Paint, stain, exterior varnish, penetrating-oil finish? What finish should you use? You can approach varnishing a door as an afternoon project or as one worth two or more days of your time, and the difference is immediately noticeable. 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. Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. You need to apply five or more coats to build any level of UV protection. I am a little confused. You can best use exterior paint on wood sidings, doors, windows, and trim. Because its opaque pigments block the sun's UV rays, an exterior-grade oil- or water-based paint is the longest-lasting and most-protective finish you can apply. Patrick. But a beautiful wood door with a clear finish will attract many more admiring glances, as long as you maintain it with devotion. Then apply multiple coats of a good quality varnish. Spar urethane is actually a spar varnish that uses plastic urethane as its resin. Nearly all modern varnish contains a few basic components: oil, resin, and a solvent. 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. What's the best option? But now many different and effective formulations have made it to store shelves. This formulation enables it to render an impre… Exterior Paint Rust-Oleum Perma-White Exterior Paint. After applying the final coat, let dry for two days. All Rights Reserved. Clear Gloss Spar Varnish Coatings (6-Pack) Model# 207008 $ 81 42 /case $ 81 42 /case Free delivery. 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). Exterior finishes that don’t contain these UV absorbers still work well in shaded areas. This is the finish favored by boat builders so you know it’s going to last a long time. How can you eliminate brush marks when finishing. 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. However, this does not impact our recommendations. The Components. Be careful. What’s the best route?—Kevin Tundro, Humboldt, Tenn. Before we get into the specifics of each type of product, Kevin, keep in mind a few general principles that govern the performance of outdoor finishes:  Epifanes Spar Varnish. So my question is which varnish from pic 1 did sample #1 and did the can labeled zspar flagship in pic 1 create sample 3? I mainly looked at three products, Waterlox Marine Finish, Sikkens Cetol and Watco Exterior Wood Finish. The sun will dull the finish, then begin breaking it down. It’s less work to keep up the finish than to replace it. Subscribe ». When applying varnish over raw wood, use 220-grit sandpaper. To find exterior clear finishes that contain an adequate amount of the UV-resistant additives, you usually have to go to a marina in a coastal area, or find one of these marinas online and purchase by mail order. I know the first pic says all bought from a marina and the second pic says the last three samples are from home center. All finishes marketed for exterior surfaces aren’t the same, no matter the claims of manufacturers. You don’t necessarily need to strip the finish all the way to the wood. 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). Finally, choose a top-quality marine-grade exterior spar varnish. Expert wood-finisher Peter Gedrys offers advice for maintaining and refreshing aging spar varnish on an exterior wood door. Varnish can be used to protect, preserve, and enhance paint. If … Minwax Helmsman Indoor/Outdoor Spar Urethane – Best Overall Polyurethane for Exterior Wood Doors. Eligible for Free Shipping. The distinction in exterior clear finishes is whether they contain UV-resistant additives, called “UV inhibitors” or “UV absorbers.” And whether they contain enough of these additives to be effective. Step 5 Refresh as necessary with additional varnish coats. You can see that the varnish from the marina was fairly effective at blocking UV light. (Use marine-grade spar varnish for an exterior door; ordinary polyurethane will yellow and crack quickly when exposed to sunlight and damp.) Some products labeled “outdoor stain” are essentially thinned paint and perform nearly as well as  heavy-bodied paint. 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? 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. Exterior finishes that contain these additives are much more expensive than those that don’t, but they are the only ones that hold up in sunlight. • Once damaged, wood fibers separate from the underlying wood, taking the finish with them. Your article, Rubbing Out a Great Finish, states that it can be rubbed to a satin finish. Scrollsaw, Carving, and Decorative Projects. Set your ... Clear Satin 275 VOC Oil-Based Exterior Spar Urethane (2-Pack) Model# 242182 $ 103 96 /case It was designed by boat finishers for boats and us land lovers can benefit from their hard work by using a product that can handle the toughest elements. I’m torn between applying a film-forming finish, such as paint, opaque stain, or exterior varnish, or a penetrating-oil finish. Hi, Vertical surfaces may hold paint for 10 years or more, but paint on horizontal surfaces may peel within five years. 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. Our Spar Varnishes are free-flowing and self-leveling and resist peeling, chipping and cracking. I didn’t want to have to deal with rain. So a spar varnish needs to be one that can withstand the rigorous conditions of seafaring life. 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. I’m torn between applying a film-forming finish, such as paint, opaque stain, or exterior varnish, or a penetrating-oil finish. Sand and reapply every five to six years. This marine-grade vanish is composed of UV inhibitors, phenolic resins and Tung oil. Polyurethane can be applied with a traditional bristled brush or a foam brush. In my opinion spar varnish will give you the best clear coat protection against water. Step 1 In fact, my sample was done inside a west-facing window for six months. EMAIL REQUEST FOR SAFETY INFORMATION 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. 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. TotalBoat Gleam Marine Spar VarnishIt is arguably the best varnish for wood that you can shop for, … This is the procedure most wooden boat owners use. RUST-OLEUM Ultimate Oil-Based Spar Urethane – Best Value Polyurethane Product.. Spar Varnish – Simple Woodworking Projects, Use A Doweling Jig as A Center-finding Gauge. This happens on the surface first, of course, so the easiest procedure to follow is to sand through the damage, then apply another coat or two of the finish. The first varnish coat should be a sealer made by diluting the varnish 1:1 with solvent, normally mineral spirits or turpentine. Like Captain’s Varnish, Epifanes’ finish can be brushed on or sprayed. 1. One hardware store varnish has surprisingly held its own over the long haul: Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane. 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. Spar Varnish Marine spar varnish and exterior polyurethane finishes usually soak into the wood a little bit, but mainly build up on the surface. And the name “spar varnish” comes from the boating world, where the long wooden poles that support the sails are know as spars. The reason we... 2. Well presented. For a natural look, penetrating-oil finishes might be your best bet. • Nothing blocks UV rays better than pigments. That protection might be short-lived, though, so be prepared to remove the finish every year or two, then reapply. For refinishing, start with 80-grit sandpaper to remove old, flaking varnish. So-called “spar” or “marine” varnishes allow you to see the wood grain but come with distinct disadvantages. • Two inevitable ravages of nature—water and the UV rays in sunshine—damage wood and the finish protecting it. The sample board has something called zspar and another called flagship. Popular brands of wooden boat varnishes bought at a marina. 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. Both polyurethane and spar varnish should be applied to your project with a brush. Epifanes Clear Varnish – A Great Bargain. What’s the best route? As such, spar urethane is a blend of spar varnish that features urethane plastic as the main resin. Prior to applying new finish, scrub the surface with a cleaner containing an oxidizing agent such as bleach. 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. 8 Best Exterior Polyurethane- Reviews & Buyer’s Guide 1. Steps to Applying Varnish on Doors. I’m preparing to build an outdoor furniture set, including chairs, tables, and other pieces. The best protection for an exterior door is opaque paint all clear finishes will need constant maintenance. As luck would have it, I just finished two garden benches using a well known gloss spar varnish applying the recommended three coats. Best Seller Rust-Oleum Marine 1 qt. Finished or bare, the best wood for outdoor projects is the heartwood from a species that naturally withstands decay. • Film finishes, especially better-quality ones that flex after curing, best protect wood from moisture. Bob Flexner is the author of "Flexner on Finishing," "Wood Finishing 101," and "Understanding Wood Finishing. You won’t find this on your local hardware store shelves, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredible stuff. Give the sealer coat a light sanding, and then apply a minimum of three more coats of varnish with a light sanding between each. Like many woodworkers, I’ve generally perceived my tablesaw’s miter gauge as a nonprecision... read more. It seals off the wood from the sun’s UV rays. With all the modern advances in coatings -- polyurethane, shellac, urethane, or varnish -- some confusion about formula is to be expected. See on Amazon. Plus, it comes in eye-catching colors to improve your home's curb appeal. Spar urethane should be applied using a bristled brush because of its thicker consistency. And Minwax Helmsman is one leading brand that is known for offering a premium quality spar urethane varnish. Combined with a properl… Most professionals agree that water-based varnish is the best product to use over paint. But the middle two varnishes were hardly better than the indoor varnish, despite claims to the contrary from the manufacturers. Both products contain a unique blend of resins and ultra violet screening agents specifically formulated for exterior use providing the best possible protection from the harsh sun and salt spray of the sea. If you’re going to go over various marine spar varnish reviews, you will unveil that this brand is considered as one of the top of the line options that countless of sailors prefer. McCloskey Man-O-War marine spar varnish is way better than any polyurethane. Spar varnish has long been the clear finish of choice for exterior wood because of its elastic toughness and ability to stand up to the sun. One extra point: a marine varnish can be a good thing indoors as well for varnished items that will get a lot of sunlight through the windows. For more related content, subscribe to our newsletter! Thanks Paint Photo by Andrea Rugg/Collinstock. 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. An epoxy sealer with exterior varnish topcoats is the most durable, but also the most labor-intensive finish you can apply to outdoor furniture. The longest-lasting protection is exterior paint. They shed water for a year or so before requiring reapplication. Epoxy with Exterior Varnish. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality. It’s no surprise, then, that nothing outperforms paint in an outdoor environment. When it is about wood objects for exterior use, spar varnish does the best job. Apply 2 coats of spar varnish and not have to worry about your door for a while. Its low toxicity, however, means that it’s equally safe to use near the entryway on exterior doors and trim. Sand the door in the direction of the grain. UV is almost as bad indoors as out since window glass typically doesn’t filter out UV to any major extent. Remember to be patient: It takes several days to properly finish an exterior door … The valuable wood of yours needs to be protected and preserved so that it gives you service for a very long time. This is a very high-gloss marine varnish that is suitable … 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. ", 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! Thanks for posting this. Mirror Finish. • When film finishes fail, they require more maintenance than penetrating-oil finishes. 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. The varnish and paint on the bottom third of the door is crackling. 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. It is the most frequently used compound for exterior woodwork. I have researched to find the best finish that has UV protection, mildewcide, is easily applied. I recommend applying at least two coats of Epifanes on top of the Captain’s, sanding with at least 320 grit between coats. Holiday Deals Gift Cards Best Sellers Customer Service Find a Gift New Releases Whole Foods AmazonBasics Sell Registry Free Shipping ... 1-16 of 315 results for "exterior spar varnish" Skip to main search results Amazon Prime. At the left, a UV-resistant varnish sold at marinas; in the middle, two common spar varnishes with claims to UV resistance sold at home centers; and, at the right, an indoor varnish with no claim to UV resistance. 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