Varnishing my wash boards

[jimi]

I've got a nice wooden varnished wash board. Its getting a bit chipped and scratched. Whats the best way to restore it to its former glory bearing in mind I'm a complete bodger when it comes to wood & varnish ;-)

 

[Deleted member 36384]

lets assume you want varnish because folks will try and sell you something else.

I have just varnished my cupboard doors, first time and I got a great job. They were new in 1974 so looked like shit now.

1. Nitromoursed them and used a scraper lightly to remove the shit. Repated about 4 times.
2. Washed in water and let dry.
3. Sanded with standard flat sander using a finer grit.
4. Sanded some more.
5. Wash with white spirit.
6. Let dry
7. Wiped with a tack cloth
8. Used Ronseal Satin Outdoor Varnish as per instructions. I bought a quality synthetic bristle brush. Brushed with the grain, across the grain, diagonal each way, finished along the grain, tipped off along the grain. Very satisfying.
9. Sanded between coats with sandpaper on a flat block, just lightly, wet and dry, used wet, under a running tap. Dried in air then tack clothed again.
10. 3 x coats in total.

I'll post a pic later, slow connection. I sat the doors on small pyramid shaped supports while varnishing one side.

 

[pmagowan]

You can patch varnish quite well by sanding down the layers around a chip and building it back up. Only do this if the rest of the varnish is quite good. The colour will not match for a while but it will fade in over time. Otherwise it is pretty much as above. I use Epifanes and just give it a good sand and a clean with a tack-cloth and maybe some acetone. Then I start with well thinned varnish 50/50 or suchlike. Slowly bulding up the coats as per the instructions with only a very light sand between each one. Then a few coats of full varnish. I like to get about 8 coats on in total for full gloss and good protection. Less is possible but there is a much higher risk and you will get problems at corners or joins in the wood. Epifanes do a quick varnish that doesn't require sanding between coats as long as you do the next layer when still not fully cured. I don't think the gloss is as perfect though.

My doors are still not bad after about 7 years exposed but under the sprayhood.

 

[johnalison]

My washboards are bare teak outside but my last boat had varnished ones, which were always a trial to keep looking good. In the end, I found that covering the edges with epoxy glue and varnishing over that was the only way to look after them, otherwise the varnish always chipped and discoloured.

 

[pmagowan]

My washboards are bare teak outside but my last boat had varnished ones, which were always a trial to keep looking good. In the end, I found that covering the edges with epoxy glue and varnishing over that was the only way to look after them, otherwise the varnish always chipped and discoloured.

I am thinking of doing a long term trial of various techniques including epoxy sealing prior to varnish. I am planing on building a new boat and need to have worked out the best method by the time I get to the deck fittings. I like wood so it will feature heavily in the design. Varnish does seem to have a problem with wood where there is a dimensional instability, corners, edge-grain and joins. Epoxy might be the answer but it still needs the varnish to provide good UV stability. Otherwise it can take quite a few layers of varnish.

 

[ip485]

I find given all the input of time anyway take back to the wood, apply a coating of clear epoxy, and then a few coats of two part varnish, or if you cant be bothered with the epoxy, just the two part varnish. The epoxy provides a very hard base that really does resist chipping and abrasion but takes a little more skill to apply well.

Whichever way, the two part approach will provide a finish that will outlast anything else by years and continue to look good.

 

[pmagowan]

I find given all the input of time anyway take back to the wood, apply a coating of clear epoxy, and then a few coats of two part varnish, or if you cant be bothered with the epoxy, just the two part varnish. The epoxy provides a very hard base that really does resist chipping and abrasion but takes a little more skill to apply well.

Whichever way, the two part approach will provide a finish that will outlast anything else by years and continue to look good.

We had that on one boat but because it was not fully sealed (due to fittings etc) the wood remained dimensionally unstable and it caused cracks in the 2 part. The wood underneath then degraded but it was then a right beggar to get the 2 part off. At least with varnish it is easy to touch up or repaint. The part we had done was a hatch and it was done by a yard. I think you have to be very pernickety about sealing the wood, especially round end grain, fittings and joints.

 

[jimi]

So my bodge approach migh be to heavily varnish the chips and scratches and then sand back flat and wait a season for the varnish to achieve an even colour. If it looks rubbish I can then apply the nuclear option and take back to bare wood and start from scratch [sic].

 

[Sandy Bottom]

So my bodge approach migh be to heavily varnish the chips and scratches and then sand back flat and wait a season for the varnish to achieve an even colour. If it looks rubbish I can then apply the nuclear option and take back to bare wood and start from scratch [sic].

The area where it will look worst is the 'slope' between any varnished areas and any bare ones - it will invariably look like lighter coloured rings which rarely go back to even. It would take me about 20 - 30 mins to take a washboard back to bare and only a little bit longer for either the missus or daughter to do the same. Personally I would do that once, put two pack on as a base (2-coats) and then either two pack poly or single pack (Epifanes or similar) over the top. To be honest it's almost as quick to strip a washboard back as it is to mess around cutting in. Use a hot air gun and scraper.
Every season rub down lightly with just a scotch bright ( 5 minutes) and stick a further one or two coats of single pack on.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Varnishing Galley Cupboard Doors

All pictures are hosted on Flickr https://www.flickr.com

Nitromorse Worked Well, Light Scraping With The Grain

1 x Day Strip, 3 Days To Varnish, Finished Doors, Left 24 Hours Between Coats

Close Up - Small Bubble But I Am Please With It

 

[Sandy Bottom]

Re: Varnishing Galley Cupboard Doors

Nice!

 

[Pye_End]

After years of annual touching up with varnish, took it back to bare wood a few years ago and applied epoxy, then a few coats of single part varnish. Fabulous result, and far more durable. Wish I had done it years ago.