How to varnish boat trim

Fiddles are small pieces of wood usually. Filing the blade develops a tiny burr on the back side that actually does the scraping.

Since you are likely to have some powdered detergent around always try this method before going on to more drastic measures.

How to varnish boat trim. Uncut varnish will bridge wood pores leaving space for moisture. Thin the first coat 50 by volume12 ounce of thinner to every ounce of varnish. Thin the second coat 25 percent the third 10 percent.

Wipe off surface oil with a rag dipped in thinners. Just before varnishing wipe teak down with an acetone-saturated rag to remove surface oil. Scrape away the damaged varnish using a light touch on a razor-sharp scraperyou want to remove the bad varnish without damaging the underlying wood.

Then sand the area with 220-grit sandpaper wipe away all dust use a rag with the thinner recommended by the varnish manufacturer although denatured alcohol works too and apply at least one spot-coat of varnish to seal the wood. Varnish does not need to be stirred or mixed except when adding thinner. Strain varnish through a disposable sieve.

Avoid bubbles produced by jabbing or squeezing the brush and gently stir in thinner with a clean wooden stick. Do not load your brush directly from the can but use a dedicated vessel. Wet varnish is a dust magnet.

The slightest breeze will exacerbate the problem. Try to apply a coat a day. The molecular chains link up between uncured coats.

If you leave it two weeks the varnish cures fully and a new chain has to start. Cut the dust nibs with 320-grit and tack rag between coats. Use a flat file and use it often.

Filing the blade develops a tiny burr on the back side that actually does the scraping. This burr dulls quickly so every few minutes the expert refinisher will run his file along the back of the scraper blade to remove the old burr then file on the beveled side to work up a. Building up a finish.

If you really want to build up the finish quickly you can try to double-coat a standard varnish after you have passed the primer coat stage and reached the full strength point by applying a coat in the morning and then applying a second coat later in the day without sanding in between. Definitely agree with John. Ive scraped a heap of varnish off and I find a heat gun electric and a very fine sharp scraper is the way to go.

You run the heat gun just ahead of the scraper and push the scraper blade under the paint to lift it. Use leather gloves to avoid burning the hand holding the scraper. The slop varnish can be applied by a rag if needed to prevent air from getting under the varnish coating and interacting with the color of the wood.

Cracks can be filled up with slop varnish in a very short time until the surface is level and then a few coats can be put. Dont use urethane on wooden boats as it is very rigid not stretchy like spar varnish. Allow fresh stain to dry for 3 4 days before your first varnish or sealer coat.

You can either seal with Pettit 2018 clear sealer a naptha-based product or with varnish thinned 50 with Epifanes thinner. If you are using a water-based or acrylic-based varnish thin it with water instead. Use one part varnish to one part water.

Apply the first coat of thinned varnish and let it dry. Use a flat paintbrush or foam applicator to apply the varnish to the wood. Varnishing Interior Trim If you do decide to varnish give the wood a final sanding with fresh 240-grit paper or whatever is specified on the varnish can for an extra measure of satisfaction and smoothness.

Then give the wood at least three coats of varnish. Varnish is for people who love boats cetol is for people who love sailing It should be noted that I owe much of my familiarity with boat maintenance to Don Caseys classic book This Old Boat. This is a broadly respected definitive text that has brought many novice boaters into the world of proper boat.

Heres the basics to varnishing wood on a boat. Remove old varnish by sanding rinse down your boat and tape off your area. Use a badger-hair brush when varnishing.

Apply a thin first coat and keep a wet edge. Keep your strokes long and light brushing from dry back to the wet edge. Sand in between coatsbe sure that the varnish is dry and cured before sanding.

Simply wipe down with a solvent acetone lacquer thinner or the recommended varnish thinner and then lightly scuff with the maroon pad and youre ready to varnish. Do a spot test first to be sure no contaminants remain that might lift the varnish or consider using a clear finish such as Bristol Finish MDR Amazon Teak Luster or others that claim to overcoat oiled surfaces without additional surface. Refinishing Wood - Teak or Varnish While Im not familiar with Grady Whites my guess is that the wood trim is teak.

This would be the most common wood used for exterior marine trim. Its hard to tell since the finish seems heavy in the pics. A few small bare spots show a patina that resembles teak in its natural marine state if you will.

The key to maintaining the brightworks varnish is to recoat it with varnish before the current coat fails. This means developing a varnishing cycle every six months or depending on the conditions possibly every quarter. However varnishing is typically not the big task sanding and preparing bad or damaged surfaces is the painstaking aspect.

With the galley trim looking so spiffy the fiddle on the dinette sure did look sorry. As long as the brush was out I added another coat of varnish to the dinette fiddles. Fiddles are small pieces of wood usually.

They hold items in place when the boat rocks. Varnishing of course is done in layers. In between coats of varnish the teak needs to be sanded and then gone over with a tack rag to remove dust and grit.

Three four five six coats of varnish are typically usedit all depends on how hard the boater wants to work and on how rich and glossy the finish is expected to be. Since you are likely to have some powdered detergent around always try this method before going on to more drastic measures. Simply wet down an area with water clean with the detergent solution rinse with fresh water and let it dry.

If the wood comes out a nice even light tan youre in luck.