Brightwork A Guide to Varnishing

[Timbo]

"There are three prevalent trends in the varnish of wooden boats on the Broads. There is the ‘slapper on a night out’ golden orange colour. There’s the ‘tart too long on a sun-bed’ deep red colour and even the ‘bint that put fake tan on her scabby legs in the dark’ hotchpotch of multicoloured streaks ranging from orange, to deep red, to a goose-pimple pallid pink. I'm sad to say that, at the moment, Royal Tudor follows the latter!"

There is so much conflicting information, advice and tips on varnishing out there that all my previous attempts had resulted in failure, so I decided to keep trying until I managed the finish that I was after.

 

 

Eventually I was successful and thought it a good idea to document the steps I took, starting with preparation.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Tim,

 

Interesting reading.

 

Rather than using the Nitromos I would use a mixture I heard of many years ago for removing varnish and paint, it is more easy going on the woodwork.

Mix the following:-

 

One part white spirit

One part meth's

One part white vinegar

Half part linseed oil

 

I usually make up about a pint of the mixture and shake well. I apply with fine wire wool or a toothbrush for any moulding edges.

 

When varnishing, I again use the finest wire wool between coats and remove the dust with meth's and use a thinned varnish for the final coats, this allows for quicker drying and glossy coat.

 

Keep up all of your hard work.

 

Regards

Alan 

[Timbo]

Hi Tim,

 

Interesting reading.

 

Rather than using the Nitromos I would use a mixture I heard of many years ago for removing varnish and paint, it is more easy going on the woodwork.

Mix the following:-

 

One part white spirit

One part meth's

One part white vinegar

Half part linseed oil

 

I usually make up about a pint of the mixture and shake well. I apply with fine wire wool or a toothbrush for any moulding edges.

 

When varnishing, I again use the finest wire wool between coats and remove the dust with meth's and use a thinned varnish for the final coats, this allows for quicker drying and glossy coat.

 

Keep up all of your hard work.

 

Regards

Alan 

Thanks Alan, I was not happy using the Nitromors I've had disasters with it in the past. i hope you realise this means I've now got to visit Uncle Albert as most of your recipe will be available in his drinks cabinet? 

[MauriceMynah]

I have a better recipe for success with varnishing.

 

1 boat builder/restorer.

1 tin of above's preferred varnish.

1 of above's preferred brushes.

1 wallet.

 

METHOD.

Give brush and tin of varnish to the boat builder/restorer.

Take wallet to nearest bank and fill it.

Then take wallet to nearest decent pub and relieve the wallet of some of the weight.

Wait for Boat builder/restorer to join you there and relieve wallet of remaining weight.

 

SIMPLES!!!!!

[JennyMorgan]

http://www.classicboat.co.uk/practical-advice/paint-varnish/how-to-varnish-a-wooden-boat/

[Mowjo]

Peter! thats one of the best articles I've seen on varnishing, one thing I would add as I learnt from experiance, is never sand new ply until you have given it a thinned coat of varnish and let it dry, most of the veneers on todays ply is so thin you only have to look at it and your through to the backing, now when I use any new ply I stain it! give it a thinned coat of varnish, then a light sand between every coat, that way I'm flatening the varnish and not removing the veneer,,,

 

Frank,,, 

[LondonRascal]

I would like to share this chap's videos His name is Andy Miller and ovre in America. He is very down to earth skilled boat builder and someone I sit back and watch frankly in amazement as he tackles just about any boat project from Wood to GRP.

 

The only issue is, he does not have the time to produce more videos!

 

Here is his step by step two part video guide to varnishing – and very interesting it is to.

 

Part one:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqiXZrs5hvM

 

Part two:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNLQRRDaitE

 

You can see more videos from how to match gel coat, repair damged to GRP, stain wood, steam bend wood you name it over at his website www.boatworkstoday.com

[Maxwellian]

He has done some excellent videos. Watched most of the boat ones.

[grendel]

I too am an exponent of wire wool (it can be bought in several grades) the finest I use when applying  wax polish to furniture, but the coarser grades are good for final preparation of said furniture. I also use a tool now seldom used, a cabinet makers scraper, there is a fine art involved with raising the burr on the working edge of a scraper, but once done it removes material in even smaller quantities than sanding and leaves a smooth surface to boot.

Grendel

[C.Ricko]

careful with the wire wool, it will go rusty if you aint careful.

[grendel]

there is a small wad kept in the tin of beeswax polish, never rusted yet.

[Mowjo]

Clive! I made that mistake when I did my Freeman, luckily it was only one small panel, but after a short while it looked like it had freckles, my favorite now is the nylon sanding pads that look like scotchbright pads,

 

Frank,,,,,

[JennyMorgan]

Broken  glass makes for a good cabinet scraper. Cheap too!

[Timbo]

Gentlemen of the NBN Brains Trust we have encountered a problem...Houston I can't hold her...she's breaking up...Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

 

I've got a problem with varnish crinkling...ever such a tiny amount on one door. I'm giving the varnish plenty of time to cure before knocking it back with 320 grit paper, yet I keep getting an area on this one marine ply door (the area keeps moving around btw) that will not play ball. I've stripped the door back once already and started again, and this little patch has bubbled up again but in a different place.

 

The question...is there a cure without striping it all back again...or if I have to strip it all back again how do I stop it happening for the third time?

[Mowjo]

Are you letting the varnish fully cure before applying the next coat???  I never re-coat in less than 24hrs and this time of year I normally leave it a good few days between coats, in this weather it will skin over but not fully cure, leave it a few days flat it off then try again, you might acually be putting to much varnish on and thats why it's not fully curing, time consuming but your better off applying six thin coats rather than three heavy coats, it could just be that it's just too damp for varnishing even inside the boat at this time of year just your breathing causes minor condensation on the wood, you can't see it but it can affect the varnish,

 

Frank,,,

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Tim,

 

Is the wrinkling on the first or second applied coat? if it is on the second coat then more than likely there is an issue with the surface of your timber it is too damp for the varnish to fully adhere to the timber or if you have stained it, again the issue will be of adhesion.  You will have to provide a good key to the surface and clean down with a suitable solution ideally the same thinners used for diluting the varnish.

 

Regards

Alan

[stumpy]

Tim, is this the panel you used Nitromors on? You DID get it all off first didn't you?

[Timbo]

I'm currently working on the doors in my kitchen I mean workshop   at home. The door I'm working on is one of the door that leads from RT's centre cockpit to her galley.  I sanded off the old varnish. I didn't apply any Nitromors to this door. I sanded through 80 grit, 120 grit, 240 and finally 320 grit papers. There was some severe discolouration between the two sides of the door so I applied a spirit based stain (Colron) which was given 24 hours to dry. I applied two thinned layers of varnish allowing 24 hours between each layer and gave a light sanding of both layers before applying a third layer which is when I got the bubbling after 12 hours of drying time. Of course it would be on the side of the door that is always visible!

 

Here's an image of what's happening, the dark shadow is my reflection while I'm taking the photo, the bubbling is on the right of the image.'

The only thing I can think of is that 24 hours may not be enough time between coats? I also have it in my head that this is a part of the door that Uncle Albert swings from with his grubby paws.

 

The door has now had around 36 hours of drying time since last I did anything to it which was to lightly sand back the affected area and apply a very thinned solution of varnish which has seemed to reduce the degree of wrinkling from what it was.

 

Now I have the daughter with me today so it will get another day of drying, but I was wondering whether I was being 'too gentle', as I have a tendency to be with most of the work on RT, and instead should give the whole door a more vigorous sanding before carrying on adding my layers of varnish?

[JennyMorgan]

Just a thought, are you working the varnish enough when applying so as to burst any air-bubbles that occur? Another thought, is your brush solvent free? Have you, or do you use foam rubber brushes? My gut feeling is that your brush is not as clean as it might be. Do you use a comb to help clean your brush? Are you cleaning your brush between coats with turps substitutes? 

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Tim,

 

Have a look at this link to International, it may help you:-

http://www.yachtpaint.com/sgp/diy/ask-the-experts/varnish-ultimate-finish.aspx

Regards

Alan

[JennyMorgan]

I've been a great fan of Epifanes varnish now for some years, leaves UK premium varnishes standing a long way behind in my opinion but at thirty quid a litre so it jolly well should! Actually I reckon some of the top end UK varnishes are poor, but not so Withams flexible Yacht Varnish. Under a tenner a litre, it lacks the high gloss of Epiphanes, but in all other respects I have found it to be a first class product and it is a joy to work with. Fortunately their paint works is just up the road from Oulton Broad & they have a trade counter there that sells to us mere prolls. They supply paint to Her Majesty, good enough for her so it must be good enough for me. By the way, a small, foam roller is a great way to apply varnish. I watched Ardea being varnished using rollers, once again, good enough for her then it's good enough for me!

[Mowjo]

I'm Glad you mentioned Withams Peter! I've beem using their paints for a while now and can't fault it and their prices are even better, Madam wanted the non-slip deck paint to match the topside when I did Crackers, I found a near enough colour at around £32 a litre, then remembered Withams, I gave them the paint code and they made the exact colour deck paint to order, I thought he said £34 for a litre which I thought wasn't bad for the exact colour but I miss-heard him it was actually £14 plus Vat, I'm glad you mention the Yacht Varnish not being high gloss, I just bought 3 litres ready for doing the new boat and as I'm not a great lover of high gloss on the inside it should suit me,

 

Frank,,,,

[Timbo]

 My gut feeling is that your brush is not as clean as it might be. Do you use a comb to help clean your brush? Are you cleaning your brush between coats with turps substitutes? 

 

It's like coming round in casualty after getting knocked down by a bus and wondering if you put clean underwear on! 

 

Well I've followed all of the advice. I was using white spirit to clean my brushes but gave them a thorough cleaning today, I used Uncle Albert's comb he left here last time he stayed...he's not got enough hair to worry about a comb!

 

I realised I was doing one thing wrong in shaking the tin of varnish before I started.

 

Just as an experiment I sanded back the offending section hard and applied another coat...and everything seems to have settled down and dried properly now, although of course there is a visible difference in the thickness of the layers of varnish at that point. So tomorrow I will sand back the whole side of the door and start all over again building up the layers.

 

Thanks guys for the help and advice I will post the results of the varnishing as soon as I can. In the meantime here's how I dealt with cleaning the metalwork.

[JennyMorgan]

Much of the globules, dust, bubbles etc. are actually congealed blobs of varnish lodged in brushes.

[grendel]

Tim, one trick for cleaning up brightwork is to wad up a ball of aluminium foil and use that to polish the item (brings up tarnished and lightly pitted chrome a treat). another very mild abrasive is toothpaste (this is so mild it can be used on Perspex to remove scratches).

yet another very mild abrasive is talcum powder (used by draughtsmen to dry ink and restore a matt surface to drawing film).

once the item is clean and bright you can protect the finish by lightly polishing with beeswax furniture polish, this will protect it from the oils and moisture from your fingers (this was a great trick of mine to keep rust away from sword blades, which can show signs of rust very quickly after Little Johnny has put their fingers all over the blade at re-enactment shows (also does a very good job on wet days). with any luck it might even make them Uncle Albert proof.

Grendel