Rust-Oleum, based in Vernon Hills, and The Home Depot Thursday announced an expanded partnership of the Varathane brand that now includes the Varathane Classic assortment of interior wood stains, polyurethanes,
spar varnish, wood putty, stain markers, fill sticks, as well as a full line of Watco lacquers.
Getting back to Al Linden, if you want to fill the pores with varnish, then as soon as the wood looks nearly as dark as you want it from hot linseed oil and/or alkanet root oil, apply a coat of best-quality
spar varnish. Linden recommended many thin coats, but I've found one unthinned coat does the job nicely.
They're also usually finished with modern
spar varnish, a blend of organic oil and polyurethane.
A
spar varnish will provide more protection from the elements than a stain or paint.
I use KIT car wax on a varnished wood board (Min-wax
spar varnish).
A coat or two of
spar varnish is a good idea for two reasons: It will help the wood last longer, and it also brings out a lot of the wood's natural beauty.
'I really like the ultra-translucence spar gives a silk thread wrap, but like I said yellowing on some blanks isn't the best result.' [fiberglassflyrodders.com, Forum, Does Spar Urethane yellow less than
spar varnish over time?
For a glossy, more permanent finish, you could use Sikkens Cetol SRD or
spar varnish.
To protect them from sun and rain, designer Brooke Dietrich coated them with marine
spar varnish.
Then coat them with linseed oil, a layer of wax or
spar varnish.
To make 1 gallon of sealant combine the following: 43 ounces boiled linseed oil, 21 ounces paint thinner, 34 ounces porch and deck enamel, 2 ounces Japan drier, 6 1/2 pounds silica (obtained from a potter) and 2 ounces
spar varnish. These ingredients can be obtained at art supply or paint stores.
Cover tissue paper with
spar varnish to waterproof the paper and ensure privacy without excluding the light.