All Purpose Varnishes

¶ All-Purpose Varnish. The question of all-purpose varnishes is one which the finisher encounters. Is it possible for one varnish to serve ail purposes equally well as each kind of varnish made for a special purpose? Will the so-called all-purpose varnish rub to as high a polish as a fine polishing varnish? Will it rub as clean, as easily and produce as fine a surface as good rubbing varnish? Will it prove equally durable used on exterior as on interior surfaces? No! is probably the best answer to those questions. There probably is not a long-oil varnish that is suitable for exterior exposure which is capable of being1 rubbed to a smooth and fine high-polished surface. A good interior, or under-coat varnish, has got to be rubbed and to hold up succeeding coats. It cannot be hard enough to rub and to hold up the finishing coats if it contains enough oil to be elastic and durable on exterior surfaces. It takes more time to rub long-oil varnishes than to rub short-oil varnishes.

¶ Under-coat varnishes must be harder and contain less oil than finishing coat varnishes, if the finisher is interested in avoiding the evil effects which are bound to come from putting a very elastic coat under a less elastic one, cracking, crazing, alligatoring. Woodwork around sinks, washtubs, lavatories, etc., should be finished with hard, waterproof varnish. - Standing - trim, wainscoting, panels, etc., doesn't necessarily require such expensive varnish, but window sills, frames, seats and similar surfaces which will be exposed to the direct rays of the sun should be finished with spar or other varnish which will withstand the direct rays of the sun without softening or blistering.

¶ One gallon of spar varnish will cover about 550 square feet, one coat. One gallon of floor varnish will cover about 500 square feet, one coat. One gallon of flat varnish will cover about 450 square feet, one coat.

¶ Many conditions govern success in varnishing, but none is more important to observe than that of selecting the right varnish for each purpose. Each surface and the conditions of service expected should be fully known. Then when you also know the essential characteristics of each of the more common varnishes you are in position to select the right varnish for each job. The following brief descriptions of each kind of varnish will be helpful. And the wise finisher will also establish a friendly business contact with a reliable varnish manufacturer who will gladly act as technical adviser on unusual problems and also help any sincere and ambitious mechanic to learn more about varnishes.

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