how do I keep bubbles from forming on my freshly varnished door?

Question

I am varnishing a brand new unfinished wood door using Man O War Marine Spar Varnish. I am appling it using a fairly decent brush with slow even strokes. I keep getting tiny little bubbles on the surface.

Answer 1

Wiping the brush on the lip of the can is the #1 cause of bubbles in the finish. Apply several coats of your finish at full strength, sanding very lightly between each coat to smooth out the finish, then for the last coat, thin it with the appropriate thinner (whatever the can says to use for cleanup) 50/50, this thinned finish will be self-leveling to give you an perfect top coat. I know that the can says, "do not thin", but you will get a perfectly acceptable finish if you do thin it, the reason for that statment is that EPA reg's state that no finish may be sold that will release more than a certain amount of VOC's, and to comply with those reg's manufacturers are making thicker finishes that do not level as well and bubble easier, the only difference is that the new finishes contain less solvent, so adding more just returns it to the condition it was in before those reg's were passed.

Answer 2

Man O War Varnish

Answer 3

Man O War Spar Varnish

Answer 4

You can't prevent the bubbles. You need to use several coats, drying and sanding between each. There will be less bubbles with more coats and a smother finish.

Thin coats are best. Don't over brush too much.

Check the can for the right kind of brush bristle. Sythetic or Natural...

Answer 5

GOOGLE says the temperature needs to be between 70 and 75 degrees to put on varnish and avoid bubbles and streaking.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

Sand it first the bubbles and varnisg it again, make sure no air while ur varnishing.