If you’re looking into varnish paint, then you’ve obviously done your homework. You know that there is more to painting than simply dipping a brush in a bucket of gooey colored liquid, and you want to get the job done right.
Hopefully you’re aware exactly what varnishing does and what it is good for, though. Did you know that it works a lot like staining paint? The main similarity is the fact that they are both designed to seep into the surface, but that’s where it stops.
When you varnish something, you are trying to bring out the true look and feel of the material. It’s really similar to salting food. You aren’t trying to alter the flavor; you’re trying to enhance it.
There are several great companies that want to help you do this. Some of the names you might run into and should look for are Abbot, Tempo, Cook, Paragon, Redspot, Graham, and Motsenbocker’s. These brands have been around for a while because they make the best varnishing material for truly enhancing wood surfaces.
According to the National Paint Varnish and Lacquer Association, they are the most reliable brands and they have always provided the highest quality material. Don’t forget about those that might want to remove this stuff, though.
Citistrip makes gel designed to help you strip varnish should you ever need to. You can also look into Motsenbocker’s Liftoff Paint and Varnish Remover. They’re all excellent products.
Keep in mind that if you’re going to be near or around water, you need to look into special marine varnish, as the regular stuff will get corroded by the saltwater. The oil isn’t designed for that. However, if you just wish to truly protect and enhance your house, the traditional stuff will really help make it last.
That’s another benefit of varnishing that I didn’t mention earlier (as opposed to staining). When you apply a nice coat and it seeps in, it not only makes the surface more vibrant but it adds a lot of protection.
It makes it much stronger and will help it last a lot longer. And you know what that translates into? Higher value and ease of selling your things down the road
