Varnishing Tips

Originally posted by Olly4088 I have just been out to check it and there are some ripples in it.

Does it look a bit like the texture of an orange? If so, it has probably dried too quickly. Another cause could be if the surface is on an angle and the varnish has slid down as it was setting. If it is the latter, you need to work from the lower edges and brush upwards checking for runs as you go.

If you are using a roller make sure that it is not dragging or if you are using a brush keep it loaded and don't try to brush it out too much.

Use a block and a rougher sandpaper to remove the the ripples, say about 400 grit.

Did you sand it till it was completely flat? Normally takes fookin ages!

Edited by Strawberry

Did you sand it all after you put on the first coat?

The best time to varnish is on a cool but windy day. If it is too hot then the varnish top surface set too quickly and the lower levels sometimes do not cure properly. You need the wind to keep the dust and flys down. So the best time of the year is early Autumn. Also remember to use a slightly tacky, not damp, wipe after each sanding. It's like everything else in life - the more effort you put in, the better the results!  

The downside to all of this is that I can not pass a wooden boat without caressing it and I can get seriously appreciative of a good varnish job. Glassfibre does not come even close! 

Originally posted by Olly4088 What about bare wood?? Does it have to be primed

When applying varnish to bare/new wood, use a mix of 50% varnish, 50% white spirit. This will soak into the wood and cause a lot of fibre ends to stand up. It looks very rough but when you sand it down gently with a block and paper you will get a much smoother finish for the subsequent layers of varnish. Apply up to 3 further thin layers, only gently brushing in the direction of the grain.