands to use you will get as many different recommendations as responses to your question.

 

[pelissima]

As VicS said, be gentle with the sander specially at the edges. As to product, I have tried most and have finally solved my problem (also Ben) with a product called
Star Bright
TROPICAL
Teak Sealer, comes in a orange round plastic box.

It’s a paste, you apply it with any cloth, rag, or brush.
You will finish in 5 minutes. Praps in ½ or 1 year give another 5 minutes. Will not need the sander any more.
Careful not to spill any on white surfaces.
Rgds
George

 

[Guest]

Brush bristles ....

An old salt and painter told me this ....

Brushes shed bristles cause the brush is dry and no-one nowadays treats them right !

Both of them reckoned that the brush should be soaked in water for a few days BEFORE any use. Then dried off. Reason being to get the bristles to swell up in the head. Once this is achieved you get 2 advantages .....

a) The bristles are less likely to fall out, b) less paint / varnish etc. gets into the head. What does anchors the bristles as well.

Just a thought ....

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Really sand down the wood smooth with increasingly fine sandpaper.

Clean all the crap off the wood (meths or similar)

Best not to use varnish straight out the tin. Put it in a little plastic cup or something.

1st coat thined about 20%
2nd coat thinned about 10%
coats 3 - 6 normal
can do more coats if you've got a work of art for a boat.

Sand lightly in between coats with fine (wet and dry) sandpaper and really clean all the dust off between coats, I use meths but white spirits etc is same I think.

I prefer to roller the varnish on and tip it off with a foam jenny brush. It looks better for some reason. Probly cos I'm crap with a brush.

Don't be shy about putting enough varnish on - but not too much either. Probly just a little bit more than you would think you should. It seems to look better if i apply it across the grain and tip it off along the grain. Discard jenny brush, roller and tray after each use. You go through loads of em so just get the cheapest.

Likes been said it's better to do it indoors if poss.

International 2 pack I used last time which looks good and should last a few years before it needs a couple or refresher coats.

You won't be able to varnish it in one day though. 1 side 1 day so for 6 coats = 12 sessions.

I feel your pain bro.

 

[david_e]

Thanks all... going to be busy for while /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[tcm]

Re: How to varnish and \"turning the grain\"

Hm, it'll be rubbish if you do it in a day. In fact, it'll be rubbish even if you *start* varnishing on the first day. Cos the whole thing about lovely paint is lovely preparation. The game is almost over when you styart varnishin. Yep, nice brushes need soaking in water to swell bristles and reduce the chance of dropping bristles but fact it, once you start varnishing - all you can do is apply and rub down, apply and rub down. At least 8 or 9 coasts before you get the deep lustre.

Before all that - the prep! You need to prep the room where you plan to varnish and the wood as wekll. No, don't do the varnishing in the same room as where you do the sanding. You can do the sanding outside.

Start the sanding and just carry on aimlessly. Try and think of something else and get used to the idea that you'rer going to spend the whole day doing the sanding. Yes! How fab. You go down through the grades of paper until you get to very fine ones, but "warm" the paper beforehand to knock of the harshness of new sandpaper.

Important : Periodically, you need to dampen the wood, to "turn" the grain. This is the reason why all diy varnishing looks and feels crap- cos the moment you pputon the first bit of varnishing, the surface grain turn a teeny bit, and the surface gos rough. "turning the grain" is simply wiping the surface with a damp cloth, leaving it to dry, sanding down and repeating until you don't get the effect of it "going rough" - cos then when varnish is applied it will stay smooth. How smooth should it be? Well, you should be able to get even quite ordinary wood to almost give a reflection BEFORE APPLYING ANY VARNISH.

Oh yes, prepping the room - you need an spare room preferably, hoover out, then fine spray with water a few hours before so no dust, heating off so no air circulation. Best of course is to make a little paint booth, damp insides, use lots of portable lights whislt varnishing and then turn off all heating in summer weather,. lock door and leave after each varnish session.

Finally, you can allways tell a crap painter/varnisher as one who is painting wood and returning the brush to the tin. Never do this. Pour out some varnish into disposal paint tin (a sawn-off Evian etc bottle is quuite good) and seal the varnish tin asap.

Have fun.