Your Favourite Varnish, and Why?

[Major_Clanger]

It's a new year, the decs are long packed away and the house smells strongly of various thinners as I start on some of the boat's woodwork. As I was being told off last night by Mrs Clanger for the awful smell (she has a point), my mind wandered to the myriad different makes of varnish available. It's a conversation I've had in the pub a few times of why we're often so loyal to a particular make and wouldn't dream of using anything else. It seems peculiar to varnish too, not paint or anti-fouling.

So, what do you use, and why?

I like single-pack Epifanes and solely because I've always used it. Wouldn't try anything else but have no practical reason for saying that.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Ronseal diamond hard, water based varnish for below decks. Dries in minutes, no smell, brushes wash in water, can get several coats on in an evening. Looks very good and seems to be hard wearing.

 

[Kukri]

Another vote for regular Epifanes.

 

[jwilson]

Present boat has no exterior varnishwork - one of the specs when we bought it after selling a very pretty boat infested with exterior varnished teak and polished bronze fittings, plus a swept teak laid deck kept bare. I had a lot of practice at varnishing. Always used International spar varnish.

Interior woodwork I now like Ronseal alkyd-based (not waterbased) 3 to 5 coats of gloss varnish followed by wet rub-down and two coats of Epifanes "rubbed-effect". Looks like a new bit of boat again. Doing the chart table area at present.

I use the Ronseal diamond hard waterbased on floorboards at home: OK to walk on in muddy boots but I wouldn't let it on board boat. Not a good enough finish.

 

[johnalison]

For outside work I use Epifanes, though this now only extends to varnishing the tiller. I don't think the choice of varnish is as important as the skill or otherwise in application. I used to varnish my tiller in a spare bedroom. As well as being free from dust, I hoped that this would speed up drying but in a centrally-heated house this had the opposite effect due to lack of moisture in the air.

Having an HR, which is effectively varnished for life inside, I don't have much need for interior varnish but I have treated some scuffed areas around the companionway with Epifanes Rubbed Effect varnish which had produced the desired effect of a durable satin finish.

 

[tillergirl]

Epifanes single pack - what else.

On a technical issue, how many coats of varnish on the ensign staff are necessary. I am planning ten coats (now currently up to 6).

On a tangent, if varnishing on iroko or teak, Epifanes Woodfinish is excellent. It just works. Rapidcoat is said to be good but I have never used it.

 

[Poignard]

Epifanes Rapidcoat https://www.epifanes.com/page/rapid-coat

 

[tillergirl]

Epifanes Rapidcoat https://www.epifanes.com/page/rapid-coat

Which leads me to a question - the Woodfinish has a good gloss, nice and deep. Does Rapidcoat have the same finish?

 

[Minchsailor]

I am a great enthusiast fro Blackfriars products. Have found their 1 pack polyurethane floor varnish excellent for floorboards, and a 50/50 mix of the conventional satin/gloss varnish for interior.

My present boat has zero exterior varnish work except for the tiller which gets taken home every couple of years for a pick-me-up with their gloss.

 

[TQA]

Epifane

Coz it da best

 

[Poignard]

Which leads me to a question - the Woodfinish has a good gloss, nice and deep. Does Rapidcoat have the same finish?

Not like that in Post #3 but not matt either. Just a pleasing gleam.

It's very easy to apply and lasts well without flaking. Being slightly tinted it also does a good job of disguising the numerous graving pieces in my mahogany coachroof!

https://www.mystalk.com/detail/1877935185190995911_391358506/

That's not my boat, by the way. Just a photo lifted off the internet.

 

[savageseadog]

I can assure everyone I don't have a "favourite" varnish

 

[stephen_h]

Colean because I can't be doing with all that yearly work :encouragement:

 

[Major_Clanger]

Another vote for regular Epifanes.

That's a pretty little boat Minn, looks to have some age too judging by the shape. Did she have a centreboard at one time?

Epifanes single pack - what else.

On a technical issue, how many coats of varnish on the ensign staff are necessary. I am planning ten coats (now currently up to 6).

Keep going until it's an interference fit in the socket, that'll produce a deep lustre!

 

[Kukri]

That's a pretty little boat Minn, looks to have some age too judging by the shape. Did she have a centreboard at one time?

She's still got one, though "technically" she is on her second centreboard. She is International Fourteen K 478 "Galatea" designed and built by some fellow called Uffa Fox either in 1946 (when he sold her) or in 1939 (according to most of the class experts!) The original centreboard had 80lbs of lead in it with a differential winch, but her second owner, Bob Tough as in the Queen's boatbuilder, swapped it for an unweighted one, which she has now, around 1955.

Oh, and that's 12 coats...

 

[Major_Clanger]

Uffa Fox.... Rings a bell somewhere!

Lovely little boat.

 

[johnalison]

On a technical issue, how many coats of varnish on the ensign staff are necessary. I am planning ten coats (now currently up to 6).

Showing off on the forum is bad form. My answer is 'several'. The varnish fades in a while anyway and will need re-doing, so why make more work for oneself?

 

[V1701]

For exterior International woodskin - clean and one coat yearly, very quick & easy & looks decent enough...

 

[waynes world]

I have never used varnish twice and i cant remember the first time as it was many years ago on a small job on a galley door.

I have used Le Tonkinois a few times recently and very happy with it. I will be doing the interior of Sapele veneer soon and strakes.

Made this table top last year from Iroko. Came out good, five coats i think.

 

[matthewriches]

Started off with Epifanes inside, swapped over to Ronseal (for quickness) then ended up stripping it all back and carrying on with the Epifanes as it gives a nice deep gloss whereas the Ronseal just made it a dull shiny surface. As I didn't want total 100% gloss, I then hit it ever so slightly with ultra fine scotchbrite pad then gave it a few coats of hard car wax of all things as recommended by a french polisher. This avoids the milky problem you get with satin varnish by building up too many coats and mean you don't have to buy numerous varnish products.

Many ways to skin a cat! But Epifanes