Varnish for plywood

[Andrew Dwyer]

Can anyone recommend a good clear varnish for plywood ?

It’s going outside, protected from rain and sunshine most of the time but am more concerned about critters having a feast !!

 

Anyhoo, what’s a good varnish for protection ??

[Crossy]

Chaindrite do a range of preservative varnish/woodstains in various colours. I don't recall a purely clear one but check out the major outlets.

 

https://www.sherwood.co.th/en/our-products/product-list/?category=1469

 

EDIT This one is colourless https://www.sherwood.co.th/en/our-products/product-list/chaindrite-1-wp-cl/

 

[sometimewoodworker]

What I do is to first use the Chandrite insect protection then after it has dried (about 3~7 days), depending on your need to avoid the smells associated with solvent based products, use the water based Rothenberg exterior polyurethane available from Home pro

 

If you don't don't mind using thinner based products then there is a good (expensive) 2 part poly available.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Thanks guys, I’ll search for the Chaindrite product first and definitely use that .
I do have a water based laquer/varnish that I used on my workbench and could apply this also if necessary.




My project now is some custom outdoor storage ( mainly for all the tins of paint and varnish I am accumulating [emoji849]) and tucked away in a corner will be more appealing to the critters than my workbench which gets moved frequently ( on wheels ).

Hopefully it will deter cats also , we have a soi cat problem here !

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I do have a water based laquer/varnish that I used on my workbench and could apply this also if necessary.

It looks as if it's an interior finish, so not suitable for the job.

 

PS SWMBO just told me it's designed for both interior and exterior, so use that after the 

has lost its carrier liquids

 

it is not very useful by itself.

Edited June 8, 2019 by sometimewoodworker

[sometimewoodworker]

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

Chaindrite do a range of preservative varnish/woodstains in various colours. I don't recall a purely clear one but check out the major outlets.

 

https://www.sherwood.co.th/en/our-products/product-list/?category=1469

 

EDIT This one is colourless https://www.sherwood.co.th/en/our-products/product-list/chaindrite-1-wp-cl/

 

That is a preservative only not a varnish 

[eyecatcher]

I also generally soak all my wood with the chaindrite water based protection first.

be carwful of the three colour, not easy to undeestand.

DB is dark browLB is light brown, C is clear.

May seem obvious but its not.

They always dry lighter but if you  want a lighter finish dont use DB

 

Thereafter I use the beger stains which also have termicide in them, but the clear ones are perfect for any wood variety i find.

 

I wouldnt use varnish outside, it will crack and flake off in no time leaving you with a painful sanding job later.

[sometimewoodworker]

43 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

I also generally soak all my wood with the chaindrite water based protection first.

Which one is that's? The one I show is definitely not water based.

[Andrew Dwyer]

My intention is to use clear chaindrite first and then a thin coat of laquer or varnish to bring out the colour of the wood.

Any recommendations on a laquer or varnish that will not have a tendency to crack in the sunshine, water or oil based ?

[sometimewoodworker]

55 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Any recommendations on a laquer or varnish that will not have a tendency to crack in the sunshine, water or oil based ?

I've already answered that.

 

also try the one you have

[eyecatcher]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Which one is that's? The one I show is definitely not water based.

Yes, not what you show, its in the rectangular containers at 575bt a gallon

its as wet as creosote, I dont have any left, maybe its not water based but it has no viscocity

[sometimewoodworker]

23 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

Yes, not what you show, its in the rectangular containers at 575bt a gallon

its as wet as creosote, I dont have any left, maybe its not water based but it has no viscocity

That one is just the bulk 15L one, it is usually in the smaller 2~2.5L cans but I found that one a couple of years ago. It's probably a paraffin or very similar base and is as viscous as that.  AFIK they don't have a water based product.

 

I haven't used creosote fo more than 40 years so have no idea of its viscosity 

[Crossy]

8 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I haven't used creosote fo more than 40 years so have no idea of its viscosity 

 

Me too, IIRC it's runnier than water, stinky and makes your fingers look like you smoke 60 a day.

 

[eyecatcher]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

Me too, IIRC it's runnier than water, stinky and makes your fingers look like you smoke 60 a day.

 

And still no one has come up with a comparable product.

They call them preservatives now I think, and started with those insipid green colours.