Using Varnish

[Haggy]

As a follow up to the thread on stripping varnish. I was wondering whether anyone had any good tips on getting a good finish with varnish. I have looked round lots of sites but information is few and far between (varnish seems not to be fashionable at the moment).

Would one of the mini rollers be any good (the one I saw did say for use with varnish) ?

Thanks

Craig..

 

[nstreet]

after watching many episode of the New Yankee Workshop, Norm's favoured method seems to be using 'sponge brushes' he always gets a good finish. I've used fine bristle brushes in the bust but the result has never been anything more than acceptable.

 

[Haggy]

Ok so having tried out various methods I have resolved never to use varnish again.

Aside from that, standard brushes (of any quality) are really hard to get a good finish with; at least of my standard of painting . Trying to get an even finish when the varnish goes off so quickly is a nightmare. The mini roller just left a distinct texture - although going straight over it with a brush helped.

By far the best way I found was to use a paint pad set - I left this to last as the ones I have seen haven't mentioned anything about varnish application. But the results were excellent. Nice smooth finishes, very even and because it is quicker than a brush, blending in is much easier since the varnish hasn't gone off. They also clean up really well.

Just wish I had tried them first.

 

[renovator]

a really good finish requires many layers of varnish, lightly thinned, with intermediate flatting using garnet or wet&dry paper. Remove the dust with a tack cloth before next coat.
Dont flat the final coat.
I would use a well seasoned brush or roller.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Okay here's my method.
Two/three coats of diluted varnish (with thinners), each coat getting stronger, the first being up to 50:50, then three/four coats full strength using very fine wire wool between each coat.
Damn !!! The last coat is all speckly due to dust fallout (especially gloss) !
DON'T WORRY !
Wire wool it lightly until it feels nice and smooth, jump in the motor and nip along to a well known car accesory dealer, buy some T-cut and then cut your final coat back.
JOB DONE !!
Comes up like glass, mine now 15yrs(ish) since restored and still looks lovely

 

[oilman]

Varnish unfashionable? ask any boat builder.

Scoby_Beasley's method is good.

I do it another way (surprise). One or two thinned coats, de-knib with the white finishing paper between every coat, and wipe over with a rag dampened in white spirit.

Then up to 8 more coats, de-knib between each.

I've used expensive brushes, cheap brushes, sponge brushes etc. The finish can be good with all of them, you use the brush at 90 degrees to put the varnish on, then at 30 to 40 degrees for laying off. This is done at right angles to the direction the varnish was put on. The nearer you get to the last stroke, the lighter the stroke.

Use a varnish that is "soft" compared to the quick drying hard ones. These take longer to dry and the coat will go flatter.

Pour enough varnish into a pot for the job you are doing, or the rest will lose its solvent and get "stale" so it's harder to get a good finish.