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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Painting, Decorating & Tiling Questions >> Getting a key on varnish https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1144344215 Message started by jimcam on Apr 6^th, 2006, 6:23pm

Title: Getting a key on varnish
Post by jimcam on Apr 6^th, 2006, 6:23pm

'Er indoors wants me to paint a bit of pine furniture that looks like it's been factory varnished.

What's the best way to get a decent key on it before painting? Or is it best to remove the varnish with sandpaper/wire wool or chemically before priming and painting?

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by JerryD on Apr 6^th, 2006, 10:21pm

Wolf will be along shortly...................... ::)

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by Twobarrows on Apr 7^th, 2006, 1:20am

>'Er indoors wants me to paint a bit of pine furniture that looks >like it's been factory varnished.
What are you boy, man or mouse. She wants it done, tell her to do it herself. You go down the pub instead & have a few jars with the boys. What is the world coming to when a man has to........................
I'll finish this later, the wife's coming

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by woodsmith on Apr 7^th, 2006, 8:14am

You should be able to just give a light sand, for a key, then undercoat/topcoat. Some factory finished pine has a wax coat which will resist paint, in which case you would need to sand that off completely. Best to try a small area.

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by corablimey on Apr 7^th, 2006, 5:58pm

If its been varnished you need to sand it down and get most of it off, not too smooth, but to get a key, and you might have to put a wood primer on it, and if the knots havent been treated, the knot them first, cause they will bleed after a year or so into the paint, then undercoat and gloss etc.

I always give wooden doors like this at least two undercoats, and slightly sand down between coats. :)

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by WOLF on Apr 7^th, 2006, 7:27pm

wrote on Apr 7^th, 2006, 5:58pm:

, and slightly sand down between coats. :)

i tried that , and got the sand paper stuck to my jersey!!!! ;D ;D ;D

as W/S states, test first, in an obscure place!!! as some factory applied Varn@#hes have certain catalysts added to penetrate deep into the wood, so appliing a piant finish can go horribly wrong!!!

so test is the name of the game here.....

Bloody varn@#hers!!!!! ;D

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by hamilton on Apr 7^th, 2006, 10:55pm

wrote on Apr 7^th, 2006, 7:27pm:

as W/S states, test first, in an obscure place!!!

Snodland? 8)

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by woodsmith on Apr 8^th, 2006, 8:55am

wrote on Apr 7^th, 2006, 5:58pm:

I thought that if the timber was varnished and you didn't sand through to the knot that it could be overpainted without knotting as the varnish has sealed the knot :-/ ???

I could be wrong ::), its not something I do often, and perhaps I've just been lucky :-/

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by hamilton on Apr 8^th, 2006, 12:19pm

I think what cora meant was, if he sanded down to bare wood. Personaly If it's furniture inside the house, I don't think it would need priming, as it's not going to get the weather in it, but if it's down to bare wood, it will need three coats, so it won't hurt.

The woodsmith method is good, with the addition of wiping it with a drop of white spirit if it is waxy.

Women have a habit of polishing pine, and that will have to be removed.

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by corablimey on Apr 8^th, 2006, 2:21pm

Thanks hamilton, thats exactly what I meant, :) cause if the varnish is sanded off the knots and they are bare, they would have to be knotted prior to painting.

My pet hate is going in to a job to repaint doors for example and see that whoever has painted them before didnt even bother to knot them, and they have bled through ::)

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by woodsmith on Apr 8^th, 2006, 2:35pm

Two decorators agreeing :o it wouldn't happen in any other trade ;)

So we are all right ;D

Just been to a barn conversion, all the doors are pine, ledge and braced and painted white, with no knotting. What a mess for the sake of a couple of minutes work ::) I've told him he'll have to get them all dipped.

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by hamilton on Apr 8^th, 2006, 4:18pm

Decorators are very agreeable people woody. Aint that right cora. ;D

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by splinter on Apr 8^th, 2006, 11:48pm

wrote on Apr 7^th, 2006, 10:55pm:

Snodland? 8)

How do you know about Kent's best keep secret :o

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by hamilton on Apr 9^th, 2006, 10:44am

Once you have seen the sign to Snodland, you never forget it. :)

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by WOLF on Apr 9^th, 2006, 10:49am

almost as good as the sign on the Isle of Sheppey!!

which reads Queenborough 1 mile
Halfway 2 miles
Sheerness 3 miles

well of course "halfway" is a mile "between the 2 of them!!! Stupid council!!!!

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by splinter on Apr 9^th, 2006, 7:30pm

The Isle of Sheppey Wot a 'ole .They should blow up the crossing to that place and make it into a prison ilsand ;D

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by WOLF on Apr 9^th, 2006, 11:31pm

OI!! my brother and his family live on the isle of Mess, and her parents too!!...

eerrrr......

Hang on a MO POINT TAKEN ..

damned good idea!! Splinter old bean!!! ;D ;D

i can provide the fuse no probs, when do we start!!! ;D ;D

Title: Re: Getting a key on varnish
Post by corablimey on Apr 10^th, 2006, 8:23am

;D
wrote on Apr 8^th, 2006, 4:18pm:

Decorators are very agreeable people woody. Aint that right cora. ;D

yep, I agree hamilton. ;D