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Now that the weather has finally warmed up here in Wisconsin I am getting ready to put varnish on the two Wood Ducks I built last summer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayaks_maiden_voyage/
I hung some plastic in the garage to create a makeshift paint shop and am preping the hull. How smooth does the hull have to be sanded before I put on the varnish? I have a lot of tiny specks in the epoxy - dust I think. Do these all have to be sanded out?
The varnish instructions say cut it 50% for the first coat, 25% the second, then 15%, then 10%, etc for 6 coats. Is that really necessary?
Any tips on how to put on the varnish would be appreciated,
Thanks!
2 replies:
RE: Getting ready to varnish
» Submitted by hspira - Wed, 5/28/14 » 8:51 AM
on the sanding/smoothness.
the varnish is not so thick that it will hide a rough surface. your surface epoxy should be sanded flat and finished with approximately 180/200 grit paper.
you should then ensure the hull is clean and dust removed. water is fine for this. any pin-holes with dust can be cleaned out with water....then let dry thoroughly.
on the varnish....i have gotten great finishes without thinning. and my personal preference is to collect less vs more chemical around the house. a little bit of sanding between each coat to deal with runs/drops and paying attention to temperature (i usually worked early in the morning) can give you reasonable working times.
take a look at the clc site for finishing tips for pictures and more details... http://www.clcboats.com/shoptips/finishing-tips/
a little bit of patience in the varnishing process will go a long way to getting a great finish. you are almost there