Finish for Outdoor Projects – Recomme…
*
Okay, I decided to “experiment” with another varnish on the Western Red Cedar picnic table and benches mentioned in another thread (I finally found some time to refinish them).
Having heard some praise about McCloskey’s Man O’ War spar varnish, I thought I would try it. You do get what you pay for.
I used Zip Strip to remove the old varnish (Epifanes), sanded starting at 100 grit aluminum oxide down to 150 grit using my Speedmatic 1000 sander. I then used my smoothing planes and #80 cabinet scraper to prepare the surfaces.
The table is 2’6″ x 6′ and the benches are 13″ x 6′. If my memory serves me it took about a quart and a half of Epifanes Clear for six coats. So far I have applied 2 coats of McCloskey’s and have less than a half quart left. I am not a happy camper. The main reason for this is that McCloskey’s has hardly any build properties. It has about the same consistency as MinWax Wipe On Poly. I estimate that it will take at least 2 more quarts of it to complete (possibly 3) to get the equivalent type of finish, in terms of build, had I used Epifanes or Interlux.
The point is that while Epifanes and Interlux “costs” twice as much as McCloskey’s, it will take about twice as much the Man O’ War to complete the job. My suscpision is that it will not last near as long. I have decided to finish the project with the McCloskey to see how long it will last. I do admit that it is too early to pass “judgment” but, I know that I would never use McCloskey’s Man O’ War on a commissioned piece for outdoor use. FWIW.
Dano
Replies
*
Dano, I had the same experience with McCloskey's some years ago. It is not the product that you get from a real marine coating company. Woolsey, International Paint, and Epifanes are much better in my opinion. I tried it on the boom of a sailing dink and it did not hold up at all.
Some of their other products are pretty good.
*Howie,I have used a lot of different varnishes over the years but, never tried McCloskey's. I would never experiment on a commissioned piece and since it is my picnic table, figured what the hey.Before Interlux and Epifanes came along, I used Z-Spar which is a good quality marine varnish. I know a guy in Redding, CA, that uses nothing but Z-Spar's Captains spar for refinishing old woodies, he consistanly places amongst the top 3 at the Concourse d' Elegance at Lake Tahoe.My opinion is that the so called "exterior" varnishes that you get at the local box store or paint store is only good for interior finishes. I suspect that because most folks will use these products on exterior projects, they end up being totally turned off to a varnished finish. Too bad, because I believe it to be one of the best finishes for bringing out the natural beauty of the grain andi really adds depth when you apply at least six coats.Dano
*Dano, Z-Spar was/is a good varnish. Many marine varnishers swear by it. I'm a firm believer in using a minimal number of products and brands. It's best to get to know the product and how it behaves and what techniques work.Finally, the "big box" clear finishes are marketing ploys, not high performers in my experience.
*Howie,I agree totally. I may not be an expert on finishes but, I am an expert on the finishes thati I use. Like you I stick to just a few brands. This "McCloskey Experiment" was done as an exercise to share with others what I have personally experienced and as an illustration that when it comes to outdoor projects; one should look at what wooden boat builders use for woods, adhesives, and finishes.Dano
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled