International Original Varnish - Overcoating with Compass

Submitted by Martin on Sat, 07/12/2014 - 20:47

Forums:

Hi all,

I've started varnishing the inside (birghtwork?) of the mirror dinghy with International Paints Original varnish.

First coat thinned with White Spirit and a second coat neat. The second coat has been administer within 2 days.

Problem.

I've run out of Original Varnish (never realised it would not do 3 coats!), and I only have Compass Varnish available.

Can I overcoat the Original varnish in 1-2 days with Compass Varnish? I tried contacting International Paints, but no one there on a Saturday.

You can Overcoat Compass Varnish with pretty much anything in the International Range within 6 hours - 1 month...
I would assume this would mean it will be OK to stick it on Original varnish.
BUT does anyone KNOW it will be OK before I wreck the varnish tomorrow morning by over coating with Compass.

I got plenty of photos of the stages so far, but still struggling on getting them in a post... I'll get their eventually...

Thanks ALL

Lin

Sat, 07/12/2014 - 21:13

Hold your horses David, you've thinned the first coat and it is going to take quite a while to fully vapor off, you aren't going to loose anything by waiting until Monday to speak to International.... Good luck with getting an answer! If you don't wait, and you do over coat it, you will end up with what look like little bubbles all over the job!

I haven't had a lot of luck with International products - having spent 12 years of my life as a custom motorcycle painter, you'd thought I might.............. I once sprayed a bike frame that I'd already primed with the correct primer, with Int Yacht paint, it took 4 months to fully harden!!!! That was because I thinned it down with White spirit just as my local boat yard told me to do...........

The worst that can happen if you do wait and the stuff does actually go off, is that you will have to go over the areas already done with a grey scotchbrite to 'key' the surface, ready to accept another coat!.

Sorry I can't give you a definitive answer, but its better to do nothing than end up having to take it ALL back off again, which is what happend to me!

Regards Lin.

Martin

Sun, 07/13/2014 - 04:36

Thanks Lin,

The first coat of Original Varnish that I thinned was left for 2 days before over-coating with a second neat coat of Original Varnish... it had definitely finished vaporing off between coats (not too much white spirit and it's hot and breezy here).

So if the Second coat of International Original Varnish has set (which it will) before I get to speak to the Technical helpline at International, all I have to do is give it a light rub down with a scotch pad to give the surface a key for the next coat of varnish.

thanks for getting back to me Lin.

Martin

Mon, 07/14/2014 - 15:01

Spoke to International Tech support today who were really helpful...

You can overcoat the Original Varnish with Compass just as if it was original varnish. No need to wait for it to fully cure, you can overcoat as per the original varnish times...

The suggest that you leave the varnish 1 week minimum before standing on it, 3 weeks would be good.

If the varnish has 'cured' and is less than say 1 month old you can just give it a rub down with a scotch-brite pad and then re-varnish, if it has cured longer you'd need to rub down with say 300-400 grit paper to give a better key, then re-varnish.

Nice to know....