Varnish for Oak Ply

[DustyDave]

I'm looking for a good varnish for oak ply. I've tried Osmo oil but it results in a darker colour than the rest of the ply in the boat. I know I'm not going to get an exact match due to aging but something close would be good. The current ply in the boat has a very light colour. Do I need to try a yacht varnish or something else?

 

If anybody can help it would save me a lot of money from buying and trying varnish until I find the right one.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[Ally]

We've used Johnstones trade varnish before, satin finish. It's clear as many varnishes are, but be aware that most woods, oak included, darken with even clear coatings. Test this by rubbing a bit of water on the ply....that is the colour it will go with a clear coating of any kind. It may be you have american v. european oak, thus a subtle difference, but oak and most woods come out in all shades even within the same ply batch. Sure it is oak..very light plys are often maple or beech for example.

[David Schweizer]

All varnishes will darken the wood, but Proper Yacht Varnish is already a honey brown colour and will impart a greater darkening. To give you an idea of how even a a clear varnish will darken the timber wet a concealed section with water, that will give you an idea of the shade difference that clear varnish will produce.

 

I believe that Wilkinsons Yacht Varnish is clear, It may be worth trying some of that.

[Grace and Favour]

Craftmaster Varnish is the stuff you want

 

'Tis excellent stuff, and as clear (long term) a finish as I've ever seen

[DustyDave]

Thanks for the advice. It's definitely oak but a very light colour(American) rather than the darker European oak. Craftmaster may be worth a try but it is advertised as giving a mirror finish. I'm not after a high gloss. I need a satin finish. The osmo oil I've got is supposedly clear but it definitely darkens the wood more like applying olive oil. I know I'm never going to get 100 percent clear but I don't want the slightly deeper brown that the osmo oil gives.

 

Dave

[Pentargon]

Thanks for the advice. It's definitely oak but a very light colour(American) rather than the darker European oak. Craftmaster may be worth a try but it is advertised as giving a mirror finish. I'm not after a high gloss. I need a satin finish. The osmo oil I've got is supposedly clear but it definitely darkens the wood more like applying olive oil. I know I'm never going to get 100 percent clear but I don't want the slightly deeper brown that the osmo oil gives.Dave

 

Just a thought but have you considered doing the oak with boiled linseed? it generally accentuates colour and grain with minimal darkening. Wood thus oiled may be varnished over and generally comes out lighter in hue.

[GSer]

Thanks for the advice. It's definitely oak but a very light colour(American) rather than the darker European oak. Craftmaster may be worth a try but it is advertised as giving a mirror finish. I'm not after a high gloss. I need a satin finish. The osmo oil I've got is supposedly clear but it definitely darkens the wood more like applying olive oil. I know I'm never going to get 100 percent clear but I don't want the slightly deeper brown that the osmo oil gives.

 

Dave

 

 

I though craftmaster offered a satin finish? I may be wrong though.

[Ally]

That's odd, as we now use Osmo polyx oil on all our boats and it doesn't darken it any differently to clear varnish...I have some of each in my own boat and it's not noticeable. You have got the clear one I suppose? I know they do do many tinted ones also.

Edited August 7, 2012 by Ally

[bowten]

Blackfriars satin varnish is very clear and does not darken the oak,just brings out the grain.

Edited August 7, 2012 by bowten

[sharpness]

Acrylic ie water based varnishes darken the wood far less than the yacht varnishes & polyurethane ones.

 

Steve

[David Schweizer]

Blackfriars satin varnish is very clear and does not darken the oak,just brings out the grain.

Whilst I whole heartedly support the suggestion of blackfriars clear satin varnish, which I have been using for years, it is actually very light brown. Several coats will darken the timber slightly, but so will Crafrtmaster clear which is almost untinted.

[pquinn]

Just a thought but have you considered doing the oak with boiled linseed? it generally accentuates colour and grain with minimal darkening. Wood thus oiled may be varnished over and generally comes out lighter in hue.

 

how do you go about this if you want to recoat the varnish?

sand back to bare wood,oil and then varnish?

[smileypete]

I'm looking for a good varnish for oak ply. I've tried Osmo oil but it results in a darker colour than the rest of the ply in the boat. I know I'm not going to get an exact match due to aging but something close would be good. The current ply in the boat has a very light colour. Do I need to try a yacht varnish or something else?

 

If anybody can help it would save me a lot of money from buying and trying varnish until I find the right one.

Another option might be to wax it, as usual try an inconspicuous area first.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[bowten]

Whilst I whole heartedly support the suggestion of blackfriars clear satin varnish, which I have been using for years, it is actually very light brown. Several coats will darken the timber slightly, but so will Crafrtmaster clear which is almost untinted.

I have used Ronseal in the past but found this heavily tinted in comparison to Blackfriars and it darkens the oak considerably more.

[DustyDave]

I checked my tin of osmo oil last night. It's definitely clear (satin matt). If I use an acrylic varnish will it be ok when I get condensation on the panels (I get some but not what I'd call loads)? The plan is to rub down most of the existing panels (where the old varnish is starting to blister/orange peel) and varnish them again. As well as that I've got some new ply going in so I want to make sure they match (or are fairly close).

 

Cheers,

 

Dave