Need help renovating home tiki bar! - Home Tiki Bars

F freestylpolaris Member Joined: Jul 17, 2014 Posts: 23	F freestylpolaris Posted posted on Mon, Jul 21, 2014 11:32 AM Alright guys! After about a week of research and discussion I think I am almost ready to purchase materials and get started. After the research I found out from several different online sources that spar varnish typically will hold up to weather better than polyurathane or anything else for that matter so I am going to stick with spar varnish. I also found an oil-based spar varnish opposed to a water-based or oil-modified after an hour or two of searching, comparing, reviewing. From online sources and TC I hear that the oil based gets soaked into the wood better, resists weather better, and is less "paint" looking than the water-based. Here it is: http://www.lowes.com/pd_174527-4-144.0018047.007_0__?productId=3017729&Ntt=spar+varnish&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dspar%2Bvarnish&facetInfo=#BVRRWidgetID The only thing that concerns me is that under specifications it says "interior finish type: spar varnish" and on the can it says "interior/exterior". I want strictly exterior BUT I am fairly certain all spar varnish is exterior and it just says interior because it can be used as interior if people really want to. SO. The game plan is: Wash Sand Burn (More-so on main poles & roof for a darker color, a little bit on paneling as well) 1-2 coats of amber shellac all over. Purchasing 2 quarts of this and hoping that will be enough: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Zinsser-1-qt-Amber-Shellac-Traditional-Finish-and-Sealer-00704H/100126411 Apply 4-5 coats of oil based, exterior, semi-gloss spar varnish mixed with a 50% ratio of mineral spirits to avoid bubbling/increase drying time. Spar varnish link is above. Mineral spirits: http://www.lowes.com/pd_206490-34228-CR.OMS.M.61_0__?productId=3024045&Ntt=mineral+spirits&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dmineral%2Bspirits&facetInfo= The last thing I am a bit confused about is how to mix into a 50% ratio. If I am buying a gallon of spar varnish and a gallon of mineral spirits do I just pour both into a bowl and mix? Would that be a 50% ratio as dtel mentioned or is that a 100/100 ratio? Remember I am a complete novice at painting, staining so any comments and help is always appreciated. Thanks as always! Oh, and do you all recommend I use mineral spirits for the shellac as well to avoid bubbling while applying? & dtel. If you remember, how long did it take the spar varnish mixed with mineral spirits to dry? Typically I hear that without any kind of mixing spar varnish can take 24-48hrs to dry per coat so I am just curious howl long it would take mixed and maybe I could put a coat on before work and a coat on after work or something. [ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 11:33 ] [ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 11:39 ] [ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 12:02 ]

Alright guys! After about a week of research and discussion I think I am almost ready to purchase materials and get started.

After the research I found out from several different online sources that spar varnish typically will hold up to weather better than polyurathane or anything else for that matter so I am going to stick with spar varnish.

I also found an oil-based spar varnish opposed to a water-based or oil-modified after an hour or two of searching, comparing, reviewing. From online sources and TC I hear that the oil based gets soaked into the wood better, resists weather better, and is less "paint" looking than the water-based. Here it is:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_174527-4-144.0018047.007_0__?productId=3017729&Ntt=spar+varnish&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dspar%2Bvarnish&facetInfo=#BVRRWidgetID

The only thing that concerns me is that under specifications it says "interior finish type: spar varnish" and on the can it says "interior/exterior". I want strictly exterior BUT I am fairly certain all spar varnish is exterior and it just says interior because it can be used as interior if people really want to.

SO. The game plan is:

Wash
Sand
Burn (More-so on main poles & roof for a darker color, a little bit on paneling as well)
1-2 coats of amber shellac all over. Purchasing 2 quarts of this and hoping that will be enough:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Zinsser-1-qt-Amber-Shellac-Traditional-Finish-and-Sealer-00704H/100126411

Apply 4-5 coats of oil based, exterior, semi-gloss spar varnish mixed with a 50% ratio of mineral spirits to avoid bubbling/increase drying time.

Spar varnish link is above.
Mineral spirits:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_206490-34228-CR.OMS.M.61_0__?productId=3024045&Ntt=mineral+spirits&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dmineral%2Bspirits&facetInfo=

The last thing I am a bit confused about is how to mix into a 50% ratio. If I am buying a gallon of spar varnish and a gallon of mineral spirits do I just pour both into a bowl and mix? Would that be a 50% ratio as dtel mentioned or is that a 100/100 ratio? Remember I am a complete novice at painting, staining so any comments and help is always appreciated. Thanks as always!

Oh, and do you all recommend I use mineral spirits for the shellac as well to avoid bubbling while applying?

& dtel. If you remember, how long did it take the spar varnish mixed with mineral spirits to dry? Typically I hear that without any kind of mixing spar varnish can take 24-48hrs to dry per coat so I am just curious howl long it would take mixed and maybe I could put a coat on before work and a coat on after work or something.

[ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 11:33 ]

[ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 11:39 ]

[ Edited by: freestylpolaris 2014-07-21 12:02 ]

Post #723283 by freestylpolaris on Mon, Jul 21, 2014 11:32 AM