Advice from the Pro's please...

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BigJim

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
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One year ago I restored a garden love seat. The cast Iron ones you see at Home Depot.
This one was somewhat older and has some cool flowers cast into the metal.

Anyway I took the thing apart and did my own Electrolysis on the metal and replaced the wood with White Oak. ($$$$$$$$$)

I planned it and routed it and was happy so I went to Home Depot to purchase some "Marine Grade Varnish."

The chair sits in the garden year round and if we Californians do a proper rain dance we may get some sprinkles.

I forget the brand but I did follow the directions on the can to the letter. I put four coats on the wood.

One year later and the wood is all black. (Mold, Mildew?)

Anyway now that it is cooler I plan to do it all over again. This time I want to purchase a better quality clear varnish and am asking all the Mates on here for their advise. (Do Captains work?)

What brand of varnish can I rely on to last more than one year?

Thanks,

--- Still looking for a M/V that has 6'10" headroom.
 
--- Still looking for a M/V that has 6'10" headroom.[/QUOTE]

Try a Kadey Krogen 44 or a Krogen Express 52.

I am 6'8" and had room over my head in much of those boats.

If you don't want to spent around a million dollars, try any trawler with a galley down open to the salon, you may get fulling standing in the galley which helps a lot!

JohnP
 
Believe it or not I've had great results with Zip Guard original exterior (has the U/V blocker) Make sure, your oak is clean and dry, thin the first coat to near water with regular mineral spirits, second coat half as much thinner, third and all further coats half the thinner again, never go full strength. Is your bench in constant shade by any chance ? Sounds like it might be some sort of black mold. (just a guess) I can only stand starting one "anchor", "galley up or down" type peeing contest at a time. My experience and advice worth just what it cost you. Best, Bill
 
Sadly, oak does go black if it gets moisture on it. I would suggest some type of Varathane, exterior with UV protection. Laid on thick. Varnish needs at least 6 coats if you want it to last.

I'm not a professional...
 
Thanks,

The bench is in half sun, extreme sun and Winter rain. I applied all coats per the manufacturers directions, and HD rated it "Marine Grade." I am willing to spend $30+ on a quart to make this correct. I just need the correct product.

boatdriver47 said:
Believe it or not I've had great results with Zip Guard original exterior (has the U/V blocker) Make sure, your oak is clean and dry, thin the first coat to near water with regular mineral spirits, second coat half as much thinner, third and all further coats half the thinner again, never go full strength. Is your bench in constant shade by any chance ? Sounds like it might be some sort of black mold. (just a guess) I can only stand starting one "anchor", "galley up or down" type peeing contest at a time. My experience and advice worth just what it cost you. Best, Bill
Click to expand...
 
No varnish will last a year in the sun without recoating. Here in Florida I figure it will need a coat or two every six to eight months. If you sand and add a coat or two twice a year you should be able to avoid having to strip it down to bare wood and starting over. More base coats will help as well.

I went through the same thing with a bench like you describe. I eventually painted the wood.

FF is correct about using a different wood.
 
White oak will last just fine with an adequate finish. The "varnish" products sold at Home Depot are pretty uniformly junk. I would suggest using an actual marine varnish. In my experience Epifanes products are as good as they come. All the high end boat builders in this area use Epifanes varnishes. If you want a gloss finish you can use either Epifanes gloss or Epifanes two-part gloss polyurethane. The latter gives a much harder finish that should last for several years. Note that sun, not moisture, is what generally kills varnish.

Second, you didn't put on an adequate film thickness. A good finish generally requires at least 6 and more often 8 coats. Start on bare wood with a coat of varnish thinned 50%, then a coat thinned 25% then unthinned coats. Sand between coats. Keep applying coats until the varnish sands flat without any wood breaking through. Then apply your final coat (or two). No matter what coating you use you really should figure on doing at least two maintenance coats each year. Where you are, you might need to recoat twice a year to keep the finish in good shape.
 
Have you coated all sides including the ends with every coat. Maybe a polyurethane or 2 part finish would give better results. I use Bristol finish, and have had great results in the Florida sun.
 
Ditto Moonstruch coating all sides and ends is important. Not using dry wood may be a factor as well
 
I saw a beautiful iron and white oak bench just last week and asked the owners what they did to keep it so here on Cape Cod. They just keep it in the sun as best they can and wipe it down with lanudry bleach if they see any darkening or mildew. No finish at all. It looked great to me.
 
Yikes!

I already have $90 invested in just the wood. Anyway it is a project for the winter.

Thanks all.

FF said:
The problem is not with the finish , white oak does not do well with out being sealed very well with paint.

Perhaps using the Brazilian wood for outside decking would have better results.

IPE at some box stores or better lumber yards,

IpeDepot.comÂ* Your direct source for Ipe Decking
Click to expand...
 
BigJim said:
What brand of varnish can I rely on to last more than one year?
.
Click to expand...

How about AwlWood by Awlgrip?
I haven't used it but have read good reports...
Anyone here tried it?

Don
'08 MS 34HT
"Bacchus"
 
Thanks for that..

I just put 1000 ML on my Amazon wish list.

TDunn said:
White oak will last just fine with an adequate finish. The "varnish" products sold at Home Depot are pretty uniformly junk. I would suggest using an actual marine varnish. In my experience Epifanes products are as good as they come. All the high end boat builders in this area use Epifanes varnishes. If you want a gloss finish you can use either Epifanes gloss or Epifanes two-part gloss polyurethane. The latter gives a much harder finish that should last for several years. Note that sun, not moisture, is what generally kills varnish.

Second, you didn't put on an adequate film thickness. A good finish generally requires at least 6 and more often 8 coats. Start on bare wood with a coat of varnish thinned 50%, then a coat thinned 25% then unthinned coats. Sand between coats. Keep applying coats until the varnish sands flat without any wood breaking through. Then apply your final coat (or two). No matter what coating you use you really should figure on doing at least two maintenance coats each year. Where you are, you might need to recoat twice a year to keep the finish in good shape.
Click to expand...
 
Moisture is the killer , its hard to seal the bolt holes where it assembles.

Especially for a coat a month as is required in some places.
 
Big Jim,

I'm in Long Beach. We get SUN too!! I see everybody that was on the Awlwood bandwagon is doing it over again and again. I use Flagship which has the highest UV protection of any varnish and I get over a year with six coats to start. Oak should last longer. My thoughts anyway.
 
BigJim said:
I already have $90 invested in just the wood. Anyway it is a project for the winter.



Thanks all.
Click to expand...


Teak would be a better idea for wood. Use more coats of varnish and get a cover made for it, preferably from sunbrella.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
I already have $90 invested in just the wood. Anyway it is a project for the winter.

$90 is only a couple of quarts of goop to spread on the wood.

And you need to sand before coating again & again.

Different , genuine outdoor wood would not require this endless maint.

Have fun,,,
 
after multiple attempts at refinishing it I predict you will simply scrub raw wood with bleach from time to time.
 
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