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November 3, 2009
Exterior Wood Finish
I have refinished my walnut front doors with McCloskey's marine varnish twice now and the job lasts barely three years before the finish gets ashy and starts to peel. House is on WEST side of street. Any suggestions for a more durable finishing product??
Comments
McCloskey Man O War Spar varnish is a good product. There may be more modern higher tech formulations out there like Epiphanes so I'd be interested to hear from some of the professional woodworkers on this one.
I get my boat varnish from Jamestown Distributors online.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 3, 2009 9:17 AM
Put it in perspective -- the bright work on any well maintained boat gets at minimum a light sanding and 2 coats of varnish every season, and most boats around here are only getting UV exposure 7 months a year. That said, you could try a 2 part varnish (Interlux), or something from Z-Spar or Bristol. Go to West Marine on 37th Street and talk to them about it.
Posted by: wyckoff at November 3, 2009 1:06 PM
check out www.Bristolfinish.com
this is a two part acrylic urethane which has held up very well for us- much better the the regular otc marine varnishes
Posted by: ParkSlopePS at November 3, 2009 4:20 PM
Putting a clear finish on wood that's exposed to the sun commits you to a lifetime of maintenance, or at least until you get tired and go back to painting it. UV radiation inexorably breaks down the finish, and degrades the wood fibers, which weakens the bond of the finish so it crumbles or flakes off. Two years is all you can expect from traditional varnish, even if the sun is on it only half a day. There may be better products, but I can't imagine they'll extend the maintenance intervals by very much. There's only so much UV inhibitor that can be put into a clear finish before it starts to look cloudy, because essentially an inhibitor is finely ground pigment.
Just be wary of applying a new and different finish over the existing varnish, in case there is a compatability problem.
Posted by: farmboy at November 4, 2009 10:43 AM
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