Page 1 of 1

What the heck happened here?

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:48 pm
by Carrpelll
I was just about to put a fresh coat of varnish on and I noticed a bit of peel on the varnish at the water line and this happened when I picked at it with a putty knife. It looks like all of the varnish is coming off. Every single coat put on in the last 10 years. What the heck?

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 3:25 am
by joanroy
Could be the varnish didn't get a good bite in that area when the finish was originally done. Might have been sanded to smooth. If your not into a complete refinish, I'd stop picking at it and fair the edges of the peeled area. Build it up and then do the finish coat. Won't be perfect, but It'll look good.

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 8:47 am
by drrot
I had that happen with Epifanes long ago. When I called technical support they told me I wasn't old enough to know what I was doing. I called Interlux and they said the moisture content was probably to high.

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:35 am
by NOT Firewood
Sorry cant help you but I will be in Regina over the summer some time and wouldn't mind seeing your collection.

Dennis

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:55 am
by Carrpelll
I should have stopped picking sooner because I have almost half the starboard side picked. Then I realized it was the entire varnish coats coming off. So I will stop and sand the edges smooth and start the process of building the coats up. Yes it appears the surface under all that varnish is very smooth and quite hard so I am pretty sure the first coat of varnish didn't adhere well. Funny I didn't notice this a few years ago when I refinished it in 2012. But I do have it in a booth with the moisture content high because the poor girl baked in my driveway last summer and was quite dry. I am using epiphanes and have great success in the past. Although I am not sure what the fist 10 or so coats were. I will keep you posted.
Dennis - let me know when you are in the area!

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 6:25 am
by Bilge Rat
While I can't say what happened in your case, I do know that varnish and paint formulations today are very different than in the recent past due to new regulations for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) off gassing as they dry. Manufacturers had to make major changes to their chemical formulations to adhere to this government requirement. Finishes no longer behave like they used to when applying, as they dry or after dry. You may have an incompatibility issue due to new formulation of the varnish.

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:50 am
by maritimeclassics
Definitely an adhesion problem due to high humidity or most likely not sanded between coats or could be using to fine of grit sandpaper between coats. I would take it all off Wipe it down with thinner, sand with 320 grit and apply more varnish. Thin the varnish about 30% for the first coat to help it penetrate the under coats better, then go full strength. Do use the easier one step varnish were you can apply multiple coat without sanding in between. It's worth the extra time scotch briting between coats making sure you have a good bond on every coat.

Re: What the heck happened here?

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:53 am
by George Emmanuel
Out of curiosity, did you stain using a gel stain? The reason I ask is because I've experienced the same thing but only where a gel stain was used.

George