Forum Message
| From | Message |
| Anne Dec 17, 2007 13:17:06 | timing on applying varnish after stain Hi again, On a mid-century newly stripped china cabinet - possible walnut veneer? I did a test of our plan for finishing: first applied varathane wood conditioner, waited 1/2 hour, as per Varathane instructions, then put down a varathane stain. Waited 4 hours, then put down the Circa 1850 antique paste varnish. The varnish seemed to almost dissolve the stain, and definitely lightened the color. Re-reading instructions for the stain, it looks like I should have waited at least 8 hours before applying the varnish for oil-based varnish, and 24 for water-based. Which one applies to the antique paste varnish? Would applying the varnish too quickly cause the problem? And/or I'm thinking maybe we should not be using a wood conditioner. I'm going for a richer color, and the conditioner looks like it might dim the color a bit. Would really appreciate your advice on what to try next. Thanks, Anne |
| Neil Dec 17, 2007 18:29:54 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain Liquid penetrating stains are designed to be on solid wood projects. They need to be absorbed into the wood. This cannot take place properly on veneered surfaces. Try the Circa 1850 Stain N Varnish sold at many of the older Rona Box stores in Ontario. This product does not need to penetrate. It will cure on the surface of the wood giving you the colour you desire. Just try some test pieces to get the hang of how the product works. Do more coats with less. Follow the instructions for best results. |
| Mark Dec 18, 2007 06:13:10 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain You should be able to apply the wood stain onto wood veneer. The thickness of the veneer might limit the amount of stain that gets absorbed, but even a thin layer of wood will absorb some stain. More than likely, the combination of using the wood conditioner and waiting only 4 hours was the cause of your problem. Antique Paste Varnish is oil-based, so 8 hours dry time between the stain and that varnish is the MINIMUM time that you need to allow. If the temperature is low, and you are not providing fresh air, the wait can be longer. Stains use small amounts of drying oils to keep the pigments from coming off the surface once a finish is applied. You can test to see if the stain is completely cured by gently wiping the surface with mineral spirits and checking to see if any of the stain is removed. |
| Gail Oct 28, 2009 14:38:49 | RE: drying time for Circa 1850 paste varnish Hello, I have applied the Circa 1850 paste varnish over an old desk that has been fully sanded in some areas and stained a week ago, and lightly sanded over the remaining old finish in other areas to help with adhesion. After about 16 hours of drying time (the weather is very humid right now but it is in a heated room), it is still tacky in all areas. I want to apply an additional coat of varnish to the fully-sanded area for greater protection (it's the desktop). Should a second coat be applied while the finish is still tacky? Also, after that second coat, how long will it be before the entire desk is sufficiently dry to reinstall it and the computer system that lives on top of it? I don't want to risk damaging the surface by placing objects on it too quickly. Thanks for any advice you can offer. |
| Mark Oct 28, 2009 15:25:26 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain Could you tell me what stain you used? Also, where is the desk while it is being refinished? Basement, garage..... How was the Antique Paste Varnish applied? Did you wipe off the excess product? |
| Gail Oct 28, 2009 16:06:36 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain Hi Mark, The stain applied was oil-based but has had over a week to absorb before applying the varnish ... also, not all the desk was stained (these were touch-ups on damaged areas) and the unstained portions are now in the same tacky state as the stained ones. The sanding and staining stage was done in a heated garage (coolish but not cold). Yesterday, it was moved to my heated ground-floor office and the varnish was applied with an old cotton cloth and then wiped off with a similar cloth after the 15 minute delay. It actually looks great, which is why I won't apply a second coat to anything but the desktop, but I'm really uncertain about drying times before a second coat or before final use ... I don't want to wreck the results. The current temperature in the room is about 20 C but humidity is high both in and out of the house. Thanks for your speedy response. |
| Mark Oct 29, 2009 09:16:07 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain At 20C and high humidity you will experience slow drying. Allow the surface to dry completely before applying additional coats. Even one week is not adequate for oil-based stains applied in an cold, damp, dark environment. Applying a varnish on top of the stain will incorporate the stain's fixing agent into the varnish, and increase its drying time as well. |
| TOM Jan 16, 2010 23:26:35 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain hi, can I apply Varathane clear satin base coat over 1850 stain thanks tom |
| Mark Jan 18, 2010 18:35:06 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain Tom, You can apply any polyurethane finish over Circa 1850 Fine Wood Stain. |
| Marl Aug 26, 2013 11:20:16 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain I have put 4 coats of cira 1850 gel paste varnish on a wide oak window sill. Can i now put polyurthane over this as a finish coat? |
| Mark Aug 26, 2013 11:24:45 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain You can apply a polyurethane over the Circa 1850 Antique Paste Varnish, but I am not sure why you would want to do that. Circa 1850 Antique Paste Varnish is as durable and resistant as any polyurethane. |
| Marl Aug 29, 2013 22:16:53 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain Thank you Mark. I will stay with the Paste Varnish,,How many coats should I put on? I already did 4 coats and rubbed it with 0000 steel wool..Thanking you again, Marilyn. |
| Mark Aug 30, 2013 07:03:43 | RE: timing on applying varnish after stain As you know, each hand-rubbed coat is only about half the film thickness of a brushed on coat. So, you have now applied the thickness of about two brushed on coats. You really do not need to apply any more, but the more coats the longer lasting the protection. |