Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish

I mix it 50/50 with Tried & True Varnish Oil for a durable hand-rubbed finish on cabinets and furniture.

The rubbed effect is great. Thin well with xylene.

I have been attempting to match an interior wall finish for several months and the rubbed finish matched it perfectly. Other areas now will receive a proper upgrade.

My old standby for rubbed effect/flat/statin finish varnish was Interlux #60. But they seem to have changed the formula and I find it is not so good as the old stuff, so I tried the Epifanes product for a rubbed effect. Once I got used to its personality I found that I really like it. From bare wood, application is best done over several build-up coats of Epifanes Gloss, because in so doing you will achieve a wonderful depth of finish that is not going to happen by using the Epifanes Rubbed Effect for build-ups. (I've been using the Epifanes Gloss Varnish for 30 + years, always with great results). Brush or a foam paddle is really a matter of using what you are familiar with. I use both, but with some preference for a nice Red Tree brush or the like. People have remarked about drying times and how much solvent to use, etc. There is no one best technique because these tung oil based varnishes seem to be quite sensitive to environmental conditions at time of application - temperature, dew point, humidity. The usual rules apply.... The SDS sheet is a little vague about what is in Epifanes' varnishes, but I would think Tung Oil, urethane resin and/or some phenolic resin. This is definitely good stuff.

Applies well, results as expected, would buy again

This varnish was very difficult to apply without leaving brush strokes. It dries super fast and has no leveling properties. I tried applying it with a high quality Interlux varnish brush and USA made sponge brushes, both of which I have successfully used with other matte varnishes.

Finish sanding and clean - then seal wood with a very very fast drying and super thin sealer. Have good ventilation. Resand - re-seal. Thin the epiphanies more than less - (if in doubt make it thinner) Apply about 7 coats total -obviously dry between coats - all thin coats with a foam brush - do not over coat and get any runs at all. Sand out any problems before adding any new coats. You may sand and clean every coat or so with 600 grit. After 3 coats you will be extremely pleased and by the 7th coat you will be a fine finish master! It is unbelievable how good it looks and how easy it is.

I am in the process of restoring the interior/exterior of a 32 Endeavour sailboat and am using the Epifanes products on all of the teak surfaces. Preparation is key to great results. Sand according to instructions, clean with a vacuum cleaner the use a tack rag dilligently to remove all traces of dust. Note: If you're too lazy to do a lot of sanding, then you won't get the results you desire. Thin the product with epifanes thinner (about 5 to 10%) then apply sparingly. This product yields a finish that is beyond my expectations.... looks almost as good as a factory sprayed finish. Terrific product that I will use in future projects.

Nothing to compare with the high gloss Epifanes spar varnish. This one is a lot too fast to dry for surfaces > 3 sqft. Cannot use the roll and foam brush method : it starts drying before you can use the foam brush to smooth out the bubbles. Disappointing for that price.

Epifanes Clear Gloss is my varnish of choice but sometimes a satin finish is desired. Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish provides a harder final coat and a more uniform sheen then can easily be achieved by hand rubbing a gloss spar varnish. Unfortunately, Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish is not as easy to work with as the clear gloss. Being faster drying, I find it somewhat difficult to adjust to. It reduces problems with dust but it is more difficult to brush on and extra care has to be taken to avoid bubbles. Thinning helps but not appreciably. I have been tempted to add a bit of Penetrol to reduce brush drag but I am not sure what its effect would be on the final coat. Despite these difficulties, I am very pleased with the results of one coat of Epifanes Rubbed Effect Varnish thinned by roughly 5% over six coats of Epifanes Clear Gloss Varnish coated in indoor dry conditions at a temperature of about 65F.