What to thin spar varnish with?

[MD]

I bought a small tin of spar varnish to seal my barrel channel with after a free-floating-sanding project.


I have on hand:

1. A container of cheap paint thinner (mineral spirits).

2. Turpentine

3. Wife's odourless oil-painting thinner

4. White gas (Coleman fuel)


If I want to make a thinned down first coat of varnish for my stock which should I use?

 

[Dan B]

Cheap paint thinner works, do it outside.
50% with mineral spirits, paint thinner, or naptha should do the trick depending on how fast you want it to cure.

Dan

 

[galamb]

I would use the mineral spirts, which is/was a typical thinner for spar varnish.

BUT - read your can of spar varnish. That term has come to mean a few different things over the past 15 years or so - many "outdoor" varnish has been labeled as spar.

Plus they have some new "low voc" concoctions that may be incomparable.

Even if it doesn't tell you what to thin it with on the can, it will generally tell you what to clean the brush with - and if it says mineral spirits you are good to go...

 

[zuke]

I use 50/50 coleman fuel/naptha

 

[Arctic]

Two coats thinned with mineral spirits, final pure, ....sand between. Or do it all with Crazy Glue, ......don't forget under buttplate!

 

[hart]

I use 50/50 coleman fuel/naptha

This is what I have done.

 

[sahara]

I use varsol or paint thinner 50/50.

 

[TangoKilo]

Mineral spirits.

That is all