Thread: International Varnish.

Can anyone tell me how they clean down the varnished surface between coats of varnish. Do you wash the surface down or clean it down with acetone again ? I've clear varnished stairs before and washed them down between coats.

Thanks for any help.

Cheers, Kev.

Assuming you're not contaminating the surface between coats, sand and tack rag it. A solvent wash isn't the way I'd go to clean it. I'd use a cleaner to address what ever is on the surface. If you spilled coffee, just use water, etc. If you need to use some sort of detergent, then clear water rise well, let dry then sand as usual.

Acetone is probably too violent and might well make the varnish bubble.

Use the recommended thinner for the varnish - usually turpentine for single pots or there can be a specific manufactured one. I would seldom go finer than 240 grit for preparing the surface and use a cork block on flat surfaces ... keep the block away from radiussed or rounded corners.. Another way is to do a quick scour with a scotchbrite or one of the scotchbrite like sanding pads and another coat or two and just sand down properly every two or three coats.

Or Wet sand and wash off well. A little detergent ... A few drops in the water prevents the dust from clogging the paper and also from sticking to the hull badly.