Re: Bottom.. Paint or var

Posted by LeeG on Dec 14, 2004

neither is as hard as the epoxy,,paint or varnish will scrape off. In order to have durable finishes it takes more work and two part paints/varnishes. I have heard good things about Systems 3 clear coat 'varnish'. Varnish is easier to put on and hide marginal application or inadequate sanding of the epoyx. One part polyurethane varnish dries quicker between coats and is slightly harder than regular varnish. Dark colored paints will really show up scratches, light less so. If you put varnish on you've got the option of painting years down the line, if you put paint on you'll spend a lot more work taking it off to varnish.

If you want a durable surface coating then the cheapest most durable option is a thicker epoxy fill coat under the varnish and let the UV protection abrade away with re-coating every few years. If you plan on painting the cheapeast durable option is a thick fill coat tinted a similar color as the paint. You'll probably be able to put down one less paint coat for coverage and have a thicker fill coat for scratch resistance. The problem is thinking of the paint/varnish as providing physical protection for the epoxy/glass,,all it's doing is keeping out the sun.

In Response to: Bottom.. Paint or varnish by Rob Johnston on Dec 14, 2004

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