How to Varnish with a”pro.” Applying Varnish

This is how I Varnish every time I take on a Varnish job.
Step 1.
Sanding is how you get a flat shiny finish. If you are starting from scratch I recommend 80 grit (if it’s really rough) fallowed by 150 or 180. If you already have Varnish down you’ll want to use Scotch-brite(call this 1A) for the first scratch. The next coat gets 220 (1B) fallowed by Scotch-brite . Now just go back and forth between 1A and 1B between each BUILD coat. When you are four coats from the finish change to 320 and scotch-brite. The last sanding should be done with 400. All sanding should be done with a hard block if possible only resorting to freehand or a soft block when a hard block won’t fit.
Step 2.
Cleaning starts with your equipment. Blow off or wipe down EVERYTHING you intend to have up on the boat (including you, clothes hold dirt). Vacuum off the parts to be varnishes paying close attention to any screw holes and corners as they hold dust that your brush will pick up. Now wipe everything down with a CLEAN shammy (if available, it saves on the solvent expense) then use a lint free rag dampened with mineral spirits or paint thinner and wipe it all down again. If this is the last two coats fallow up with a tack rag just before you start applying the varnish.
Step 3.
Applying the varnish is a matter of feel. Every varnish will flow different so it will take practice to get the right amount in your brush. Load your brush, tap out the extra and start a little shy of the end of whatever you are coating. Move the varnish around to all the edges. Again, each varnish will allow you to work a certain size area at a time and only practice will tell you what the right spacing is for your varnish. Now go to the dry edge and cross brush all the way to the end then repeat on the opposite side. It’s time to tip it off, using very light pressure go all the way from the dry edge back into the wet. Repeat all of the steps 10 million times and you have a beautiful varnish job.
Step 4.
Cleanup your brush • How to Varnish with a ... (I’m sure you’ll like the last written step of that video)
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