To some extent, woodcare products seem to come and go, in and out of fashion. While oils seem to be very “in” now, I still get asked to do a fair amount of varnishing in my role as a professional decorator.
Varnish is still a very useful product when it comes to protecting your natural-looking wood, whether it’s furniture, wooden doors and windows, or whatever. It’s hard-wearing, long-lasting and not difficult to apply, and these days we’ve moved on from a time when gloss was your only option – most manufacturers now offer satin and matt as alternatives.
In this blog, we’ll take you through the tools and materials you will need for varnishing wood, using a kitchen table as an example. We’ll look at the preparation you need to do, techniques for applying varnish to wood, and a few handy hints and tips. There’s even a quick video to show you a real example.
Tools & materials you will need
Here’s a “shopping list” of everything you’ll need to get the job done:
- Dust sheets
- Face mask
- Disposable gloves
- Sandpaper of various grades, and/or dust-free sanding set-up
- Methylated spirits and clean cloth
- Tack cloths
- Varnish of your choice
- Suitable paintbrush (more below)
- Stirring stick
- Clean paint kettle
- White spirit (unless your varnish is water-based)
- Optional – wood stain (apply before varnishing if you want to change the natural colour of the wood)
Essential Preparation
Sheet up
As with all decorating jobs, thorough prep is essential for achieving a quality result, and varnishing wood is no exception. Work in a warm, well-ventilated room, and start by moving any furniture well out of the way of where you will be working, and then cover the floor and any nearby furniture with dust sheets.
Don’t take indoor wood outside to varnish
It might seem tempting if the weather’s good to do a job like this outside; ventilation is not an issue, and neither is the risk of getting varnish on nearby furniture. However, you will be amazed at how much dust, pollen, dried grass and small insects can land in your varnish while it’s drying, completely ruining your hard work.
Bare wood
To some extent, what prep is required will depend on what (if anything) the wood has already been previously treated with. If it’s new wood, it will hardly need any prep at all, maybe just a very light rub down with some fine sandpaper and a dust off.
Previously painted wood
If it’s previously painted and you want to get back to a natural wood finish, you have your work cut out! You’ll need to start with a good paint stripper such as Barrettine Paint Panther – follow the instructions on the packaging carefully, clean the wood thoroughly afterwards, and be prepared to still need to do some sanding to get a consistent even finish. To be honest, getting from a painted finish to a “natural wood” look is never going to be easy, and is going to take a lot of time and effort.
Previously varnished wood
Assuming your wood is previously treated with a varnish, stain or oil, the first thing I like to do is to give it a thorough clean using a clean cloth and methylated spirits. Unless I know the history of the piece of wood in question, I must assume that at some point it may have been treated with wax or furniture polish, and it’s important to get rid of these (and any other) contaminants, otherwise your varnish won’t adhere properly and evenly. If you sand before you clean, you risk rubbing the wax/polish deeper into the grain of the wood instead of getting rid of it.
From this stage on, the prep and varnish application will be the same, whatever the wood was previously treated with.
Fill imperfections
Fill any holes, cracks or minor imperfections in the wood first. The challenge with this is always that varnish is a clear product, so it’s hard to make repairs invisible using ordinary wood filler, because it is one fixed colour whilst the wood itself may be any number of different shades. HB42 ready-mixed Whole Job Le Filla is suitable for both interior and exterior use, and won’t shrink, sag or crack.
It’s also very flexible, so will “give” a little as the wood expands and contracts naturally. Another key advantage is that it’s available in four or five different shades, so while it may not be a perfect match to your wood, there is more chance that you’ll be able to achieve a close match. Wait for the filler to thoroughly curer before moving on to the next stage.
Abrade the surface
Sand your wood thoroughly; wear a mask to avoid inhaling the dust and use a dust-free sanding set-up on large flat areas if you have one. Start with a medium grade paper (e.g. 120 grit) to get most of the existing varnish off and then drop down to 180 and then 240 to smooth out any minor scratches, working in the direction of the wood grain.
Remove dust!
Once you’ve finished sanding, it is absolutely vital that you remove as much dust as possible. Start with a dusting brush or even a vacuum to remove the worst of it, and then thoroughly wipe down using a tack cloth, paying extra attention to any awkward nooks and crannies where dust might collect.
Applying Varnish to Wood
Get the varnish ready
Start by stirring your varnish thoroughly – don’t shake it, as this will fill it with air bubbles. Decant roughly the amount you think you’ll need into a new paint kettle, and thin it down with up to 10% white spirit (or water, if you’re using a water-based varnish) for the first coat (only).
This helps with the flow of the product as you’re applying it, but also aids penetration and adhesion, and seals the wood. “Neat” varnish may be too thick to penetrate and so will sit on the surface, whereas a thinned product penetrates and so bonds better to the wood, providing the ideal base for subsequent coats.
Apply the first coat of varnish
Work on one section of the item at a time, applying a thin even coat, and laying off with the tip of the brush in the direction of the grain to minimise brush marks.
Leave to dry, then prep again
Leave your varnished wood to dry in line with the manufacturer’s instructions on the tin. Once it is thoroughly dry all over, give it another light sand with 240 grit sandpaper, working with the direction of the grain, and dust off again, finishing with a tack cloth.
Apply a second coat
You’re then ready to apply your second coat; this time, there is no need to dilute the varnish, and you will find it is easier to apply a nice smooth even coat over the top of your first coat. Again, work one section at a time, and lay off in the direction of the grain before moving on to the next section. Leave to dry. If it needs a third coat, sand and dust again between coats. When the final coat has been applied, leave the new varnish to fully cure in line with the manufacturer’s instructions or Product Data Sheet (this may be a matter of hours, or it may be several days).
A Video Demo
Varnishing a kitchen table
Professional Decorator Mike Cupit demos how to varnish a kitchen table.
Best Brush to Use when Varnishing Wood
Use a good quality, clean (or new!) synthetic or natural bristle brush. The Kana “Tank” brush was specifically developed for use with stains and varnishes. It’s a slightly unusual looking brush; it uses two different types of bristles. There’s an inner “tank” of natural bristles which hold a lot of varnish or stain (meaning you can cover a larger area), surrounded by an outer layer of very fine-tipped synthetic bristles which help give you a perfect finish.
A lot of modern paint brushes purposefully have space between the bristles so they can hold onto more paint, but they’re no good for thin varnishes.
Best Varnish for Interior Wood
Fiddes is a British manufacturer who specialise in top quality wood care products. Their Clear Glaze is available in gloss, satin and matt finishes and is super hard-wearing, meaning you can use it with confidence on floors, doors and…yes, kitchen tables. It’s easy to use and lays off beautifully for a lovely smooth finish; available here in 1L, 2.5L and 5L tins. Click here for product details.
Or you could opt for Fiddes Premier Varnish, which is a water-based alternative.
FAQs
Is it better to varnish with a roller or brush?
Varnish needs to be ‘laid off’ with the grain of the wood, so a brush gives the better finish. However, you can use a foam roller to apply the product before laying off with a brush if you’d prefer.
Can I varnish over existing varnish?
You can, providing you’re using a similar product to the existing varnish and you remove contaminants like furniture polish.
Can I varnish wood without sanding?
Bare wood doesn’t need sanding until after the first coat. Previously varnished wood does need to be sanded.
How to avoid brush marks when varnishing?
Dilute the varnish slightly and use the correct brush for the job. Using a Kana Tank brush will make a huge difference.
Can you put too much varnish on wood?
Yes, and if you apply varnish too thick, you may have issues with adhesion.
Final Thoughts
Applying a good quality varnish not only brings out the natural beauty of the wood, it protects it and keeps it looking good for years to come. Use good quality tools and materials, and follow the steps outlined above and, in the video, and you should be able to achieve a great finish. And remember – proper prep is your friend; dust is your enemy!
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