As I read your post it seems like a good plan. I'm just finishing my first boat, an Osprey Std and the varnishing has me nervous. You talk about delineating a 16" square, going with the grain, across the grain, and finally with the grain. First question - do you let it dry after each of those passes or do you do all 3 passes at once? You go on to say that your 4" brush dipped about 1/2" into the varnish will cover that 16" square area. Is that all 3 passes or each dip covers one of those passes? Finally, is there a magic # of coats that one should apply or does it vary by brand of varnish? Thanks in advance!

: I've got a drawer full of badger brushes. The foam brush is fine, but don't
: thin the varnish. Thinning is intended for coating bare wood, not epoxy.

: I use a 4" foam brush. This is too big for a quart can. You shouldn't
: work from the can anyway. I put 1" in a clean dry quart plastic milk
: carton cut off.

: From my plans: Most finishing novices apply too thick a coat and find the
: finish has runs or drips. It is best to start with too little than too
: much finish on a surface. This will allow you to get the “feel” for that
: particular finishes brushing characteristics. Each finish brushes on
: slightly differently.

: Be careful around cockpit coamings and hatch openings because the foam brush
: carries a reserve of varnish that will pool out when pressed and leave a
: sag of varnish.

: Brush Technique
: Dip only the tip of your brush in the finish and do not wipe off finish on
: the edge of the can. This can add foam to your brush.

: The toughest part of applying a finish is to put on the right amount, so you
: don’t get drips or sags and yet cover the area completely.
: It seems easy to cover the boat with finish but, I never seem to go without
: missing a few spots.

: At a boat show a finishing rep displayed this brush technique; brush a small
: area (about 16” sq.) with the grain, then across the grain and finally
: with the grain, to spread the finish evenly and cover the area totally.

: I now use this brushing technique and have much fewer drips and sags.
: To prevent missing areas divide your brushing area into small sections. I use
: staples on my hulls below the waterline so I brush from the staple holes
: from one station to the next. Overlap your brush strokes form one section
: to the next.

: If you don’t have a definite area marker like staple holes you will have to
: mentally guess an area work size. I estimate a 1/2” dip of my brush into
: the finish will cover about a 16”. square area.

: Look for the reflections of your shop lights highlighted in the finish to
: make sure you have covered the surface completely and overlapped areas
: previously brushed. Look for drips or sags and brush them out before the
: finish sets.

: You must wait until the next day before recoating an oil based finish. I
: usually apply varnish in the evening.

: Sand between coats with 220 wet/dry sandpaper. I like wet sanding since it
: creates no dust and is very efficient. Do a thorough job and level any
: drips or sags.

: Wipe down surfaces with a sponge and clean water until you have removed all
: sanding residue. Wipe down surfaces with the tack cloth before recoating.

: I've tried a LOT of different finishes and application methods. This works
: great for me. My finishes look like they're sprayed.

: Good Luck!

: Rob
: Laughing Loon CC&K