Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
Cold Weather Varnish Question
Here is another question about varnish...
Is it harmful to varnish in a heated garage during the winter - but then at the end of the day turn the heat off (let's assume the temperature is going to drop below freezing withing several hours of applying the varnish). I really want to do some additional coats of varnish on the hull of the boat while the weather is cold and not much boating is going on. Last year I did it in the spring/early summer so the temp was never a problem.
Part of me says to just wait til it warms up in the spring - but then the other part wants to work on it during the cold months when I have time, and then it will be ready for spring steelheading.
Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!
-jk-
Is it harmful to varnish in a heated garage during the winter - but then at the end of the day turn the heat off (let's assume the temperature is going to drop below freezing withing several hours of applying the varnish). I really want to do some additional coats of varnish on the hull of the boat while the weather is cold and not much boating is going on. Last year I did it in the spring/early summer so the temp was never a problem.
Part of me says to just wait til it warms up in the spring - but then the other part wants to work on it during the cold months when I have time, and then it will be ready for spring steelheading.
Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!
-jk-
Views: 162
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on
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I'd wait. Varnish needs 24 hours or more, even then it still smells and is sometimes soft.
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Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on
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Jason,
We do a lot of cold shop work here in the middle of a Jackson Hole winter. Warm will not happen here for many months but boat work continues in spite of the cold weather. If bringing the shop up to temperature is out of the question we just bring the project up to temp with a small electric heater, ie a plug in oil filled radiator. Get creative with tarps to tent the boat and put the radiator under the whole thing. The radiator type heater is the safest and works very well. Monitor your temps to find the right setting and have at it.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on
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Jason,
I built my boat in the middle of winter. When it came time for the last coats of varnish when the boat was fully assembled I flipped it over and put two of the radiator type heaters that AJ is talking about underneath it. I was surprised how warm the wood stayed all night long. Now that being said, since then I have done many repairs to it in the warmer months and its much easier to work with all the epoxies and varnish when its warm IMO.
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Jason Knight on
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I will play it by ear... I am going to do the drain plug soon, and a few other misc. little upgrades over the next couple months. Is it bad that I am already over winter? haha
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