Varnish
Varnish is the most popular finish because it puts the beauty of the wood grain front and center, producing the highest gloss and greatest depth. It’s also the most durable finish, shielding wood from all the things it’s exposed to on a boat–grease, dirt, oil, water, salt, sun, and pollution.
There are so many beautiful finishes available, too–from rubbed effect and matte to super high gloss. Though products and formulas have changed over the years, there are two main categories of varnish: traditional spar varnish and modern, hard-finish varnishes.
Traditional varnishes, such as TotalBoat Gleam, are formulated to expand with the wood (think spars and brightwork) as it flexes with movement, or changes in temperature and humidity. Traditional spar varnish is applied in several coats, with sanding required between coats to form a mechanical bond for the next coat to grip onto.
In contrast, modern hard-finish varnishes are not as flexible, but they produce a hard coating that is better than spar varnish at resisting abrasion, chemicals, and UV light. There are modern one- and two-part formulas, with the two-part formulas offering the best UV and abrasion resistance.
The best news is that, until now, getting a super high-gloss brightwork finish took a week or so of applying multiple coats of varnish, and sanding between each coat–whether you used a spar or a polyurethane varnish. But with Gleam and TotalBoat Lust you can overcoat in as little as 1 hour, and apply up to five coats on the first day, let dry overnight, apply a final coat on the second day, and that’s it. No sanding between coats, either. It’s an easier, faster way to get a durable, super high-gloss finish with exceptional UV protection. We even offer TotalBoat Wood Sealer Varnish Primer for smooth base coats and maximum varnish adhesion.
Pros and Cons of Using Varnish
- Achieves the highest grain clarity and DOI (distinctness of image, or gloss)
- Restores wood’s natural beauty and color.
- Offers the best UV protection and has the greatest longevity.
- Excellent durability, with exceptional resistance to oils, dirt, and grease
- TotalBoat spar varnishes produces maximum shine in record time with 1 Hour overcoat and no sanding inbetween
- Great for interior and exterior hard and soft woods
- Greatest expenditure of money, time, materials, and effort
- Regular maintenance is necessary
- Certain products require sanding between coats and longer times to recoat
- Does not have great impact strength
- Commonly delaminates when dented
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