Screwfix Patina

[David Lang]

Hi

Friend of mine raves about a Screwfix product called Patina

as a resin gel which protects and enhances old or new wood. Alternative to shellac, varnish and wax finishes. Protects against water, heat and alcohol marking. Brings out natural patina and colour. Professional finish in minutes. Easy to apply - no need to polish. Can be stained.

Seems like the answer to a maidens prayer - wipes on like oil, no buffing, protects like polyurethane.

Anyone got any long term knowledge of it? Does it hold up?

Dave

[Andy Hall]

It isn't bad.

I used some to hide some surface scuffs and scratches on a couple of old chairs belonging to a relative. It was pretty effective for that. My objective wasn't to make them look like new - I would have stripped and sanded them and finished them differently for that - but to make them look a little better cared for.

I wiped it on sparingly with a rag, a little more heavily in rougher areas and the results are pretty good.

Certainly very easy to use. I haven't tried it on bare wood, but I suspect that the technique is to be sparing or perhaps generous and wipe off depending on what you want to achieve.

It's not very expensive and a little goes a long way, so worth experimenting.

It would be nice if there were a range of colours.

It's actually made by Palace Chemicals and sold under their Langlow brand.

[Andy Dingley]

It's a gel polyurethane, nothing unusual. If you go to the USA, every DIY shed has a dozen of these products.

I use it a lot - just about the only poly I do use. Apply two coats on some decorator's scrim and you get a good hard-wearing finish that's still pretty light in colour. Apply three coats and you start to get the "Airfix kit" look of brushed poly.

Doesn't like heat in storage. Doesn't keep well once opened.

[Rod]

Andy Dingley wrote in news: [e-mail]:

And absolutely stinks - in a volatile organics sort of a way. I wouldn't wish to use it indoors even with good ventilation.

-- Rod