And the name “spar varnish” comes from the boating world, where the long wooden poles that support the sails are know as spars. The varnish and paint on the bottom third of the door is crackling. HI Bob. The door has four curved panels of glass, surrounded by mahogany, satin finish, that has aged through nearly 30 years of morning sunshine. I recommend applying at least two coats of Epifanes on top of the Captain’s, sanding with at least 320 grit between coats. Its low toxicity, however, means that it’s equally safe to use near the entryway on exterior doors and trim. 8 Best Exterior Polyurethane- Reviews & Buyer’s Guide 1. Epifanes Clear Varnish – A Great Bargain. Though boat owners might be willing to put up with the heavy maintenance, as well as the high prices for quality formulations, we don’t recommend varnishes for most outdoor woodworking projects. But there is no industry agreement on the naming, so you’re left with price and where you buy the product being the best indication of which you’re getting. I agree. The spar finishes you buy at home centers and ordinary paint stores generally either don’t contain the absorbers or contain too little to be effective against sunlight. That protection might be short-lived, though, so be prepared to remove the finish every year or two, then reapply. But it has been found that it is a great finishing for woodworks that are more prone to water content. The sample board has something called zspar and another called flagship. • When film finishes fail, they require more maintenance than penetrating-oil finishes. The Components. All Rights Reserved. We’re entering mid-summer and you may be thinking of applying a clear finish to some project that will be exposed to sunlight outside. Send your woodworking questions to [email protected] If these finishes are exposed to the sun and rain year around, they may last 2 to 4 years before they start to break down. After applying the final coat, let dry for two days. Exterior Paint Rust-Oleum Perma-White Exterior Paint. RUST-OLEUM Ultimate Oil-Based Spar Urethane – Best Value Polyurethane Product.. An epoxy sealer with exterior varnish topcoats is the most durable, but also the most labor-intensive finish you can apply to outdoor furniture. Personally, this is my favorite finish for exterior wood. ", The Best Kind of Clear Finish to use Outdoors – The Difference Between Varnish and Spar Varnish, https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/popwood_logos-01.png, https://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3141_2-113x113.jpg, Shaker Storage & Shelving Shop Resources Collection, © 2020 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved, Video: Sturdy Drawer Joint on a Table Saw, Feature Articles, Shop Blog, Woodworking Blogs, Free Woodworking Downloads From Lee Valley, I Can Do That! Steps to Applying Varnish on Doors. Applying caulk to the joints is … Finished or bare, the best wood for outdoor projects is the heartwood from a species that naturally withstands decay. Exterior finishes generally go by the name “spar,” as in “spar varnish.” Sometimes, a distinction for UV resistance can be made between common spar finishes (without UV inhibitors) and “marine” or “boat” finishes (with UV inhibitors). For refinishing, start with 80-grit sandpaper to remove old, flaking varnish. Spar Varnish • Once damaged, wood fibers separate from the underlying wood, taking the finish with them. 1. At half the cost of the Recommended one-part varnishes, Minwax slacked in the color retention department, but it has proven its multi-season durability. This is a very high-gloss marine varnish that is suitable … By Peter Gedrys Issue 282 - April/May 2019 Several years back you did a feature and video series on finishing an exterior door by Peter Gedrys (FHB #257). All finishes marketed for exterior surfaces aren’t the same, no matter the claims of manufacturers. High-quality formulations have finely ground pigments that block UV rays while allowing the grain to show. Combined with a properl… Spar urethane is actually a spar varnish that uses plastic urethane as its resin. Sand and reapply every five to six years. Even with a finish with good UV resistance, if the finish is exposed to a lot of sunlight, you still need to maintain it a lot more than you are used to with a finish indoors. I didn’t want to have to deal with rain. The person I engaged, instead of satin finish, did a glossy marine spar varnish, which also has bubbles! Send your woodworking questions to [email protected]. Then apply multiple coats of a good quality varnish. Sand the door in the direction of the grain. Step 5 Refresh as necessary with additional varnish coats. With all the modern advances in coatings -- polyurethane, shellac, urethane, or varnish -- some confusion about formula is to be expected. As such, spar urethane is a blend of spar varnish that features urethane plastic as the main resin. You can see that the varnish from the marina was fairly effective at blocking UV light. This is the procedure most wooden boat owners use. You don’t necessarily need to strip the finish all the way to the wood. Our Spar Varnishes are free-flowing and self-leveling and resist peeling, chipping and cracking. What finish should you use? – Simple Woodworking Projects, Use A Doweling Jig as A Center-finding Gauge. Dyes impart some color to the finish but do little to block UV rays. 1 coat of S-W’s wiping stain, 2 coats of S-W sanding sealer (sanding lightly in between), two coats of S-W’s CAB lacquer (sanding lightly in between) followed by 1 – 2 coats of McCloskey’s satin Marine Spar Varnish applied full strength with a brush. What's the best option? So a spar varnish needs to be one that can withstand the rigorous conditions of seafaring life. Popular brands of wooden boat varnishes bought at a marina. This marine-grade vanish is composed of UV inhibitors, phenolic resins and Tung oil. Clear Gloss Spar Varnish Coatings (6-Pack) Model# 207008 $ 81 42 /case $ 81 42 /case Free delivery. Epoxy with Exterior Varnish. The first pic has one can labeled zspar flagship (can 2) and can 3 also says z-spar. Paint Photo by Andrea Rugg/Collinstock. System Three Marine Spar Varnish is a high-build coating designed for marine epoxy and exterior wood surfaces such as railings, doors or any surface where a clear, durable gloss finish is desired. But the middle two varnishes were hardly better than the indoor varnish, despite claims to the contrary from the manufacturers. Bob Flexner is the author of "Flexner on Finishing," "Wood Finishing 101," and "Understanding Wood Finishing. McCloskey Man-O-War marine spar varnish is way better than any polyurethane. I am a little confused. Some woods that fit the description are accoya, catalpa, cedar (Spanish, western red, eastern white, or Alaskan yellow), chestnut, cypress (old growth is best), ipe, juniper, locust (black), mahogany (Honduras or African), mesquite, mulberry, oak (bur, white), redwood (old growth is best), sassafras, teak (old growth is best), walnut, yew, and pressure treated lumber. EMAIL REQUEST FOR SAFETY INFORMATION Exterior finishes generally go by the name “spar,” as in “spar varnish.” Sometimes, a distinction for UV resistance can be made between common spar finishes (without UV inhibitors) and “marine” or “boat” finishes (with UV inhibitors). TotalBoat Gleam Marine Spar VarnishIt is arguably the best varnish for wood that you can shop for, … To demonstrate the difference between varnishes sold at marinas and those sold at home centers I made this panel and exposed the lower third to sunlight for 6 months. The sun will dull the finish, then begin breaking it down. • Nothing blocks UV rays better than pigments. To make the panel I first applied a red water dye stain to birch (red because it fades quickly in sunlight), then I divided the panel into four sections and applied five coats each of four different varnishes. Nearly all modern varnish contains a few basic components: oil, resin, and a solvent. Like Captain’s Varnish, Epifanes’ finish can be brushed on or sprayed. Paint, stain, exterior varnish, penetrating-oil finish? How can you eliminate brush marks when finishing. You can best use exterior paint on wood sidings, doors, windows, and trim. The valuable wood of yours needs to be protected and preserved so that it gives you service for a very long time. Most professionals agree that water-based varnish is the best product to use over paint. Eligible for Free Shipping. Best Seller Rust-Oleum Marine 1 qt. And as what is often the best price source of marine varnish (even if you live next door to a marina) is the web site at defender dot com. I have researched to find the best finish that has UV protection, mildewcide, is easily applied. Thanks for posting this. I’m preparing to build an outdoor furniture set, including chairs, tables, and other pieces. Vertical surfaces may hold paint for 10 years or more, but paint on horizontal surfaces may peel within five years. We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. © 2021 Meredith Corporation. Subscribe ». Finally, choose a top-quality marine-grade exterior spar varnish. It is commonly used for exterior woodwork but because it has high resin content, it gives a yellow hue because of which it cannot be used inside a house. Exterior finishes that don’t contain these UV absorbers still work well in shaded areas. It’s less work to keep up the finish than to replace it. The longest-lasting protection is exterior paint. Ultimately, the choice comes down to how much you’re willing to spend for the best-performing formulations, the importance you place on the wood looking as natural as possible, and how much maintenance you want to undertake. You won’t find this on your local hardware store shelves, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredible stuff. Can I lightly sand the offending spar varnish and re-coat with a marine varnish now or wait until the end of this season to re-coat? 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