What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

cobbcfi

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 30, 2010
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150
I asm looking to achieve that big boat fighting chair beautiful deep clear coat and wanted to know how to do it? I am looking for long life glossy clear, and my searching has sent me to West System's epoxy resins. Roll on a couple of coats of Epoxy Resin and Hardner and then spray with AwlGrip clear. But the are many others out there and wanted to know if y'all had any thoughts?
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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May 19, 2001
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26,019
Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

I used a fer coats of epoxy resin (west systems) and covered that with 3 coats of marine varnish. You need to cover the resin since it does not have UV protection but, the varnish does. I am not sure if the awl grip does...... shoot Yacht Dr a message since he works with awl grip allot.

I will move this to restoration too :)
 

BWT

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Apr 30, 2011
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Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

I've used west system / varnish combo for a while with excellent results. I don't know if the recipe for the clear hardener has changed recently, but they do claim (now) that it has a certain level of UV blockers in it. Still needs to have the varnish as the UV level isn't real high though. I've done a couple videos on this method if interested. Link in my signature below.

BTW, like the Buffet line :)
 

cobbcfi

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 30, 2010
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150
Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

They are saying it has UV inhibitors in it, but also knows is need another level of protection.. I sanded all my teak to bare wood because I got tired of oiling grey crap.. Stained it with regular wood stain and 4 coats of UV resitant spar varnish and now I have yellow peeling skin over grey wood in a matter of 6 months.. I am looking for a high gloss shine with a once annual touch-up..
 

25thmustang

Lieutenant Commander
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Mar 20, 2008
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Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

I would love to hear, and SEE what people are doing? I did the cetol natural and then gloss on mine, but have seen some jobs done with epoxy that look impressive. I have "dreams" of one of my boats in the future having a ton of nice teak work.
 

BWT

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Apr 30, 2011
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363
Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

The reason it's yellowing is because the varnish itself didn't get a good bond with the wood (it lifted and moisture got underneath it). I fought this same battle with a boat I refinished a couple years ago. Sanded it down to clean wood, did all varnish per the directions (8 coats) and it lifted before the end of the year. 2nd Time I refinished I stripped it again, used a chem stripper to pull out anything that was soaked deep into the grains and re-varnished (8 coats) and it lifted the following Spring. 3rd time I re-did it stripped, chem clean and did all my base coats with west system (2 coats an hour apart no sanding between ** MUST USE THE 207 HARDENER), let set up overnight, sanded with 220 and applied 2 coats varnish (sanding between with 400 grit) and no problems. The epoxy bites onto the wood much stronger than the varnish. With the total of 4 coats (epoxy and varnish) there is actually as much depth or more than when I had 8 coats of just varnish. At that point I was sold on the process. Much quicker, less sanding and longer lasting results. varnish maintenance should be a once a year or even every other year maintenance (light sanding and a fresh coat of varnish). If you haven't done so already you can see how it looks on my video (link below in my signature).

Good luck!~
 

Yacht Dr.

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Feb 26, 2005
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5,581
Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

IMHO .. Inside coatings.. Awl grip is good ..

However .. there are some products that have .. lets say Research and Developement ..

Best of the Best is dependent on What you want do to ..

I personally think Minwax IS the Best all around coatings.

Marine coatings if not properly applied will hurt you more then the other poly coatings out there that are more Friendly user then the High priced and Specialized coatings.

Research it yourself and make the best Choice for what you expect out of Coating WOOD ..

YD.
 

sasto

Captain
Joined
Jun 1, 2010
Messages
3,918
Re: What is the best "High Gloss" sealer? Resins, Varnish, Clear Coats?

So far, the best I've seen is a several coats of clear AwlGrip.

It's been 3 months in the sun and salt and shows no wear. Whatsoever.........Yet!
 
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