Varnish and it's protection

by Kevin Corban
(Burgess, VA, USA)

I have just put 10 coats of varnish on after sanding off all the old varnish.

It's one of the biggest jobs I have done on the boat.

Does anybody know of a product that will protect the varnish from the elements, eg. sun, sand, etc.??

I have read that you have to tend to the varnish after just a couple of months or all that work will flake off after just a couple of years.


Comments for Varnish and it's protection

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UV protection
by: Anonymous

Most good quality, modern, marine varnishes contain UV blockers.

This protection will eventually break down allowing the UV light to penetrate to the base layers.

So you need to renew the UV protection by regularly replacing the top coat.

How often this needs doing will depend on the amount of sun it is exposed to, generally once in the spring then again at the end of the season should be sufficient.



Tape
by: Kevin Corban

A friend of mine Scott Layton who works at Lyman Morse boat co. told me about a product called varnish armor that they are trying on their new boats.

He said he saw it on youtube.

Has anybody tried this stuff? Does it work?


Varnish
by: Capt. Chuck

From my experience it all depends on conditions.

20 coats of varnish, lacquer, epoxy, whatever is used and is exposed to the sun will deteriorate over time.

Some cover with canvas.

I have a cover over my stern that is varnished.

One thing for sure you will be doing some sanding one day, but if the first job is done well, then you can do light sanding and more coats to brighten up.

If it is too far gone it has to be stripped, big job.

I've seen a nice 42' Grand Banks all the teak was painted white?

It was a professional job and it looked good.

The whole boat was white.

If you're cruising south to the Bahamas and spend a lot of time down there might be a good thing to do.

I was wondering if a nice serious job of stripping and 20 coats varnish (sanding in-between every 3rd or 4th coat) if once done that could be painted white to protect from the harsh sun in the Caribbean.

Then that could be lightly sanded off one day to reveal the nice varnish job once back in the states?

Just a thought.

Good luck.

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