What varnish to use inside

[freedom44]

I am varnishing some interior wood and went to B&Q to buy the varnish only to find that they were all polyurethane water based. Is this as good as “proper” varnish like international/ ephivans for interior work? ? I have to say that 4 years ago I varnished the floor with Ronseal water based varnish which has lasted fantastically.
On a wider question, I noted that a lot of the general glosses eg dulux were water based and not the old fashioned oil based paints. There seem to be many advantages, eg drying times but do they last as long?

 

[chrisbailey]

Don't use it.
I tried some water based varnish a couple of weeks ago and ended up with a milky finish instead of clear satin.
I then had to scrape it all off and will be revarnishing with a solvent based varnish.
Don't believe what they say on the tin water based is rubbish.

 

[MoodySabre]

It won't go milky if conditions are dry and warm. Damp will make it go milky. Ronseal Diamond Hard on my floor has done one season and is still very good.

 

[AliM]

I did the floor boards with water-based - can't remember which one. It looked super when dry, but every time it got wet, it went milky. I stripped it off and started again the following season.

 

[oldestgit]

I have also used the (water based) Ronseal Diamond hard non gloss (sheen I think?) on the floor inside and just below the companion way steps and that certainly gets well wet with traipsing in and out on a wet passage I have even sprinkled silver sand into some of the strips when the varnish was wet to ensure extra grip in this dangerous and high wear area. I have to say it is excellent, no signs of wear over the first 12 months which includes the grandchildren up and down like a yo yo.

I would also agree with a previous poster that it must be applied in dry conditions.
I personally applied about 5 or 6 coats with the silver sand in the last one.

Regarding water based varnish & paint, the motor trade has to use water based paint to paint all new cars gone are the days of cellulose paints and 2 pack.

Water based paint on mild steel… What ever next?

What a changing world we live in??????

 

[Evadne]

I remember my old chemistry teacher telling me that all paints are just colloids or emulsions. Solvents evaporate faster than water, hence their superiority, but the paint is the globules left behind, not the holding liquid. A water based emulsion must contain a hydrophobic paint, or it will be a solution?

 

[sbrockman]

After posting a similar question last year I used Le Tonkinois varnish for both inside and outside work. It's only one year on but I remain very pleased with the finish and its durability. I am in the process of making some new cockpit locker lids from teak and I intend to use the same on them.

 

[ebbtide]

Re: What varnish to use (stevie_b)

Replace Le T with Sikkens satin varnish - amazing stuff, seems to last for ever!

 

[milfordman]

Re: What varnish to use (stevie_b)

I have used the water based varnish supplied by Wickes on a instrument panel that has been mounted in the cabin of my boat. When I installed it in 2000 I only thought this was going to be a temporary solution. Like many of these temporary solutions it has had to wait 8 years for me to get around to installing the permanant panel, I am installing it at this time. It Looks just as good today as the day I finished it. I varnised it on a warm dry day, and got 4 coats on all on the same day.

 

[eddieperkins]

I used the B&Q silk polyurethane on some Mahogany that was taken back to bare wood and it dried with black specks in it that looked like mould. I will be stripping it back to bare wood and using a conventional varnish and wont be using it again. NO idea why it happened but it looks terrible.

 

[Stemar]

"Ronseal Diamond Hard on my floor has done one season and is still very good."

Four years and counting on the engine box (companionway steps) on Jissel