What is varnish?

Answer 1

varnish, homogeneous solution of gum or of natural or synthetic resins in oil (oil varnish) or in a volatile solvent (spirit varnish), which dries on exposure to air, forming a thin, hard, usually glossy film. It is used for the protection or decoration of surfaces and may be transparent, translucent, or tinted. For oil varnishes a hard gum or resin, often a fossilized plant exudation such as kauri or copal, is dissolved in oil (commonly linseed oil or tung oil) and is diluted with a volatile solvent such as turpentine. Spirit varnishes are commonly made of soft resins or gums, such as shellac, dammer, mastic, or sandarac, dissolved in a volatile solvent, e.g., alcohol, benzene, acetone, or turpentine. Enamel is varnish with added pigments. Lacquer may be a cellulose derivative dissolved in a volatile solvent, or it may be a natural varnish made in the East from the sap of trees. Among the varnishes named either for their constituents or for the proposed use are japanner's gold size, cabinet, carriage, bookbinder's, patent-leather, insulating, photographic, shellac, and copal picture varnish. Varnish has been known from antiquity; the Egyptians coated mummy cases with a pastelike form made of soft resins dissolved in oil and applied when warm. Another early use was for coating oil paintings. Stradivarius and other violinmakers used a slow-drying linseed oil varnish on their instruments.--

Answer 2

I have over 17 years in woodworking, finishing and refinishing experience. VARNISH is a product made of resin and oil or spirits. Depending on the TYPE of varnish, Satin or Gloss. It protects finishes, (stain), or products underneath it by being a barrier.

Lacquer is ALSO a varnish but made from the sap of an Eastern Asian tree.

Shellac is a THIN varnish made from purified lac in alcohol.

Varnish is used in woodworking to coat and protect your wood and stain, (if you apply stain.)

Varnish alone is NOT sufficient to protect products. Usually a coat of WAX is applied over the varnish after is hardens and dries completely.

Answer 3

wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish
Varnish is a finish applied to wood or other surfaces in order to provide a clear, hard, durable, protective finish. The materials used for varnishing are called drying oils. There are many types of drying oils, both natural and synthetic. Walnut oil and linseed oil are most often used in violin varnish in combination with amber, copal, rosin or other resins. The oil is prepared by cooking or exposing to air and sunlight. ...


Shellac is made from a bug larvae

Answer 4

It's a wood shiner and protector. So that wood won't be easily stained by water, and also makes wood easy to clean. Varnis can also change wood color from it's original. But it's transparent, not solid color like paint.

Answer 5

It is a very generic term used for some kind of protective coat that is transparent, and frequently has a tint. usually used on wood but sometimes on wire, etc.

Answer 6

Hard shiny transparent coating applied to the surface of esp woodwork or metalwork

Answer 7

It's a liquid which is painted onto wood or paintings to protect the surface, or the hard shiny surface it produces when it dries.

Answer 8

It adds color and shine to wood.

Answer 9

it colours wood