Drying methods?

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Calv

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Forgive me if this is a repeat of a topic, i could'nt find it with the search thing........can you tell me if it's ok to use something like a fan to speed up the drying process with varnish and paint? I have just bought a gorgeous deep red mahogany varnish, however unlike the usual B&Q varnishes which are touch dry in 20 mins, recoat after an hour, this one suggests leaving overnight before recoating which is a little longer than i would like. I don't obviously want to put a coat over the top of a not quite dry coat, would a fan or maybe an oven or radiator be an option?

Thanks,

Calv.
 
A fan will stir up any dust and blow it onto your newly varnished surface, which isnt really a good idea. In car paintshops they use radiant heat, and the new range of halogen heaters should work nicely as they are radiant only and require no convection currents (wind to you and me).

Why not varnish last thing at night so it's ready to work again in the morning? Worked wonders on the new wood floor in our hall -- good job we have an en suite :D
 
Varnish is a great finish but it does take time to cure. It is a chemical reaction that relies on uptake of oxygen from the air. This proceeds faster in a warm room and indeed most varnishes should not be applied at temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. (or above 90 degrees for that matter).

Don't use fan. As White house Workshop says, it will stir up dust and the varnish will need to be denibbed.
 
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