How To Varnish Boat interior Parts

[@paulbriggs3072]

Marine spar varnish is very soft for floors and prone to dulling. Polyurethane is normally used.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Good point. It was still looking great after 5 years of loving aboard when we sold her but i have heard the sale thing. I just liked the richness of the look.

[@miamitreasurehunter]

Thanks for sharing these great Tips. I am in the middle of a 1963 Columbia Sabre 32' and videos like yours are a gold mine of information. Thanks again! Kelly

[@Svdreamchaser]

Awesome. I hope you have continued to enjoy the videos all these years.

[@philchristiansen6797]

Hey Gill. Just ran onto your video! It's Phil, was docked down from you on After Five. We are in Pensacola now. Hope you and Debbie have that boat about ready to sail.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Very cool Phil. We did finish up the refit on Last Affair and Cruised her to Corpus for a while and back to Kemah. We are now in New Orleans on a 'new to us' Formosa 51. We have Last Affair from this video for sale. Glad to hear your in Fl. We are heading that way slowly over the next few years.

[@JoeTurner141]

Thanks for the tips, nice technique. I must contest your statement at 3:05 however, there is absolutely no need to throw a brush out between every coat. Use some of that thinner to soak the brush between coats. This throwaway lifestyle is too prominent within the yachting world!

[@Svdreamchaser]

I agree but have personally not found the best way to clean them. If you have some really good tips on how to do that and not have the brush become stiff and leave streaks in the next coat, I would love to know how. Thank you again for the comment.

[@JoeTurner141]

@@Svdreamchaser Acetone usually does the trick.

[@markbailey6051]

Dip the brush into the varnish and then into a sandwich bag tape it closed around the brush. As long as air is keeped out you are good.

[@Svdreamchaser]

I have to give that a try!!

[@mynextketchfrontier6351]

Man your one heck of finisher painter..thank you sir..great job..

[@Svdreamchaser]

Thank you. You are too kind. Just a guy that wanted the boat to look really good given how much work I invested in her. Glad you are watching and enjoying.

[@deweypug]

Very nice work!

[@Svdreamchaser]

Thanks. I am glad you enjoyed it.

[@glhotka1]

Eduardomalpic, I used a gel stain when I was staining the walls so it didn't run. When staining the wood panels in the shop, I used minwax stain and brushed on. I used blue painters tape to protect sections I don't want stained. I hope this helps.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Wow, That Gil guys is some kind of genius :)

[@adam56usa]

Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge

[@Svdreamchaser]

you are quite welcome, it was my pleasure and fun.

[@FathomlessJoy]

Nice video. Thanks! Rehabbing an old boat now. Getting to the flooring. When you resurface poly coated teak, do you strip all the way to wood first, or do yo just sand/scotch brite it the surface, then put your first new coat on?

[@Svdreamchaser]

I actually sanded it down to bare wood in this particular case. If I had to do it again I don’t think I would do that step as long as the wood and the surface were fairly smooth. I think using something like a scotch bright or one quick Skoff at 220 grit would probably have been sufficient to add the poly on top of that

[@Svdreamchaser]

Glad you found it useful. I will be adding more and am always thrilled to see others projects also.

[@spelunkerd]

Any thoughts on the best varnish for flooring inside the boat? My stairs (exposed to rain more than other flooring) are failing first. They have treads so I'm not worried about traction.

[@Svdreamchaser]

I have been a fan of a simple and lower cost solution. It has served me well over the years. I use Helmsman Spar Urethane and I get it at my local home super center. It works well on the more protected from the sun interior parts.

[@Superfandangoo]

I’ve quite a bit to do, do you think there’s any benefit to warm the varnish before laying it maybe with a mohair roller then tipping it off? Thanks for the explanation 👍

[@Svdreamchaser]

I think when going for perfection that may help. I subscribe to the theory of it needing to look great from 10 feet away, which keeps me from getting too carried away with perfection. That can likely improve it a bit with the roll/tip, but honestly I don't know what heating it up would do. If you want to thin it, I would use a thinner instead.

[@Superfandangoo]

@@Svdreamchaser thank you for replying, I just see the guy from boatworks channel use epoxy on some teak then topped it with two coats of varnish with uv inhibitors which gave it a depth of 8 coats, I want it like glass without orange peel or brush marks was thinking warmth for that as have known some doing it with car paint, but epoxy approach looked great, saved a lot of time may try that on a piece and the way you done it 👍

[@Svdreamchaser]

I did that too but opted not to do the rest mainly because I know my own limitations and I will not do the maint required and end up letting the epoxy yellow. Lol

[@chrishamilton4999]

Hello from Australia ..... thanks for the information and video ...... why not use a clear epoxy?

[@Svdreamchaser]

I have tried clear epoxy and while it builds layers quickly, it still needs UV Protection. I didn't think about doing this down below because where the sun isn't directly on it, the maintenance is pretty easy. Where I have done the epoxy to build layers and then a few coats of varnish to protect from UV, it has worked well. BUT, if you don't put maintain the UV layer of varnish and it yellows, getting it back to bare wood to fix it is HARD with epoxy.

[@CDAM_B]

you mentioned building up 4-5 coats to seal, then began applying product right out of the can. were the 4-5 coats the 2-part urathane/1-part thinner mixture?

[@Svdreamchaser]

CA B - Sorry for the delayed response, but to answer your question, I do thin the first few coats if I am sanded down to bare wood like I was in the examples of the doors in this video. I actually start with the first coat mixed 50/50 and then the next 2 or so I do at 75/25, before going full strength. Thanks for the comment CA B. IF you found the video useful, please do come back and hit the like or subscribe buttons.

[@dzynbiz]

Thanx Gill great instructional video. do you recommend spraying varnish on full mahogany interiors? Thanx again, Les

[@Svdreamchaser]

Thanks for watching, I hope you are still enjoying them. I don't spray but it is because I lack the skill to do it well.

[@MarkCartret]

The oil from your thumb will be in the finish, and though unseen will over time become a weak point. The perfect circle in the piece you showed, drawer face I believe, proves my point. That was most likely a fingerprint from an earlier stain. Always wear gloves. No matter how clean you think your hands are-the oil is always there. And such beautiful pieces….as you (we) talk spray often ends up in the varnish. Some people spit more than others. That large piece had way too much buildup. Good video otherwise.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Good point. Ot never showed up bit caution should be taken for sure and a great note for any viewers.

[@Svdreamchaser]

@hangemhigh2000 - Nothing personal taken. I will check out Boatwright University. These videos are just how I went about doing it and the advice I would give someone if they asked.

[@Svdreamchaser]

@dzynbiz - I personally wouldn't do it. Here are my reasons. Please understand this is just my opinion, I am certainly not a painting professional, but have successfully done my own work and do some woodworking for a hobby. 1) When I tested small sample pieces, I couldn't get that glossy shiny look I was going for and 2) I would be afraid of trying to spray in such a small area and not have runs from places where it was applied too thick.

[@boatbuilder1]

I would not recommend Helmsman Varnish on a boat or anything that will be exposed to the sun. Also I would not recommend thinning 2 parts varnish to 1 part thinner! We normally do not thin the Varnish at all and never use it straight from the can.There are plenty of high quality Varnishes on the market although they are at a higher cost initially but will be better protection and last mush longer than what you are using.

[@Svdreamchaser]

I agree. I love when someone views one of the videos from quite some time ago! It is a great call out. I have continued to use (with great success) Helmsman Soar Varnish on interior parts where there exposure to the sun and UV is very limited. It has lasted well over 6 years now but again it is on the interior. On the exterior I use higher quality varnishes. I like Le Tonkinois and only thin the first coat when putting it down on bare wood. I have also recently used Awlwood MA for my toe rail and bow sprit but that was only a year ago so don’t know it’s longevity yet.

[@bradyarnold6424]

Holy shit, it's chris farley!

[@Svdreamchaser]

+Brad Yarnold Hmmmm.

[@aleidabianchi1434]

I know Woodglut has the best woodworking plans.

[@Svdreamchaser]

I don’t. I think they are public plans that are available free other places. Rip-off I believe.

[@aleidabianchi1434]

@@Svdreamchaser ​ I, on the other hand, think these are great plans. I have been using them for a while now and they are awesome

[@Svdreamchaser]

@@aleidabianchi1434 what did you make? Can you share what it was and what you got from Woodglut.

[@shantelleadeline6053]

Plans are good. I needed it . Thanks for tip Aleida. Greetings

[@Svdreamchaser]

What did you make?

[@jimwilliams8229]

Sorry to say but Helmsman has no place on a boat. Step up to another level. Total Boat sealer followed by a few coats of Total Boat Gleam or Lust with special brushing thinner. What do you do next? Wax. No more scraping a sack full of flaking varnish off your boat every year.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Jim Williams I will look into it but I believe that helmsman is more than sufficient for interior finish. It has served us well for many years.

[@hangemhigh2000]

Nothing personal, but Boatwright university has much higher standards. Ck it out.

[@Svdreamchaser]

I am sure they do. I am just a dude on youtube making videos of what I do. lol.

[@ParrotSailor]

Wow you lost alot of weight since this video. Did u get sick?

[@Svdreamchaser]

ParrotSailor lol. Just the opposite, I got healthy. :)

[@lemon4uk357]

hhh

[@Svdreamchaser]

Thanks

[@joejamata5583]

There are many similar projects in Woodglut's plans.

[@Svdreamchaser]

Sure.