International Woodskin taking an awfully long time to dry

[Avocet]

I'm trying this for the first time on a few small bits of wood. They're indoors - same room as the boiler, in fact, so they're lovely and warm and dry. Put my first coat on yesterday afternoon and they're STILL tacky now! Is that normal? It says 24h before overcoating, but I guess I need them to be at least touch dry before I do that?

Also, does anyone know what International thinners No. 1 is, please? (Just wondering if cleaning the brush afterwards in White Spirit (which seemed to clean it OK) is a bad thing)?

 

[pvb]

Also, does anyone know what International thinners No. 1 is, please? (Just wondering if cleaning the brush afterwards in White Spirit (which seemed to clean it OK) is a bad thing)?

Thinners No 1 is basically white spirit; perhaps very slightly different, but close enough for you to use white spirit as an alternative.

 

[Lyndsey Doyle]

Good evening, I've been doing a fair bit of varnishing recently, and have just become resigned to working around long drying times.
International Schooner, and synthetic polyurethane for internal areas in the galley, both still sticky the day after, despite heated boat.

Nothing ever does what it says on the tin, and yes a warm, not humid drying place is needed.

I'm going to try Int Cetol Filter 7 Plus, because it is meant to be the same as Woodskin, but cheaper, being marketed for house woodwork not yachts. Also in a large range of colours.
I would be interested to know if Filter 7 plus is really the same as Woodskin, if there are any experts reading this!

 

[Cloven]

I'm trying this for the first time on a few small bits of wood. They're indoors - same room as the boiler, in fact, so they're lovely and warm and dry. Put my first coat on yesterday afternoon and they're STILL tacky now! Is that normal? It says 24h before overcoating, but I guess I need them to be at least touch dry before I do that?

No idea why but I have found that using Woodskin, the first coat seems to take ages to dry on bare wood. Second and subsequent coats dry much more quickly in virtually the same ambient conditions. Maybe some reaction going on with the first coat and the wood. I have also found this to be the case with some other types of paint. Any industrial chemists in the house?

 

[Kelpie]

I've had varying results using the same tin of Woodskin.
First tried it on the toerail on a reasonably warm and dry day back in the summer, and was very impressed. Nice glossy sheen, much better than I had expected.
Later on in the summer I completed the rest of the toerail (took a while what with good days being few and far between), but some of the last sections came up quite dull and with an almost soft finish.

The last time I used it was on a handrail which I had removed and out down the cabin, back in the Autumn. It came up very poorly indeed- dark, blotchy, no sheen and no feeling of a hard lacquer having been created. I assumed that it might have been humid down in the cabin, so have brought the handrail home to sand down and try again.

I wonder if Woodskin is highly sensitive to humidity?

 

[GrahamM376]

No idea why but I have found that using Woodskin, the first coat seems to take ages to dry on bare wood. Second and subsequent coats dry much more quickly in virtually the same ambient conditions. Maybe some reaction going on with the first coat and the wood. I have also found this to be the case with some other types of paint. Any industrial chemists in the house?

I found it stays soft for quite a long time.

Been using some water based woodstain from Johnstone's on house gates, has lasted 3 years now, south facing. Wondering if suitable for salty environment. http://www.johnstonestrade.com/products/product-display/satin-woodstain.aspx

Ooops, wrong link. This is the water based, clear or colours - http://www.johnstonestrade.com/products/product-display/quick-dry-satin-woodstain.aspx

 

[Avocet]

Thanks all. Still tacky today too!

 

[toad]

I have just used Woodskin on a cockpit grating, the first two coats I sprayed using 10% no1 thinners due to the awkwardness of the grating, followed by two coats by brush in the high wear area. This was in the garage over new year and I could overcoat in 24 hours. It dries a nice satin finish. I suspect it did not fully harden for a week or so but its nice and hard now.

 

[Minchsailor]

I not sure why they say Cetol Filter 7 Plus is not suitable for boats - it always used to be. The base coat should be HLS, as this contains the wood preservatives, then finish off with 2-3 coats of the Filter 7. I used this for years as a replacement (external) for varnish; not quite such a high gloss finish but loads less hassle.

 

[Tim Good]

I'd say be careful about International Woodskin in humid or differing humidity levels.

I prepared my capping rail after many many days work and put some woodskin on. I then came back another day and put some more on. Totally different shade! Even after 3 months it hasn't blended in. It was prepared in exactly the same way and I can only imagine that the temperature or humidity was different.

International did confirm that batch numbers on the tins I used were ok. They sent me 2 new tins but clearly doesn't make up for the enormous amount of work I put in and haven't to do all over again.

 

[alahol2]

I not sure why they say Cetol Filter 7 Plus is not suitable for boats - it always used to be. The base coat should be HLS, as this contains the wood preservatives, then finish off with 2-3 coats of the Filter 7. I used this for years as a replacement (external) for varnish; not quite such a high gloss finish but loads less hassle.

I've been using Filter 7 for at least the last 15 years and I intend to carry on while I can still get it. Compared to the faff of varnish it's superb.

 

[Lyndsey Doyle]

I've been using Filter 7 for at least the last 15 years and I intend to carry on while I can still get it. Compared to the faff of varnish it's superb.

Good evening, thanks to both for the encouragement about Filter 7.

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Interesting thread this as my son had the same problem with International Woodskin last year in his I/F Folkboat.
(now for sale with trailer )

It was all new timber and the wretched stuff would not dry for days.

We were careful to not put a thick coat on first but I suspect, although heated, the atmosphere was humid.

I've used a waterproof woodstain by Ronseal on my teak saloon cabin sides. I cleaned off well with a light sanding, vacuumed, washed off with acetone and then applied. I've left it under the boat cover over winter and will put another coat or two on before uncovering.

I've found the same product doing what it says on the tin when I applied it to my workshop and Mrs S's 'She Shed'.
It does seem to like a fresh coat each season, but it's so easy to apply, that for exterior timber it's a no brainer for me on my boat.

S.

 

[NPMR]

The first time I used Woodskin, last year, there were no memorable delays in drying. On to bare wood. or multiple coats.

This year, same tin, same woodwork, and lightly sanded, the first coat took days and days to become touch dry. Even brought the stuff (and the tin) indoors to get drier, warmer air.

I rang International who advised that drying times can be prolonged but gave no indication as to why. He did advise to keep the coats thin, which advice I followed for coats 2 and 3 and they both became touch dry over night, indoors.

They also advised to use Thinners No 1 (and then, quietly "or good quality white spirit").

I also stirred the tin very very thoroughly before putting on coats 2 and 3 - so can't be sure if it was the stirring, the thinner coats or anything else that made the drying times different.

No problems with colour change but it is taking a while to harden to what I hope will be the same as last year - now some weeks after applying, but it is getting better.

 

[Colvic Watson]

I'm trying this for the first time on a few small bits of wood. They're indoors - same room as the boiler, in fact, so they're lovely and warm and dry. Put my first coat on yesterday afternoon and they're STILL tacky now! Is that normal? It says 24h before overcoating, but I guess I need them to be at least touch dry before I do that?

Also, does anyone know what International thinners No. 1 is, please? (Just wondering if cleaning the brush afterwards in White Spirit (which seemed to clean it OK) is a bad thing)?

Yes that's normal. used it many times and it dries slowly, but it's great stuff.

 

[Keith 66]

I have had the same problem with Johnsons Woodstain (not the water based one), put it on the gunwales & thwarts of a new rowing skiff & a week later it was still sticky. For what its worth it was indoors & the weather was dry.
The workshop was not at all humid. Put the boat outside in the sun & wind & it dried within a few hours.
I have found that Iroko is particularly prone to this, havent tried it on teak.
And before anyone tells me Iroko is an oily wood, this batch was old & very very dry!

 

[Avocet]

Thanks all, that's encouraging. the parts are now all dry enough for a second coat I think. Still soft, but not tacky. (And yes, it IS iroko that I'm putting it on)!

 

[Avocet]

Well, sure enough, first coat took nearly a week to be touch dry, second coat was touch dry overnight!

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

My guess is that in certain conditions and with certain timbers the first coat may need to be thinned 50/50 and put on very thinly. Then the next coat less thinners etc.

Somewhere in the archives of ybw I've said that my great grandfather used to give the apprentice an egg cup of varnish and told him to go varnish the newly built little clinker dinghy and to use no more varnish than that.

It took him a while to realise he could use turpentine to thin the varnish as much as he needed to.

God quality varnish finish is not best gained by putting on a couple of thick coats but by putting many thin coats on and building up the thickness. De-nibbing is best done with fine grade wet and dry. imho

S.