Replies

1. 
   Howard_Acheson | Nov 07, 1999 10:57pm | #1

   *
   No finish will make a wood harder. To make the finish as durable as possible you should match the finish to the wood. Soft woods will easily dent and require a finish that will be flexible so as not to crack when it dents. Long oil varnishes such as "spar" varnishes are designed to be flexible and to stand up under soft woods. Hard woods can be finished with short oil varnishes that are much harder and can be hand worked to a higher gloss.

   Second, I would not use a hard poly as it is very difficult to repair without stripping it completely. I certainly would not put it over an undercoat of plain varnish as poly does not have a high adherence tendency. It is best applied over itself after carefull sanding between coats.

1. 
   Fred_Bender | Nov 08, 1999 02:09pm | #2

   *Howard,Thanks so much for your help on Varnish applications. I have only limited working knowlege on varnish (those found in Marine Stores). Would you mind commenting on some of the long and short oil varnish brands, and possible purchase locations? Thanks Again.

1. 
   CStanford_ | Dec 17, 1999 07:04am | #4

   *Poly is not flexible enough (probably). Spar varnishes are 'softer' so that they can flex with the wood that is expanding and contracting more due to exposure to the elements. Ten coats is too many. The brightwork should have been stripped bare and finished with three coats of a good spar varnish.... perhaps four coats.

1. 
   Fred_Bender | Nov 08, 1999 02:09pm | #3

   *Howard,Thanks so much for your help on Varnish applications. I have only limited working knowlege on varnish (those found in Marine Stores). Would you mind commenting on some of the long and short oil varnish brands, and possible purchase locations? Thanks Again.

1. 
   Jim_Heltman | Nov 17, 2000 09:25pm | #5

   *Can you suggest a finish for redwood trim to be installed in an exterior location? Should the finist be applied to all surfaces prior to final assembly? I want the color and character of the wood to show, so a transparent finish is desired.

2. 
   James_Whitcomb | Dec 16, 2000 04:02pm | #6

   *I finished a redwood arbour about 5 years ago. The parts were sealed completely before they were assembled. This is a tough demand as most carpenters want to build first and finish second. I feel it is really important to coat 6 sides. I used the Sikkens Cetol system and it still looks good. Don't know if it is availible in your area. These finishes are called clears but have iron oxide pigments which give have an amber quality and keep the UV rays from destroying the wood fiber. They are still relatively clear. These Sikkens Cetol clear products are the only clears I have had sucess with for an exterior application. They are idiosyncratic to apply but come with specific application instruction which must be rigorously followed.