International Woodskin

[RossJarvis]

I believe International Woodskin is popular in the yachting fraternity. I recently used this on an oak door and found that although it seemed to go on reasonably smoothly and well, when dry it seemed to "pool" a bit in some areas and wasn't totally even. It's quite thick, so I'm thinking that it forms thicker areas where it first goes on from the loaded brush and despite working, doesn't really spread evenly. "Thinning is not recommended" states the label, so maybe it's not too easy to get a very smooth spread of the stuff.

Has anyone used this stuff and noticed this trait and if so, have you found a good way of evening it out?

The instructions recommend using a stiff bristle brush, but I was using a stiff synthetic brush, would a stiffer brush make a difference?

 

[ED65]

"Thinning is not recommended" states the label, so maybe it's not too easy to get a very smooth spread of the stuff.

I think that should be read as just that, a recommendation, not an absolute. Some products will say: "do not thin" when they want to make sure users don't.

Bear in mind they're aiming for the finish to provide a given level of protection which is based on total coat thickness, so by recommending using it undiluted they're ushering the end user towards the thickness their testing has shown provides the level of protection they want the product to have.

The instructions recommend using a stiff bristle brush, but I was using a stiff synthetic brush, would a stiffer brush make a difference?

Very hard to say, it's quite possible your synthetic brush is stiffer than a typical bristle brush, not the other way around!

The stiffest bristles I've ever seen used in a brush were synthetics, not hog, but brush stiffness is about more than the bristles only because of differences in internal construction and how tightly packed the bristles are.

 

[RossJarvis]

Cheers ED65, If I use it again I might try a bit of thinning. Luckily it's not too noticeable.

 

[user22161]

Yes, very popular with the boat brigade, lasts longer than many other products before needing recoating and easy to touch up. I used it on this sapele cockpit table with 25% thinned first coat + 3 unthinned and it's still OK after being out in Algarve sun for 3 years. It does seem to remain soft longer than expected between coats but not noticed pooling.

 

[RossJarvis]

Yes, very popular with the boat brigade, lasts longer than many other products before needing recoating and easy to touch up. I used it on this sapele cockpit table with 25% thinned first coat + 3 unthinned and it's still OK after being out in Algarve sun for 3 years. It does seem to remain soft longer than expected between coats but not noticed pooling.

Now that's how I wanted the door to look, lovely job. Strangely enough, the person who I'm doing it for has rather too many wooden Fairey Fireflys.

By pooling I meant that some areas seemed to have a thicker coating than others, usually where I'd first applied with the loaded brush, and regardless of trying to work it around with the brush, its viscosity wouldn't let the stuff move. It wasn't "pooled" enough to sag or drip, being on the vertical but the thickness wasn't even.

The door surface was as delivered, so maybe some prep could have helped. Next time I'll try thinning the first coat, maybe absorbency was an issue.