Varnished Floor Brush Marks

I've been trying to varnish our new bathroom floor (solid bamboo strip), but the brush marks are far to obvious for my liking.

Is there a trick to getting a smoother finish? I'm using Dulux Diamond Tough Satin Floor Varnish with a soft 2" brush.

Perhaps I should be sealing the floor with something else entirely?

Also, should a varnished floor be wax polished afterwards?

Thanks

Bob

Reply to
Bob
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Are you talking about brush marks or start-of-brushing-marks? When I did my floor with acrylic varnish I had trouble with marks showing up where the brush first made contact during a brush-stroke. I think I was using too much varnish in the brush. I was using Wickes Super Tough Floor Varnish, but can't say I had any problems with mid-stroke brush-marks. Maybe your varnish neeeds a little thinners added?

AFAIK there is no requirement for his, though I can't say it would do any harm. I hear wax floor finishes are easily damaged though.

Andy.

Reply to
andrewpreece

What's the solvent in that stuff ? In this heat you need to use a water-based varnish, or the stuff is like treacle as soon as it leaves the brush.

I've had to re-formulate my shellac this week - I'm now using 50:50 isopropanol and ethanol, rather than my usual plain ethanol.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

I varnished a parquet floor a few months back and I'd say brush marks were reasonably minimal. I used a 6inch brush from Wickes for the job and made sure as I built the coats up (4 in total) that they were always in a different direction. I seem to remember washing with white sprits between coat, if not then definitly before the first coat.

Scott

Reply to
Scott Mills

Personally, I always use "Bourne Seal" . I don't know what it is, but it's as hard as hell when it dries and survives most disasters. I believe all schools use it on their wood block flooring. You can also use it as an indoor varnish on woodwork. Regards Capitol

Reply to
Capitol

Norm always seems to use foam brushes for varnish. Available in the UK from Axminster. Comments in this group about them suggest that they work well.

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Perhaps I should be sealing the floor with something else entirely? >

Reply to
parish

I'm assuming that this is a 'water-borne' satin varnish for floors, in which case as mentioned by an earlier poster, the temperatures we are experiencing at the moment will probably contribute to the patchy finish you are seeing.

I'd also guess that the bamboo flooring which you are coating is quite varied in it's porosity, and thus some areas will suck the moisture straight out the coating quicker than other areas leading to different finishes and contributing to your problems.

As this is a water-borne coating, you are best not to use a pure bristle brush. A Synthetic SRT filament brush will give better results as the filament won't absorb any water, unlike pure bristle which is hollow and absorbs water... swelling up to give a more scratchy finish. We're about to launch some excellent Synthetic SRT brushes this week which we've had on test for 4 months... and the feedback has been excellent.

You could also try a foam brush, these are good with both solvent-borne and water-borne products and are a popular tried and tested applicator for varnishing projects where the surfaces you intend to coat are flat, and they certainly avoid brush marks.

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coats do denib the surfaces gently using a very fine grade wet and dry paper (used dry), and then tack rag gently to remove any dust, before applying the next coat. You should get a more acceptable finish on the application of further thin coats. Work quickly and try to keep your wet edges going, don't be tempted to brush over areas which have just been applied, get the material on and leave it alone... water- bornes don't like being played around with.

Regards

Reply to
Max Bone

It probably was the high temperatures - the varnish was dry to the touch within an hour (the tin said 8 hours!).

Luckily I've only done the bit where the bath is going (I've been doing this project with the cast iron bath still in the room - it's too big and heavy to put anywhere else!). I'll definitely give the foam brushes a try though.

Cheers

Bob

Reply to
Bob

Bit of both really - the marks were much more obvious than I'd expected. As others have pointed out, it may have been the high temperatures last week causing the varnish to dry to quickly. I have more to do this week - hopefully now it's a bit cooler it will work better

Bob

Reply to
Bob

Yep, Some paint finishes cannot be satisfactorily applied without brush-marks showing no matter how good a brush or the skilled person attempting to applying it is.

Especially water based products that are recoatable in just two hours.

Steve.

Reply to
Stephen Hull

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