I've been waiting a while to report on the status of the Betty Jane's new varnish job, an extravaganza done courtesy of Brian Hicks and his one-man enterprise: On Board Wood Finishing. I wanted to let a little experimental time go by, you might say. Just to see how a rather old-fashioned-type approach might hold up long-term.Anyway, as I've mentioned mucho entries ago, I'd been using synthetic varnish on the Betster for a couple of years while thinking I was going the easier, softer route. Trouble was, I was having to apply a fresh coat of synthetic varnish every couple of months to keep up with UV damage.
So I wised up this spring, I guess. And the whole thing's workin' out, big-time. Since Brian laid on the last coat almost three months ago I have seen no appreciable change in sheen or shine. No lifting. No nothin'.
Talk about stuff that hangs tough! The old-school (or semi-old-school) varnish he applied so meticulously is outlasting synthetics outrageously. And, if Brian is right, it's likely to hang tough for quite a while longer. He says he expects I'll get at least six to eight more months out of the finished product before I have to apply a few more coats.
Brian's secret is no secret at all. Once he'd removed all the old synthetics from Betty's teak rails and trim pieces, he applied an "anchor coat" of four layers of Awlgrip's Awl Spar classic varnish (with phenolic resins), typically applying two to three layers a day since Awl Spar can be recoated after three or four hours of drying time (and within 36 hours of application) without sanding or scuffing. Then he applied four more layers of Petit's Z-Spar Flagship varnish (with phenolic and alkyd resins as well as linseed and tung oils), laying on one coat per day while scuffing between coats with 220-grit sandpaper.
Certainly, technique and preparation are critical to a good, long-lasting varnish job. But that said, the above products, classic and conventional as they may be, seem to be wearing like iron in this summer's blistering North Florida sun. More power to 'em!
1 comment:
Hi Bill,
I enjoy reading your blog-- I've subscribed in my feed reader.
I was especially interested in this post because I'm a professional varnisher myself.
It certainly looks as if Brian did a very nice brightwork job on the Betty Jane.
I do things a little differently when I varnish. Like Brian, I use Awlgrip's Awl Spar varnish, but I build up 8-10 coats of it, and then apply 2 finish coats of Sikkens Cetol Gloss (clear) on top, believe it or not. No matter what Sikken's chemists may say, the two products are perfectly compatible. I've been doing it this way for ten years now.
Every varnisher has his own ideas about varnishing, of course, but I promise my customers that their varnish will look good for a year, as long as they keep it clean and free of salt. Naturally, I can't guarantee against abuse.
When varnish and Cetol Gloss is applied by my method, all that's necessary thereafter for a good few years is 2 annual maintenance coats, at least here in Florida. I work the east coast from Amelia Island to North Palm Beach.
You can follow my link for further details, if interested.
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