13 Ideas for a Higher Oil-Primarily based Varnish End

For a number of thousand years flax has been grown in order that its supple fibers will be woven into linen fabric and its bitter seeds pressed right into a slow-drying oil—linseed oil—that has proved excellent for mixing with “earth colours.” That is conventional oil-based paint: simply oil and pigment. Afterward some alchemists started mixing in ground-up resins (dried tree sap) like amber, frankincense, and copal to fortify the linseed oil and create the film-forming coatings we name varnish. Formulation have been created for ending the whole lot from crusing ships to violins. Within the late 1800s the coal and oil industries produced new chemical substances that gave start to artificial resins akin to aliphatic, phenolic, and ultimately urethane. For the final 100 years or so, oil-based varnish has been a regular coating for many furnishings and woodwork. Fashionable oil-based polyurethanes are a mix of a number of totally different resins combined with the identical pressed flax seed, or linseed, oil.

I’ve gathered ideas from associates and colleagues within the conservation and restoration trades and from my very own expertise that will help you get the perfect outcomes with this easy-to-use and versatile varnish.

Mike Mascelli teaches ending and fabric everywhere in the United States.

The correct brush makes a distinction

Oil-based varnish is greatest utilized with a top-quality natural-bristle brush with flagged ideas (bristles which are cut up on the tip). Alternatively, you need to use inexpensive chip brushes, which even have pure bristles and flagged ends however will not be as uniformly made and don’t maintain as a lot varnish. Varnish is sluggish drying, and as soon as utilized it may be tipped off utilizing gentle stress with the very finish of the comb in lengthy strokes alongside the grain. This can even out the comb marks and guarantee even protection.

Good floor prep is important

Conventional steering is to sand to 220 grit earlier than making use of varnish. This recommendation relies on the truth that most oil-based varnishes will fill in 220-grit scratches. That’s much less true of many of the waterborne varnishes, which construct a thinner movie with every software. For those who sand to 220 grit with a random-orbit sander, it’s nearly unimaginable to eliminate the little swirly circles, particularly within the more durable, much less porous woods like maple and cherry. It could appear counterintuitive, however the best way to excellent prep is taking a step again in grit.

Sneak preview

Alcohol reveals all. Nice finishes begin with cautious collection of the wooden and cautious preparation of the surfaces to be completed. A straightforward option to preview your end is to wipe the naked wooden floor with a fabric dampened with denatured alcohol. This can present any sanding scratches, will reveal blotching—particularly on cherry and birch—and can give a way of how a lot darker the top grain will probably be than the flatsawn surfaces. Alcohol evaporates rapidly and won’t elevate the grain.

Satin, gloss, or each

For a high-use space like a tabletop, it’s best to construct a number of layers of end for optimum safety. If the purpose is a satin or semigloss look, one choice is to construct coats with a gloss varnish akin to Minwax Oil Primarily based Poly after which use a Minwax satin or semigloss for less than the final coat. This can get you each the readability and the sheen that you simply like.

Rethink utilizing spar

Spar varnish was initially formulated for the masts and spars of crusing ships and due to this fact needed to be elastic sufficient to endure the enlargement and contraction of the wooden elements. This elasticity was achieved through the use of significantly extra linseed oil, and maybe different oils, to make a long-oil varnish.

Spar varnish works effectively for exterior doorways, because it usually has some UV blockers added. Nonetheless, the favored home-brew oil-based wiping varnish recipe is so as to add much more boiled linseed oil to spar varnish, which makes for a really slow-drying, very tender, and really skinny movie end. It’s easy to use and wipe off, and it provides a tender glow, however it doesn’t provide practically as a lot safety as a good-quality inside varnish.

Work with gravity

When ending a fancy mission like a desk, it is very important plan and rehearse the steps you’ll use for every space. Each oil-based varnish and wiping varnish are likely to run or sag on vertical surfaces. Each time potential, orient the piece in order that the floor you’re coating is horizontal, even when meaning flipping the piece round a number of instances and letting every part dry. Usually, legs and aprons don’t want as a lot movie end as tabletops and might usually be performed first, leaving the most-seen and most-used elements to be performed final.

Between coats

Oil-based varnish dries slowly, and it’s troublesome to maintain mud off throughout that point, so it helps to flippantly sand between coats. Right here are some things to remember.

Ending the end

Typically within the ending course of there tends to be little or no end movie on the sides, and it’s straightforward to easily rub proper by way of to the naked wooden. You should utilize tape to guard the sides. When rubbing out a movie end on one thing like a tabletop, it’s a good observe to position some blue masking tape in order that it covers the final 1/8 in. of the sting of a floor. When the remainder of the highest is rubbed out, pull the tape and gently run a little bit of 0000 metal wool on the sting to harmonize the gloss.

Wax will get the ultimate phrase

Fill and shine with wax. It’s potential to construct layers with gloss varnish after which gently abrade or rub the cured movie with a advantageous abrasive (320 or 400 grit) to decrease the sheen. Including some paste wax will fill in among the scratches and truly elevate the sheen.

Brush care

With correct cleanup and care, good brushes can final a lifetime. I nonetheless frequently use my father’s brushes from the Fifties. My brush cleanup is a two-step course of with mineral spirits and lacquer thinner. I exploit the identical course of on my father’s brushes as I do on the chip brushes I like to recommend my college students begin with in order that they aren’t spending $75 to $100 on a brush instantly. Put on rubber gloves, work in a well-ventilated space, and clear brushes proper after utilizing them. Pour sufficient mineral spirits to cowl the bristles in a container. Dunk and press the comb within the mineral spirits to get out as a lot end as you possibly can. Then wipe off any extra mineral spirits. Give the comb a last dip in lacquer thinner to get it squeaky clear, then brush out the lacquer thinner onto an absorbent floor or a rag.

ditch soiled rags

An essential however usually missed observe is easy methods to fastidiously deal with and eliminate any rags, particularly paper towels, used with linseed-oil merchandise. As oil-based merchandise are drying, they offer off warmth and might spontaneously combust. By no means throw oily rags right into a pile, as that concentrates and will increase the warmth. The layers will dry at totally different charges, making a scenario the place the rags can robotically ignite. As an alternative, dry the rags individually or use water for security. Small rags will be dunked quickly right into a safe metallic can stuffed with water and coated with a lid. Ideally, all rags must be set aside exterior to completely dry for a number of days, at which level they are often positioned within the trash.

Oxygen and contaminants are the enemies

It’s uncommon that you simply’ll undergo a complete container of end in a single session. As soon as the container is open, there are a couple of steps you possibly can take to increase the lifetime of the unused end. The most important hurdle you’ll face is that once you pour out end to use it, you create empty area within the can. To protect the remaining varnish, you need to battle the oxygen that causes it to dry. There are a couple of methods to try this and hold the end freed from contaminants.

Be secure on the market

All commercially bought finishes are required to put up security data in an MSDS (materials security knowledge sheet), which will be discovered with a easy Google seek for every product. Most finishes, even waterborne and environmentally pleasant merchandise, include solvents that shouldn’t be inhaled or allowed to seep into your pores and skin. Good airflow, disposable gloves, and a good cartridge-type respirator must be a part of all ending jobs. v

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