Varnish
application.
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| This door was varnished with a satin finish |
Today! Let’s talk about varnish application, well to be able to achieve a good varnished finish, it is important to start with a well-prepared surface.
I
have covered how to sandpaper wood, this can be found under the heading (Wood
finishing stages a brief guide on this Blog).
Equipment
what type of brush should I use? I find
the best brushes to use are those made from pure bristle as the hairs are very
soft and therefore when applying varnish using even strokes and not over-brushing will give the best results.
What
type of varnish to use? Well, again it
depends on what your project is and what you expect from your varnish.
Should
you be varnishing wood on a boat then you would need a varnish designed for
marine use that will stand up to the elements of the sea, such as salt and the
harsh weather conditions. So take time
and do the research to find a suitable product for the job.
For
exterior doors again a good quality exterior varnish should last for years if
sufficient coats are applied and subject to proper preparation has taken
place.
It
is no good trying to expect to get a good finish unless you have put in the
hard work during preparation.
For
exterior doors and woodwork, I would suggest four coats of varnish with a very
light smoothing down in between coats.
Your
surface must be dust-free, if it is not you may find that you will encounter
problems like cratering and blistering on the surface.
I prefer to
dilute the first coat with white spirits as this will help the varnish to sink
into the grain and in turn, will create a good foundation for the subsequent
coats to bond.
As with all
wood finishing products take care whilst using, keep off your skin and protect
your eyes.
Varnishes
referred to are white spirit based and not to be confused with cellulose lacquers
and other types of wood treatments.
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