Varnish or not to Varnish...

[azbison]

I'm reading that a varnish is the recommended way to finish several projects. I've been using spray deft for my finish. What advantages or disadvantages would I see in using varnish.

What type of varnish? Resin, Waterbased, other?

[Scroll'ng Dave]

That’s a good question Jim! And although I don’t have an answer, I would like to add another question. I know varnish has been around forever, and people do swear by it, but I’ve never used it. For my projects I mainly use Polyurethane (by Minwax) Clear Gloss or Clear Semi-Gloss... both in aerosol spray. On occasion I use it out of the can as well.

There must be some difference, but I’ve never used Varnish. What is it about Varnish that makes it withstand the test of time (no pun intended)? Does it have a better looking finish? I emphasize looking because all my work hangs on a wall and I don’t need to worry about harsh environments. It seems to me that Polyurethane, especially in aerosol is much less messy and easier to work with, no?

Dave

[SNAPPER]

Have any of you used Mixwax Polycrylic. It is ultra fast drying protective topcoat for oil/water based stains, paint, wallpaper. Little odor, non-flammable, soap and water clean up. I use it alot with great results. Spray or brush on.
Dean

[PeteB]

Azbison, I did a search on your posts to see what kind of work you do, and saw some (very nice!) chess pieces.

You might try dipping in Minwax fast-drying polyurethane varnish. It is solvent-based, which will minimize the need for sanding between coats, and is very durable for items that are meant to be handled. I use it myself for finishing end-grain knobs, after first dipping in sanding sealer followed by aniline dye diluted in alcohol. I have never tried it on raw wood and IIRC a primer coat such as SS is recommended.

If the above finish is not dressy enough, I would stick with lacquer in order to minimize lifting of the grain, and discoloration of end grain. Cellulose lacquer would give an old-world look but is not so durable, so I would try acrylic first.

[earlinjax]

I received the latest copy of Woodsmith today and it has an article about oil-based varnishes. Varnish is a reactive finish, ie. it dries by chemical reaction. Lacquer and shellac are evaporative finishes in that it dries by the evaporation of the solvent. There are different types of varnishes - alkyd, polyurathane and perhaps spar. Alkyd - very slow drying, warm color, moderately hard finish. Poly -faster drying, harder finish, not as warm. Spar - more oils, outdoor use, softer finish, slow drying, amber color.

Kind of boils down to what look you are after and how much durability you want when choosing a finish. I say make some samples and pick the one you like best.

Earl

[Wood Dog]

Thanks for that lesson earlinjax.......very interesting.

[tomsteve]

alkyd varnish does dry slow, and that allows the varnish to soak into the wood a bit. i like to use it over b.l.o. on figured wood. to me, it adds a completely different dimension and more depth than poly. the problem is it takes so long to dry, that it is impossible to not get dust in the finish, for me, anyways.

[HAMMER]

The finished product is the main concern in my works. Test pieces are always the best way to go as each piece of wood has different grains each finish will bring out. But you all talk mainly of sprays one thing to consider, the products you are discussing in some cases will kill brain cells in bunches especially in spray form...so be very careful that you are the only one in the area...children like to see what you are buliding....

[Bill Wilson]

I like oil based varnish for general wood working projects. It can be easily wiped on or brushed. Spraying is another option but presents several challenges.

Oil varnish imparts a nice amber color that makes darker woods like cherry & walnut glow. Oil varnish can be mixed with mineral spirits and boiled linseed oil (or tung oil) to make what is called a Danish oil, another type of finish that is popular. Varnish also is a relatively durable finish in most applications.

All that said, in my experience, it isn't necessarily the best finish for scroll projects. I find that dipping or spraying finishes works much better than brushing or wiping. Dipping finishes can be either a plain oil like boiled linseed or tung, or a Danish oil. They take a while to dry, but are absorbed into the wood as opposed to building a film finish.

My favorite finishing method is spraying. It is fast. Provides good, even coverage on items that are too big to dip and can be used for a variety of finishes. Lately I've been spraying shellac and I think that will become my go to finish for most of my scroll projects in the future. I've found shellac to be difficult to brush or wipe, especially in scrolled projects, but it sprays very easily and dries so fast. With a little practice, you can lay down a very nice finish and depending on what type of shellac you use (blonde, amber, garnet, etc.) you can use it in just about any application and be done in little time.

If you are having good results with spraying the laquer, then by all means keep doing what you are doing. Deft has a pretty strong odor and since my shop is in my basement, that is a problem for me. I actually like the smell of shellac and it doesn't seem to linger as long as an oil or laquer finish.

That's my story. Hope it helps. Good luck!