Varnish Bubbles

[Chasemmc]

Got a few spots near chrome hardware where finish has lifted. Rest of the rails look great. Is it possible to spot repair and blend in without redoing entire rail?

[Bob Bradley]

Not if you want it right.

[bobk]

Got a few spots near chrome hardware where finish has lifted. Rest of the rails look great. Is it possible to spot repair and blend in without redoing entire rail?



What varnish and how long has it been on? This may be water getting under the varnish at the hardware.

Bobk

[oceanjake]

You can spot repair, but your final coat will still require sanding and coating the whole rail

[boatwright]

if you varnished around but not under the hardware then there is a likelihood that water is getting under the finish where the varnish stops at the edge of the hardware and then migrating under the finish and lifting it. it can also indicate the fitting may be no longer water tight and letting water into the core? of the boat. also to pass along a tip told to me long ago i keep a small bottle like a ladies eyeliner with a small brush inside with the varnish i use.any time the vanish is nicked a quick swipe of the brush keeps water out till i can do a better fix

[SEVEN]

Only one way to do it. Do it right.

[tom5518]

Only one way to do it. Do it right.

So, is that with the lady's eyeliner brush or not?

[Chasemmc]

The PO did the varnishing. It just seems like a waste of resources (time & money) to strip 25' of rail for a 4" issue. Perhaps some day I'll have an abundance of both.

[SEVEN]

So, is that with the lady's eyeliner brush or not?

LOL. No light sand and recoat the whole thing. Just make sure the areas under the metal is sealed. If not this will happen again. It’s wort the extra effort. What varnish are you using?

[Chasemmc]

Not sure. The PO won't respond to emails anymore. So prep area down to wood where lifted. Re-varnish till build up the same, then give old finish some tooth by light sand, then top coat to blend old with new. Do I have that right?

[SEVEN]

Perfect. One thing I do to make it flow like glass is put the varnish in a plastic bowl and pop it in an old microwave for about 30 seconds to warm it up. There will be no bubbles and you can varnish like a pro. Just don’t over heat. Should be warm not hot. I also apply it with a foam brush but a good hogs hair brush will also work great. I like the foam because there is no clean up. Also if you use my heating method you do not need to thin the varnish. Hope this helps.

[Chasemmc]

Is there a specific varnish u would recommend?

[SEVEN]

Some of the best out there. Pricey but lasts.

[Walter P]

I have had great results with Bristol. It stinks like hell but for most jobs it's applied outside. I like foam
brushes but they only last about a minute or two before they start to get limp. At that point throw it
out and use another and keep repeating. Don't try for the extra minute as they will start to deteriorate
and mess up your job. A good brush works very well but you need to really clean them perfectly or
they will be trash. The Bristol really lasts as they claim but don't skimp on the number of coats.

Walt

[SKYCHENEY]

I tried Bristol and can't stand the stuff. I went back to varnish. And now, I coat over my varnish with Imron MS1 clear. Its expensive but it lasts.

[Walter P]

I'm curious Sky, What didn't you like about Bristol? Mixing 2 parts, smell, clean up etc....

Walt

[Geoff58y]

24579I use Awlspar for build coats and Awlbrite for finish coats with great results. Did this last weekend.
Also, for a tip-o-the-day, i tape all the deck hatches to keep all the sanding dust from getting into the scuppers when washing down between coats etc.

[SEVEN]

Like a piece of furniture. Outstanding.

[Walter P]

24579I use Awlspar for build coats and Awlbrite for finish coats with great results. Did this last weekend.
Also, for a tip-o-the-day, i tape all the deck hatches to keep all the sanding dust from getting into the scuppers when washing down between coats etc.

Looks fantastic...... how long will it last. I actually got nice finishes with regular varnish but it was a
PITA to maintain since it didn't last long before requiring recoating or worse....

Walt

[SKYCHENEY]

I'm curious Sky, What didn't you like about Bristol? Mixing 2 parts, smell, clean up etc....

Walt

I didn't last much longer than varnish and it was more difficult to work with. And much harder to strip once it started to fail.

At the time I was using it, I also put it on my interior parquet floors. I used their additive to get rid of some of the shine. Although they said it was used on commercial dance floors, I have scratches all over it.

All and all, it was okay, but I won't use it again.

[chris]

I tried Bristol and can't stand the stuff. I went back to varnish. And now, I coat over my varnish with Imron MS1 clear. Its expensive but it lasts.

Sky
What brand of varnish are you using Imron clear over.
I have been using Awlwood, wouldn't mind trying this.
Chris

[SKYCHENEY]

Epiphanes.

I build with that until I get it nice and smooth. Then I put two coats of Imron over it.

[chris]

Sky
Thanks
I'll test it over Awlwood
Chris

[Captcoop]

An old friend told me that you redo varnish before it needs to be redone.
He also removed the excess varnish from the brush in a separate container not back into the
full can.
Good Luck

[Boatsb]

The old coffee can with a wire across the top trick.

If you use 2 cans like breading chicken the bubbles don't get back to the first container until you finish.

[SEVEN]

Again, if you heat the varnish there will be no bubbles. Even when you drag the brush back into the can there are no bubbles. Try it you’ll like it.

[Boatsb]

Heat it?

I'm in florida.

[Geoff58y]

Looks fantastic...... how long will it last. I actually got nice finishes with regular varnish but it was a
PITA to maintain since it didn't last long before requiring recoating or worse....

Walt For me (on the West Coast) its proven to be much more durable than varnish. Weve done Mexican sun in the winter and the Calif delta (100-110deg many days) in the summers with hardly any change. Only reason we seem to re do is because of scratches or deep nicks that only I see! (Vs the Admiral, who says 'what scratches?' :))

[SEVEN]

For me (on the West Coast) its proven to be much more durable than varnish. Weve done Mexican sun in the winter and the Calif delta (100-110deg many days) in the summers with hardly any change. Only reason we seem to re do is because of scratches or deep nicks that only I see! (Vs the Admiral, who says 'what scratches?' :))

Where in California? I’m in the Delta. PM me I’d love to meet up with you. Not many of us here in Northern Cal.

[SEVEN]

Heat it?

I'm in florida.

I know it’s hot there but trust me you will love working with heated varnish.

[Boatsb]

I usually have issues with it not flowing. That's counter intuitive.

[SEVEN]

I usually have issues with it not flowing. That's counter intuitive.

With heat it goes on so smooth, self levels, no brush strokes, no bubbles etc

[jrbrein]

With heat it goes on so smooth, self levels, no brush strokes, no bubbles etc

Seven,

How are you heating your varnish?


Jon

[SEVEN]

I pour a few ounces of varnish into a plastic bowl and pop it in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or until it’s really warm to the touch. I repeat this every 5 minutes as the varnish cools. You will notice when you scrape the excess varnish from your brush it melts back into the rest of the varnish with no bubbles. No need for a second container to drag the excess off. No need to thin your varnish either. The way I did it fifty years ago before the invention of the microwave was to fill an old metal pot 1/2 full with water and place it on a portable electric burner and bring the water to a boil. I then placed a 1/2 filled quart of varnish in the pot and turned the burner to low. This way the varnish once warm stayed warm for the hole job. It becomes a double broiler per say. Microwave is just quicker but takes a number of re- heats to complete the job. Good luck. 🍀

[Tinman]

Back when i was doing varnish work we would mix Penetrol with oil based varnish and paints to flow and self level better.

[SEVEN]

Ah the memories. Now we can’t even buy that product in California. It did work well but took a little of the shine off the gloss.

[bobk]

Are microwave ovens ignition protected? Myself, I'd use Cetol. It outlasts regular varnish many fold.

Bobk

[Tinman]

Penetrol does tone down the gloss, gives more working time for laps on large areas. You can also use it by itself on interior wood and dries to a satin finish. Good stuff.

[SKYCHENEY]

My dock neighbor puts penetrol on his non-skid deck on his Viking