Tint Base for Outdoor Clear Finish
#11
There has been a lot written about this and I haven't yet had an occasion to try it. I have an outdoor furniture piece in the works that I intend to use it on.  However, I am curious; why is it better? It is surprising that it would work better than something like spar varnish since the spar varnish is designed for outdoor use as a clear product. I wonder if paint developers ever anticipated the use of the tint base without the tint? Both have UV protectors. Without getting too technical, is there something else in the tint base that makes it better?
Just wondering.
Reply
#12
I'm not sure it is better than a true marine spar varnish. But the marine spar is very expensive, and generally takes many coats to get best effectiveness. The untinted paint is in a different class if you compare it to box store spars. Most of them use a urethane resin, and that in itself is enough to doom it to failure...urethanes do not do well in a UV rich environment. I read a piece by Flexner where he tested the UV protection of several box store spar varnishes. The Helmsman did so poorly he concluded that despite being labeled as habing UV inhibitors, he didn't think it had any. The untinted paint will not have urethane resins, and it will have good UV protection...but it's not infallible. Like any clear outdoor finish it will need to be renewed over time...just a lot longer time than many of the others. As for the last question (I wonder if paint developers ever anticipated the use of the tint base without the tint?) I have no idea, and doubt if anyone else does. Given the misleading labeling they put on their products, I doubt they would want to reveal any secrets that might impact some of the sales of the other stuff.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
Reply
#13
So. If I could summarize; tint base is as good or almost as good as spar varnish, but cheaper. I wonder if it could be successfully used on a wood boat where spar varnish has traditionally been used.
Reply
#14
As ,ong as the stuff at the box store isn't in your definition of "spar varnish". No idea about the boat question.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
Reply
#15
I could be speaking with forked tongue here, but I think what makes spar varnish "spar" is that it is made with "long" oils which are more flexible. Spar varnishes generally have some degree of UV inhibitors whereas exterior tint bases generally have lots. Might be worth your while to check out Epiphanies (a true spar varnish) price and instructions and compare that to tint base paint.
Thanks,  Curt
-----------------
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
Reply
#16
It's true that spars are "long oil" formulas, but that simply means there is more oil (higher percentage) in the mix that's cooked to become varnish.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
Reply
#17
I just bought a qt. of Sherwin Williams Multi-Surface alkyd oil enamel deep base for about $24 (wow! The price of paint has gone out of sight. Haven't bought any for a while). I checked the price of Epiphanies on Amazon. It is just under $50 plus shipping. Did a small test spot on a paint paddle and it is indeed clear with a slight amber tint. In the can, it looks kind of like pale chocolate milk. I'm looking forward to using it on my current project. I'll post a photo when it's done.
Reply
#18
The rain let up long enough for me to get some picts of my latest project. It is a plant stand for my son's deck. The shelves are live edge cedar and juniper. The legs are cypress. The finish is two coats of Sherwin Williams Multi-Purpose Alkyd Enamel ultra-deep satin tint base. It was thinned 10%, brushed on, and sanded lightly between coats. It turned out a little more glossy that I would have preferred. If my son doesn't like it, we may rub it with some 0000 steel wool. Also, the tint base did not flatten as well as I would have liked. Either a little more thinning or, maybe, the addition of some Penatrol might have helped. For a smoother finish, spraying might have been better. But, having said that, it is a piece of outdoor furniture. I shouldn't expect (or need) a highly refined finish with brushed on paint. The object here is weather resistance and only time will tell about that.

In general, I'm pleased and impressed with the clarity of the finish considering the milkiness of the product in the can.

[Image: sam0213.jpg]

[Image: sam0212.jpg]
Reply
#19
Finish things aside, that really is nice....well done!
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
Reply
#20
Thanks for the update and pics!  Looks great!!  I tried looking up "Sherwin Williams Multi-Purpose Alkyd Enamel," but couldn't find it online.  Did you mean All Surface Enamel?  Was the can red?

You might know this already, but before you sand with 0000, if the plant stand will be in partial sun to full sun the sheen will fade over time.  
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.