Can You Put Spar Varnish Over Paint

A Improve Way to Apply Spar Urethane?

Article - February 13, 2007

This article was inspired past a question from Jeff. He writes:

"I am using Helmsman Spar Urethane to refinish the front door of our house. It's a one piece flat door — no recessed panels. I am applying it with a quality brush but I notwithstanding become brush marks and hi-low points, also tried a sponge brush with aforementioned results. I know it's barely noticeable but I admittedly abhor brush marks. Subsequently 4 coats, I have managed to sand it down fairly flat. Is information technology possible to sparse Helmsman and spray information technology with an HVLP gun? There is a Helmsman spray tin can available merely I have so much Urethane left over. To thin or not to thin?"

The Power of Dilution

Polyurethane, whether it's an outdoor or indoor formula, takes a piffling finesse to apply without bubbles or brush strokes. You need to employ the right brush and it takes a piffling practise to get the technique correct. Sponge brushes are certainly another option, simply the results are non ever a meaning improvement. Virtually of the trouble comes from the fact that the urethane solution is so thick. It can be similar trying to lay downward an even glaze of corn syrup. Then one way to significantly better the workability of your urethane is to thin it with mineral spirits. Thinning by nigh 10-20% volition make brushing significantly easier. And thinning even further would allow you lot to spray via HVLP, but that'south definitely not my favorite way to apply an oil-based varnish. Thinning allows the finish to cocky-level a niggling better, and ultimately that will help you avoid castor marks. The only disadvantage is yous demand to apply more coats to get the desired film thickness you are after. Simply if the payoff is a smooth cease with no brush strokes, who cares, right?

The Wiping Method

At present there is withal another style to apply polyurethane that I feel is the easiest, beginner-friendly method. And frankly, information technology's the method I still utilise. It involves abandoning brushes all together. Here's what you do. Thin the varnish 50% with mineral spirits, pigment thinner, or naptha. Then go yourself a clean cotton wool rag (old t-shirt cloth works smashing), and fold it into a nice foursquare applicator pad. I like it to be palm-sized. Wet the applicator with your thinner and then dip it into your diluted cease. Wipe on polish thin coats, overlapping the previous stroke with each pass by virtually half. This method volition result in a super smooth finish with no bubbles and no brush strokes. Simply retrieve, you lot will need to apply twice equally many coats to go to your desired movie thickness. Because you lot are actually applying less material to the surface, the dry time is significantly decreased also. So in some climates (hot and dry), you lot'll be able to apply as many as three coats per twenty-four hour period. But remember that when y'all use a wipe-on urethane, you aren't trying to flooding on a existent thick layer. You are but coating the surface evenly with a thin moisture film.

If you want to learn more well-nigh my particular finishing method, you should cheque out my video A Simple Varnish Terminate. My goal with the video was to demystify finishing by going over each and every pace of the wiping varnish process. Fifty-fifty someone new to the world of finishing tin can create a show-stopping end if they follow the methods outlined in the video. Then cheque it out! And for those that are wondering what my preferred outdoor varnish is, its Epifanes Marine Varnish.

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