Popular Woodworking 2005-11 № 151, страница 72

THE BASICS

OF

Wiping

O

f all finishes available, none offers as much protection and durability with as little difficulty in application as wiping varnish.

With wiping varnish you can achieve a run-free, brush-mark-free, air-bubble-free and almost dust-free finish, which after several coats is very protective against moisture penetration, and resistant to scratches, heat and solvents. And you can do this with no more effort than wiping or brushing on the finish, and either leaving it, or wiping off some or all of the excess.

Varnish

No other finish offers all of these great qualities. The only finish that competes is gel varnish, but it's messy to apply, and it can't be built up as fast on the wood without leaving brush marks. Wiping varnish is arguably the single best finish for most amateur woodworking projects.

What is Wiping Varnish?

Wiping varnish is simply common oil-based varnish (any type,

Its durability and ease of use make searching out this hard-to-identify finish worth it.

including alkyd varnish, polyure-thane varnish or spar varnish) that is thinned enough with mineral spirits (paint thinner) so it is easy to wipe on wood. You can easily make your own.

The name, which I created in 1990, and which has been adopted by most writers and teachers of wood finishing, makes sense because the purpose of thinning is to make the varnish easy to wipe.

You may already be using wiping varnish and not realize

All of these finishes are wiping varnish. If you shop at a home center or paint store, you will find the brands above. If you shop at a woodworking store or from a woodworking catalog, you will find the brands on the right. All of these finishes are essentially the same. They are varnish thinned enough with mineral spirits so they are easy to wipe on the wood.

it because it isn't sold under that name (maybe because that would give away the simplicity of the finish). It's sold under many different brand names, and few indicate what the finish really is.

This is the problem with wiping varnish and the reason it isn't widely recognized as one of the best finishes for anyone not using a spray gun. Manufacturers obscure the true nature of the finish by their misleading, and sometimes outright deceptive, product labeling. They want you to think they are selling you something different and special.

In this article I will tell you about varnish, how wiping varnish came to be, how to make and identify wiping varnish and how

by Bob Flexner

Bob is author of "Understanding Wood Finishing," now in its second, fully revised, edition. To purchase, visit amazon.com, your local bookstore or a woodworking supply store.

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Popular Woodworking November 2005