Interior varnish recommendation.

[wiggy]

The saloon table is looking a bit tired, it's a Beneteau and has a gloss finish. What would you use to try to match the existing and achieve a durable finish. How do the mass manufacturers get such a good finish that is so durable? Any ideas much appreciated.

 

[prv]

How do the mass manufacturers get such a good finish that is so durable?

Spraying, sometimes automated these days I think. Seems unlikely that you'd be able to precisely match it unfortunately.

I made a nice finish to my chart table using epifanes rubbed-effect (you build up most of the coats in normal gloss then add the rubbed on top) but I don't know if that would match the rest of a Beneteau.

Pete

 

[jwilson]

The saloon table is looking a bit tired, it's a Beneteau and has a gloss finish. What would you use to try to match the existing and achieve a durable finish. How do the mass manufacturers get such a good finish that is so durable? Any ideas much appreciated.

I have just redone a few interior trim parts near the companionway on a similar modern French boat with five thin coats of Ronseal gloss, followed by a wet sanding and then three coats of the same varnish with about 20% same-brand matt mixed in, very light wet sanding between each of last 3 coats. Looks good and a pretty close match to original finish - straight gloss was too shiny.

I'd practice on something else first before doing a saloon table if you have not done that much painting/varnishing before - a bad revarnish usually looks worse than tired original. The real work is in the preliminary preparation - in my experience you have to get ALL the old varnish off if you want a pretty result.

 

[northwind]

The saloon table is looking a bit tired, it's a Beneteau and has a gloss finish. What would you use to try to match the existing and achieve a durable finish. How do the mass manufacturers get such a good finish that is so durable? Any ideas much appreciated.

I wouldn't use varnish.

I'd use Osmo PolyX - its designed for flooring, but is a very hardwearing finish.

Best of all, you apply it with a rag, and its dead easy to top it up.

Apply it, let it dry, and then if required, buff it with some wax and 000 wire wool, you'll then end up with a satin sheen flat surface.

This stuff is as hard as nails when dry.

Let me know if you want to try some, I have a large tin.
(I'm Jan's better half from CMYC).

 

[wiggy]

Cheers all for the advise, a bit of reading up to do I think.

 

[Martin_J]

Northwind.. it's great that you have mentioned a finishing oil.. There is a boat near me that has had the whole interior replaced by the owner... all new wood.. She used Liberon Finishing Oil on all surfaces and gave me a tin to try out.. As a furniture maker in a previous existance.. I guess she knew what she was talking about when she said it was the right thing to use.

Seems to be used on kitchen worktops and wooden toys (so must be rather durable).. is liquid and heat proof (great).. and as you say, you can control the sheen by how it's applied.

What I also like about a finishing oil is that it looks like varnish and yet the texture/grain of the wood still shows through (unlike a varnish that would just leave a glass like surface texture).

 

[hlb]

One trick I learned, was to use gloss first, then mat for the second coat.

 

[Chris_robb_ndota]

One trick I learned, was to use gloss first, then mat for the second coat.

Indeed, before my entire refit, After phoning International their advice was to use gloss coats for the buildup, then only use a final coat of satin to provide a finish, it's worked for me. I can't really argue with that for 2 years from a single-pack varnish. For the tiller I did 10 coats of polyurethane and I can see my face reflected in it even now, so am happy with the finish. I hope it will last for another few years!

 

[ripvan1]

Aren't the high gloss finishes on production yachts achieved using lacquers of some description.

I find it hard to imagine AWB manufactures applying a zillion coats of varnish with sanding between coats to finish with a nice finish - rather 1 or 2 coats of medium quality varnish (sprayed) followed by lacquer (sprayed again)

Would be interested to know how many coats are on the OP's boat.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Just my preference, but anything gloss down below makes me feel uneasy. I prefer a satin or flat finish. Even on a saloon table. Your boat, your choce, but think about something different, unless you really like it. Urethane finishes have many different looks. A simple urethane gloss finish will work wonders unless your boat is wet down below, 'cuz household finishes won't work. Otherwise, the best finish you can get, even over varnish, is a urethane.

 

[Captain Haddock]

The saloon table is looking a bit tired, it's a Beneteau and has a gloss finish. What would you use to try to match the existing and achieve a durable finish. How do the mass manufacturers get such a good finish that is so durable? Any ideas much appreciated.

Don't know about the manufacturers but I've been using Le Tonkinois for years and always get outstanding results.

It's very simple stuff, clean/sand surface, paint on repeated coats... that's it.

No connection with them just a very, very happy customer

 

[Rivers & creeks]

A vote for International Woodskin. Interior and exterior use, easily applied, no sanding needed, sheen not shine.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

Whatever you do give it a good scrub with acetone first to get rid of any polish, grease or residue from anything ...

 

[PCUK]

Blakes Dura-Gloss. Several coats until fine wet sanding gives a totally flat finish. Last coat thinned 10% and flowed on thickly and evenly and allowed to flow out gives a sprayed look.

 

[caerolusmagnus]

Interior wood refinish with Pure Lemon Oil

I was about to sand and varnish the mahogany ply panels of my Ohlson 38 - about 30 years old. I saw the recipe in This Old Boat by Don Casey, which has worked very well and no sanding nor varnishing!

Wash the wood with a squeezed damp towel from bucket of water with 1/2 cup of bleach and sink detergent; this removes the many years of cooking oil fumes etc from the wood.

Wait half hour and wash off with clean water towel.

Then apply Pure Lemon oil in small amounts and rub in. Leave it alone.

The wood came up like a grand piano!

Must be Pure Lemon Oil. I got mine from a guitar shop via Amazon. Hardly used any.

Recommended to repeat maybe a month later.